Tender Mercies

I have to work today, and I have to work from 10-5:30, which means that I can't go to church.

I've been feeling pretty bummed about this. It's odd. There are some days where I don't really get excited to go to church, but I always miss it when, for some reason or another, I can't go to church. I miss the boost in morale I get from being in church--the chance to refocus, regroup, and return to where I'm supposed to be.

So, I'm sitting on the Metro this morning, riding to work, feeling sad and a little alone, and asking in one of my silent little prayers to just feel loved. It wasn't even a really earnest pleading prayer. It was one of those things where you say something in passing, but if someone didn't catch what you said and then asked, "what did you say?" you'd answer with, "nothing." Anyway, right as I prayed my little prayer, a guy from the program I'm in sits next to me and gives me one of those little side hugs right before getting off the metro about 10 seconds later.

Coincidence? Possibly, but the fact that it could be coincidence doesn't matter to me. For me, that little incident was an answer to a prayer, because it did exactly what I needed it to--it made me feel loved.

This is certainly not the first time this has happened either. I am consistently amazed at the little requests that my Heavenly Father sees fit to grant. In August of 2004 I was feeling pretty lonely. I'd just said good-bye to Best Friend for a couple of years, and all the other friends that I'd hung out with freshmen year were all still at home or on missions. That, and I was moving all my stuff around my room and unpacking, which generally makes me somewhat nostalgic. In short, I was pretty blue. I'm moving stuff around my room, feeling a little grumpy at the lack of space in a DT single room, and I'm asking Heavenly Father to help me change my attitude, because I don't like feeling the way I was.

Well, I picked up my fridge, and found a circle made out of blue construction paper under it. This paper had a big happy face on it, a scripture from The Doctrine and Covenants about a cheerful heart, and the word "SMILE!" written across the top in bold letters. I couldn't help myself--I just started to laugh. All alone on my empty floor, I laughed, and my mood was completely changed.

I guess it's hard to see exactly how great these moments were for me if you're not me, and if you don't have the same mind set and such. For me though, they've been little testimonies to me that God is listening, and that he really does care about me and all my silly little ups and downs. He even listens to the things that I half-mutter under my breath when I think no one cares. It reminds me of this quote:

"The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live."
Elder David A. Bednar
Ensign, May 2005, 100

It's true. Honestly, it's all true. God really does love us, and he is our Father. I'm sure thankful, and I'm even more thankful that he actually cares. Here's to hoping you all have the same affirmation.