Looking for Tender Mercies

On Thursday, my oldest daughter had the flu. Since then we've all worried about when and if we are going to get it as well. Sure enough I awoke in the night Saturday morning and was down with the flu all day! I know there is a reason for sickness and it made me feel compassion for those who rarely feel well and made me appreciate my good health. I have also learned that we are blessed even through our opposition and trials and in looking for the blessings or tender mercies of the Lord in this, I realized how blessed I was to get sick on a Saturday when my good husband was home to run things and care for our children. My neighbors also went through the same illness 2 weeks ago and sure enough, my good friend, the mom of the family, was also blessed to be sick on Saturday when her husband could take over. Coincidence? Nah, that's a blessing!!

A few months ago I wrote an essay on this theme of looking for the blessing: 

Journey to the Celestial Kingdom Room

This beautiful photo is used by permission of Kelsi Mooney

This morning I woke up at 5 am and after quickly getting ready embarked on a journey to the Ogden, Utah temple where I had an ushering assignment for the Ogden Temple Open House. At the last minute I decided I didn’t have time to go around on the freeways so I would need to venture through Monte Cristo Canyon.

I carefully ventured out through the darkness on wet, dirt roads, passed through a very small town and turned onto the road leading into the canyon. The pavement, higher speed limits, and empty roads made for smooth sailing. It wasn’t long, however, before I started to hit small wisps of clouds that reached the ground. Another time I was out and about in dawn’s early hours I also saw these mists, which were beautiful and no big deal; but in the darkness they seemed to get worse until I was encompassed about by fog and relying fully on the lines on the road to guide my way.

Then, much to my dismay, the lines disappeared as they have been resurfacing the pavement through the canyon climb! I was on unfamiliar ground, in the darkness, in the fog, with nothing more than the grass-line on the side of the road and an occasional caution turn-sign to guide me through the sharp curves and climb of the canyon. I slowed my speed considerably and pressed on remembering the mists of darkness of Lehi and Joseph Smith Sen.s’ vision of the tree of life. I caught hold upon that thought ;) remembering that both were wandering in the darkness and were delivered by offering prayers and pleading to that God who is our maker. So pray I did. The fog continued for a brief time and then it dissipated some, or I rose above it, and the road became easier to navigate. Soon thereafter, the lines on the road also reappeared. What a beautiful sight! I soon saw the second deer of the morning and hoped they would stay off the road for our mutual benefit! What a relief to be able to see again!

Then it began to rain. The roads were wet, the wipers were swishing. I understood that life isn’t always smooth sailing. Leaving earlier would have been of great benefit to me as I could have taken my time to traverse this maze or averted it altogether.

As I continued my metaphorical journey to the temple and considered my plight I remembered that we are supposed to look for the good in our trials and circumstances. I kept seeing deer and wildlife crossing signs and realized the rain was a blessing as the deer and wildlife had taken shelter and thus would not pose a threat or a danger to me. Perhaps we could even conclude that the rain was a shield and a protection for me. I further realized that the darkness was a great blessing as I could see the approaching danger of an oncoming car with plenty of warning and take proper care to be on my side of the road as it approached and be alert.

As the sky began to brighten, the rain slowed, and the drive eased considerably. There are many metaphors for light, but to me it symbolized a terrestrial life or following a terrestrial law--there were still small difficulties, but they were different and all the big dangers seemed
to fade into the distance.

My journey concluded with entering into the temple and making the climb up to the celestial

room where I was assigned the post ushering people inside. “If your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me.”

At the conclusion I was able to enter in myself, but found my joy had been even greater in pointing the way to others. This is consistent with my righteous desires and I hope I can
keep climbing when the journey seems hard and continue moving forward when I cannot see what is ahead. Then I can stand back and watch as sweet ladies exclaim for joy when they see what’s ahead or when people are stunned at the sweet beauty that awaits and I can reassure them that indeed they may enter in and the way has been shown and it is through Christ “for [He] is the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”