Category: Impression

I Felt Impressed To Open a Specific Envelope

Feeling Impressed To Open A Specific Envelope That Came In The Mailbox

As I brought into my home a stack of mail I had just picked up from the mailbox and set down on a bench in our foyer after organizing and separating the important mail from the junk mail, I felt impressed to open a specific envelope I had put aside to take care of later, however, I intentionally ignored the impression.  

I assumed it was a quarterly bill due at the first of the next month. I was not anxious to open the envelope and opted to wait to do so until I arrived at the company office a distance across town to pay it sometime before the due date. I already had a visual in my mind of what the standard bill looked like from all the other previous quarterly payments I’ve hand-delivered so I was not concerned at all about opening up the envelope any sooner than when it was time to pay it. Being also that it was the middle of the current month, I felt no urgency to pay it right away. I still had a couple of weeks. 

On the day I planned on paying the bill following a morning class I was attending, my plans changed after leaving the class. I decided instead to first stop at home and photocopy the check payment with the bill statement for receipt purposes and then join my husband for lunch before paying the bill. When I arrived home and opened the envelope in my car prior to going into the house, to my surprise, it was a tender mercy the bill was not a bill after all, it was only an informational letter. 

Opening up the envelope when I did saved a lot of unnecessary, wasted drive time. Though I ignored the initial impression to open up the specific envelope, it was a tender mercy that when I changed my plans, another opportunity was provided to open the envelope before needlessly driving straightaway to the payment office.

When have you felt impressed to open a specific envelope or look into something before taking action and valuable time was not needlessly wasted? And/or when have you ignored an initial impression and another opportunity to act on the prompting was provided?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Concurring Prayers For Help Interconnected

A Loving Heavenly Father Orchestrated Separate Concurring Prayers For Help To Interconnect.

It was a tender mercy when I learned of my friend’s and my separate concurring prayers for help interconnected and I was an answer to their prayer as they were an answer to mine. 

For some time, I have been going to a weekly community Mindful Parenting class. Attending as a parent as well as coming in with a degree in Family Science, I have not only gained good insights and information from other attendees, I’ve also been able to share with the class, in addition to my experiences, knowledge and education I’ve obtained over the course of many, many years of continuous study in a field I love. It has been a rewarding and valuable class. 

Since its beginnings almost a year ago, the class has remained small. Though information about the class has been posted on social media pages, it is not known how many people have actually seen the postings. Recently, the Parenting Coach invited each of us present to expand the outreach and awareness of the class to anyone we knew and felt could benefit from joining the free group. 

I pondered and considered who I could invite. I really wanted to extend a personal invitation to someone, however, I had no idea initially who to contact. I reached out to Heavenly Father, who knows each of us individually—our cares and concerns, hopes and desires—and prayed to be guided to someone who could benefit from this amazing class.

It was a tender mercy that as I did so, a friend of mine I see occasionally in passing came to mind. The impression to invite them came very strongly and I acted in extending the invitation to them. They came to the next class and at the end they shared with me their gratitude for my inviting them as my showing up on their doorstep when I did came at a time they had been struggling and praying for help. 

As I sought in prayer to know who personally I could invite to the class at the same time my friend was praying and seeking help for the struggles they were going through, it was a tender mercy that our separate concurring prayers for help interconnected and we were an answer to each other’s prayers. 

When has someone else’s and your separate concurring prayers for help interconnected and you were an answer for them as they were an answer for you?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Complimenting An Amazing Individual’s Prominent Disfigured Feature

Complimenting A Light Radiating From A Disfigured Prominent Feature.

A couple of days after one of my children placed on hold a few articles of clothing they really wanted to get at a particular store, I returned to buy them. While in line to checkout, I observed an employee whose obvious physical deformity stood out. As I waited my turn, I saw a light radiating from them and their contagious smile as they cheerfully assisted the customer before me. Suddenly, it was a tender mercy I felt impressed and prompted to compliment this amazing individual’s prominent disfigured feature even though doing so felt so uncomfortably awkward. 

I contemplated how I would approach them with the appropriate sensitivity. The impression was strong and I did not want to ignore it or pass it up as I knew how welcomed and valued compliments are when shared versus left unspoken.

I was the next patron up while they and one other employee were helping customers. I was hoping the other employee would finish with their customer’s transaction first so that I could express the compliment in passing and checkout with the other employee without identifying myself via my card payment. However, both customers checking out before me completed their purchases at the same time and as I stopped briefly to pay the quick compliment, the customer behind me walked up to the register I was preceding to go to. It was no mistake I was now at this employee’s register. 

With a warm smile and a tender heart, I simply shared, “ This may be strange, but I hope it doesn’t come across offensive, I like your nose”. It was a tender mercy they could feel of my genuine kindness and they glowed as they responded back, “thank you for the compliment” to which I happily followed up with a humble and resolute, “Absolutely!”

When have you felt prompted and impressed to compliment someone’s prominent disfigured feature as you observed in addition to their amazing personality, it being a remarkable light about them?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Broken Away From My Laziness

When I initially awoke first thing in the morning and realized I had no set plans scheduled or anything pressing going on during the day, I leisurely continued to sleep longer, well past what was necessary for my body. The second time I awoke 2 hours later, I wanted to again doze off back to sleep even though I recognized the morning was passing by and it was soon-to-be midday. Mentally, I knew it would be better for me to get up, but physically I saw no real need or purpose to do so. It was a tender mercy a call broke me away from staying in bed. 

Normally, on most days, the consistency of calls that come in first thing are random sales calls to which I ignore and don’t bother checking, but rather roll over and go back to sleep. This morning, when my phone buzzed, I felt impressed to see who was calling. It was a family member. Due to the nature of their call and information they were seeking, it required action on my part that necessitated me getting out of bed. 

Receiving their phone call was a tender mercy as it awakened my faculties and gave me the motivation I needed to get up and moving. I was able to truly enjoy the day in a more productive way rather than wasting time being lazy; and, I very much appreciated soaking up some remaining morning sunshine. 

After the family member’s call, several other valuable and spontaneous like moments occurred consecutively one after another till late afternoon. It was a blessing that as I was not in need of down time to rejuvenate or reenergize, having these events happen helped me utilize my day more wisely. 

When has a call to help another in some way broken you away from being lazy on a day you had nothing scheduled or pressing and the incentive or motivation for you to get out of bed was lacking?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

An Uneasy Feeling Brushed Aside

While at the grocery store, as I selected a specialty food item that caught my eye, had a coupon attached, and was a product I had never before tried, I had an uneasy feeling about getting it, but I ignored the strong impression that I should not purchase it.

I countered the validity of the feeling and convinced myself to buy it anyway, believing it would be a great substitute for something else I really wanted that was not within my budget. It seemed a ridiculous impression as I chalked it up to and attributed the reason for the uneasiness being associated with my OCD mannerisms to compare like products and question which one is better. In trying to overcome my tendencies of being very particular in my selection process related to quality, I brushed aside the feeling I have become accustomed to recognizing time and time again as a prompting to not being certain if it truly was a prompting or not.

Once I brought it home and before eating some of it prior to going to bed, another specific impression that it would not be good for me to consume any of it, I ,too, disregarded. The next morning, soon after I got up and jumped into taking care of household chores, I suddenly felt flushed, sweaty, and as if I would throw up. It was apparent to me then why I should not have bought it.

Not only was it a tender mercy the experience solidified that I had indeed received an actual impression, but also the importance of following promptings and not ignoring them even when it seems ridiculous. In addition, the symptoms were short lived and I was able to return the food item to the store and purchase something else in its place. 

When have you disregarded an uneasy feeling that seemed ridiculous and the outcome helped you recognize that what you brushed off as insignificant, was, in fact, a real prompting?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Responding To An Impromptu Impression That Felt Awkward

While spending time with a new friend a couple of days earlier, they had shared with me an important upcoming therapeutic meeting they would be attending. As evening approached on that specific day, out of the blue I felt inspired to reach out to them and inquire how the meeting went. My initial reaction to the impromptu impression of asking such a personal question was a feeling of awkwardness. I wondered if they would think I was prying into their privacy or if they would know it was coming from a place of genuine care and heartfelt concern. 

I ignored the prompting and it came right back. I knew the feeling I was having was one not to resist or push aside. Over the years I have come to recognize impromptu impressions are promptings to act. With not more than a few minutes of back and forth, “should I or should I not” and knowing better than to second guess the prompting, I went for it and messaged them.

On numerous occasions in the last few weeks I’ve been inspired to visit with them. As I have done so, a friendship and connection has formed and their feeling comfortable to open up to me about the difficulties they are going through has transpired. Our positive interactions, I believe, led to the reason why my text was well received. 

It was a surprising tender mercy that the news and information provided them during the meeting to the possibilities of what they may be facing and the trying times up ahead, understandably overwhelming, I have familiarity and firsthand knowledge of the struggle and am able to provide them varying help along their journey. 

Ironically, at the time of the prompting and right before I sent the text, I was listening to an inspirational message about how our challenges and trials can bless and help another. 

When have you felt awkward about following through with an impromptu impression to reach out to a friend, yet, you knew with certainty it was a prompting to act; and, of no coincidence, your background experience was a blessing to them as they much needed support and help navigating a scary uncertain path?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Check It First

As I arrived at our church building to voluntarily help clean on this particular Saturday, I signed up to vacuum the chapel. When I selected the first vacuum in the cleaning closet, it was a tender mercy a prompting to “check it first” came to mind. I acted on the impression and when I found the nearest outlet to plug it in, I discovered that one of the prongs was recognizably bent. Although I tried fixing it, I couldn’t straighten it out. 

It was a very good thing I checked it first before taking the non-functioning vacuum all the way up to the chapel on the opposite side of the fairly large building and another tender mercy that there were several other available and working vacuum cleaners to choose from in the cleaning closet. 

When has your time been most efficiently utilized as you followed a prompting to check the function of an item you were going to use, or possibly buy, before transporting it elsewhere; and upon realizing it didn’t function properly, it was a blessing there were other like items available that did? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Morningside Revelation

After an early morning dream and around the time I would naturally awaken, I abruptly awoke from my sleep when a very clear and distinct message entered my mind shedding more light on an impression I had received the previous day as to what I was to do in a specific situation. As I exercised trust and followed through with the impression, my actions were questioned by a second party. It was a tender mercy that the personal revelation given me post event provided a clarifying confirmation that my following and acting on the impression in the manner I did was the right thing to do for me. 

When have you received an impression and/or a clear and distinct message via personal revelation guiding and confirming to you what to do for you in a particular situation? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Alert And Attentive

I had a remarkable experience on this bright and sunny, 100 degree day that involved several tender mercies that culminated into one big miracle.   

While my children and I were driving a relative distance from home to take one of them to EFY also known as Especially For Youth, we had hopes that we would get to the campus location within the check-in time frame. A third of the way there I recognized on my dash the tire light had come on and I felt a need to stop and check the air pressure in each of my tires. 

Ironically, the day prior as I came out of church I had a fleeting and subtle thought to check them, yet it came and went without a second thought and I did not act on it. Just looking at the tires, they appeared fine, however, in using a tire-pressure gauge, one of the tires only had a 20 psi reading so I knew there was a slow leak. When I examined the tire, I found a nail puncture in the tread.   

As I processed my options and what to do in my situation, not knowing with certainty how I should precede forward, the idea came to my mind to 1) place duct tape over the nail puncture, 2) pray and have faith that we would make it the latter 2/3rds of the way up to EFY safely, and 3) seek help to change out the tire once we got to our destination. I shared my plan with Heavenly Father and asked that if it was not ideal to continue in that manner that I be guided otherwise. 

Simultaneously, I was thinking about a scriptural account I had just recently read in the Book of Mormon of the brother of Jared who presented stones to the Lord that became a light source for the Jaredites as they traveled in barges to the Promised Land. I believed the duct tape would prevent the tire from going completely flat.  

It was an incredible tender mercy that although we did not have any duct tape in our car, we had clear packing tape that I used and the adhesive stuck well. As we were ready to get back on the road, it was another tender mercy when I was impressed to call my husband to which he recommended I stop at the nearest gas station to fill the tire up with air. 

Immediately, I went into laser focus mode and actively kept an eye out for any place that had an air pump and this prepared me to not miss and pass up an ideal stop a short distance up ahead that wasn’t available again along our route for another 50+miles.

Within minutes, it was a remarkable tender mercy that 4 mile markers or so further up the road there was a car dealership that serviced our specific car’s make. Amazing! I was immensely grateful for the convenience, ease, cost-effectiveness, and timeliness of the dealership being in our path. A technician filled up the tire at no cost, exceeding slightly the recommended amount, and then advised that I stop and look for a place to keep it filled up if the tire light came back on again, which it never did.  

Upon our arrival at the campus location, it was a miraculous tender mercy that the packing tape was still intact and the air pressure held steady overall, with a loss of only 2 psi, but still resting above the recommended amount and it continued to hold steady the rest of the day. Before our departure home, I went to a nearby dealership, like the one earlier, and the small amount lost was restored.

Throughout our entire drive back home, the air pressure stayed constant even after the tape had melted away from the scorching hot pavement. And, with a reapplication of the packing tape, the air pressure continued to remain steady still into the late afternoon of the next day when I was able to get our car into the shop to have the tire repaired and patched up. 

My prayer was more than answered. We not only made it safely round trip, it was also not dire for me to have had the tire fixed while on the road or swapped out with a spare prior to our return home.   

When have you experienced car troubles while driving and not knowing exactly what to do, your move to action on your first thoughts, prayer and faith, in addition, following sound recommendations and advice from others helped you get to your destination safely as well as to a place to have your car repaired?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Seeing Myself As Heavenly Father Sees Me

Earlier in the week I was asked by a member of our ward Bishopric if I would be willing to speak during our upcoming Sunday sacrament meeting services. Although I was nervous and apprehensive of my ability to give an adequate talk, I accepted the invitation. 

On that Sunday, following the passing of the sacrament and 30 minutes remaining till the close of the meeting, there were 5 members of our congregation, including myself, who had been asked to speak, three of whom were youth speakers each preceding my turn. Upon the conclusion of their brief and wonderful messages, I failed to look at the clock to check the time as I began my talk. When I closed my remarks, sat down and looked over at the clock, I was mortified when I saw I had finished exactly when the sacrament meeting was to officially end and there was no time at all remaining for the intermediate hymn or the last speaker.  

Immediately, I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to tuck my head, not make eye contact with anyone and run and hide, however, throughout the remaining hour of church, I kept my head held high. I smiled and graciously received the compliments of gratitude for my message and the uplifting, thought provoking words I shared. 

For hours after church, I struggled wondering if I had made a fool of myself. I gave the talk I felt inspired to give and yet I questioned what I could have left out. I felt an insecurity of not knowing how I could have articulated my message in a more condensed way. In fact, that morning I felt prompted to share an additional personal and vulnerable experience to my already prepared talk which only added to length of time I spoke. 

Feelings of embarrassment overtook my thoughts and emotions for a time until I reached out and asked Heavenly Father what He thought of me. It was a tender mercy that as I did so, I saw myself as He sees me, one of His daughters
*who had overcome the fear of speaking after praying constantly for days
*who was prepared and delivered 
*who had the courage to share my talent and let my personality shine
*who genuinely loves and cares about others
*who has a testimony of ministering and the blessings that come when acting on promptings 
*who strives daily to always have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be with me
*who is a positive example and an inspiration to others 
and the biggest take away I received from Heavenly Father that comforted me the most were these words that came into my mind, “time is measured by man, not God”. 

When have you had an embarrassing moment when you wondered if you had made a fool of yourself and you were able to move past it as you saw a glimpse into how Heavenly Father truly sees you and what He would have you know upon your asking?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*