I just got home from attending the annual women's broadcast of my church. It was filled with wonderful teaching and the spirit that attended the meeting was amazing. I was once again struck with the knowledge that even though there are billions of God's children that are on the earth today and have been on the earth, He knows each of us individually. He knows my name, He knows my pain, my sorrows, my trials, my grief. He also knows my joys, my triumphs, my successes. This was reinforced again today through the experience of a friend of mine. It was such a powerful reminder to me of the compassion and the love that the Savior and our Heavenly Father has for each of us, I just had to share it. I hope my friend doesn't mind.
As I sat down in the chapel, I "caught up" with a friend whom I hadn't chatted with for awhile. I knew that her mother was in the hospital and wanted to see how she was doing. She talked of her struggle with knowing that her mother would probably not come home to live with them again and that she was trying to come to terms with putting her mother in a lodge. This sweet lady has had her sweet mother living in the basement suite of her home for a few years. Her mother fell during a visit to Waterton on the September long weekend. The fall was either caused by a stroke or caused the stroke that has now lead to this trial in her life.
The meeting started and I sat enjoying the speakers. Their faith and testimony brought tears to my eyes many times as the shared council they felt we, as woman struggling to live Christ-like lives in the world today, needed to here. My heart leaped when President Henry B. Erying, 2nd Councillor in the first Presidency of the Church stood and spoke of trials and the relief we can be to each other. He then spoke of those who serve members of their family who are sick or otherwise afflicted and the struggle they can have to know when they need to hand over the care and service they have rendered to others more able to do that. He spoke of how many times we feel the need to serve others, sometimes to our own detriment as we strive to do all that we can for those around us. I watched the tears stream down my friends face and I knew that this wonderful man was answering the questions that were secretly asked in her heart. As those closest too her hugged her and held her hand I thought to myself, I am witnessing a miracle. God has chosen to answer someone's prayer through one of his servants. There were many in the congregation that were touched by this great man's words. But I was reminded once again, that God knows us. He knows each one of us by name. He answers prayers. He knows what we need and what we are going through. We just need to ask, to let Him in, and then watch for the miracle to take place. Maybe the miracle is the good Samaritan who helps change a tire at the end of a week when everything seems to go wrong. Maybe the miracle is we found a moment to laugh or cry with someone that understands the craziness of our week. Maybe the miracle is that quiet moment when you sit and feel like a warm blanket has been draped over you and you know that you can carry on, that someone other than yourself is routing for you and has "got your back".
Now some of you sceptics may think this whole experience was just a big coincidence and that President Erying wasn't speaking to answer my friends prayer, or calm her fears, or quiet her troubled soul. You may think that it was a general topic that would appeal to many people there. And you would be right about that, many of the people in the congregation would have been able to relate to the things he spoke of. But I know, with all of my heart, that those words were of comfort to my friend and on some level were meant just for her. And that was a reminder to me of how much I am loved by God.
Not just me, but you too!
