1 Nephi 1:20 ".....But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."
In a general conference talk in April 2005, Elder Bednar gave a talk called "The Tender Mercies of the Lord." In that talk he says:
” Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits “his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men” (D&C 46:15).
As I read this scripture, I read the word "chosen" Why would I be chosen? And then I read this quote:
"Some individuals who hear or read this message erroneously may discount or dismiss in their personal lives the availability of the tender mercies of the Lord, believing that “I certainly am not one who has been or ever will be chosen.” We may falsely think that such blessings and gifts are reserved for other people who appear to be more righteous or who serve in visible Church callings. I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are available to all of us and that the Redeemer of Israel is eager to bestow such gifts upon us.
To be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather, you and I ultimately determine if we are chosen. Please now note the use of the word chosen in the following verses from the Doctrine and Covenants:
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
“Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:34–35; emphasis added).
I believe the implication of these verses is quite straightforward. God does not have a list of favorites to which we must hope our names will someday be added. He does not limit “the chosen” to a restricted few. Rather, it is our hearts and our aspirations and our obedience which definitively determine whether we are counted as one of God’s chosen."
We are all chosen. He wants to bless us all with his tender mercies.
As our family goes through the trial of losing Neil, we reflect often on the tender mercies of the Lord. They are personalized gifts given to us from a loving Heavenly Father. We have had several and they are very personal. I'm sure you all know how hard it is to share my feelings but I have decided to share some of our personal and tender mercies.
The kids and I packed up to go on our trip to Idaho for a
family reunion. Neil was packing
up and leaving a few days later for his “trip of a lifetime” on his motorcycle
to Alaska. He couldn't wait to stick his toes in the Arctic Ocean. We would be apart several
weeks. The night before we left, life
got in the way. I was gone late and
didn’t get to say goodbye before he fell asleep. Life was hectic that night, kids were ornery
and it was just a frustrating night. Neil left for work early the next morning, and we all woke up later and left
for our trip. Before we even made it out
of town, my Erik got sick. Oh
well, I told the kids, “We may never know why Heavenly Father doesn’t want us
to leave today but I believe there is a reason.” He was fine that day and
was never sick again. Neil came
home from work that night and we had a great night. We all kneeled together for family prayer. We said our goodbyes and expressed our love and went to
bed feeling much better than the night before.
We left on our trip the next morning. Neil left on his adventure the day after. My
kids and I talk a lot about that tender mercy of the Lord. We are so glad that we got to say our goodbyes. I know I would have felt so much regret and guilt if things had been different. Now, I have that wonderful last evening to remember.
I believe Heavenly Father, through tender mercies, prepared me to be able to forgive. Months before, I read an article in a Utah paper about a girl who was hit on her long board by a young man. She wasn't expected to make it through the night. Her family forgave and prayed for her and the young man. She had a miraculous healing. At the time, I had no idea why this story meant so much to me. I have never had a problem forgiving. I had a strong impression that this girl was healed because her family chose to forgive. I talked to Neil about it constantly and shared it with other people. I even wrote about it in my journal. The morning after the accident, this story came to my mind. I instantly knew that if I would forgive, my kids would be ok. That they would be able to be healed. I gathered the kids and we prayed. And we prayed for the guy who caused the wreck. And we continue to pray for him, today. I was able to forgive almost instantly because I was prepared.
The last experience is Erik's. He seemed ok when it happened. A little too ok. And then one day, several months later, it hit. And he was sad. And he missed his Dad. He thought he was forgetting Neil. We found some pictures which helped and my mom had found a teddy bear at her house that had a recording of Neil saying, "Goodnight buddy, I love you." And we were able to give it to Erik. It was from when he was much younger and he didn't remember it. He plays it every night. The Lord is aware of us each individually and knows our needs.
I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father. He loves each of us and wants to bless us. He also wants us to recognize these blessings. Nephi's journey in life was not easy. He had many, many challenges and trials. He kept on being obedient and he was able to see through it all the tender mercies of the Lord. He is a great example to me. This has been a very challenging time, but our family has felt His love and we know that he is aware of us.
