Category: Prayer

Opposition To That Which Is Good

Opposition to that which is good, that I did not see coming, indirectly showed up and rocked my world. 

Oh, WOW!!! It stunk bad as I was going about doing good with a pure heart, following clear and unquestionable divine inspiration from Heavenly Father, opposition to that which is good, that I did not see coming, indirectly showed up and rocked my world. 

I was shocked and taken aback the opposition was even happening, especially in my geographical area, yet, here it was before me, of all places. In my naivety and oblivion, innocence and ignorance, as I began to receive pieces here and there of conversations had behind my back, though heartbreaking, I was open and receptive to the hard, to understand what I didn’t understand. I don’t hide away from conflict. It is absolutely uncomfortable, YES, yet, the knowledge gained is valuable and worth it to me for my personal growth.

Suffice it to say, sparing specific details, upon the surfacing of the opposition to that which is good, as I was about sharing my gifts and talents with others, doing what I love and love what I am doing, the perception and perceived notion of the good I was about doing, for whatever reason, was viewed negatively. I was astounded.

When the opposition came forward, it came on with force, and mentally and emotionally weighed heavily upon me, so much so, that I took my anguish to Heavenly Father. The many tender mercies that followed lifted my spirits. Despite the opposition to that which is good, I regained my footing to continue onward doing what I love and love what I am doing with joy and gratitude, knowing my heart was pure and in the right place. 

Upon the onset of the opposition, my questioning myself if the reference of character that came up and of concern to others of me was true, it was a tender mercy I received a sacred assurance from Heavenly Father that I was not who I was described to be.

Downtrodden for several days, the upcoming Sunday, I struggled to go to church, yet, it was a tender mercy I felt a strength to attend. Throughout Sacrament Meeting, all the while my emotional and mental state was waned, the talks given resonated and coincided with the inspired direction I had received to share my gifts and talents with others, and it was a tender mercy the confirmation and assurance I felt to carry onward doing the good I was inspired to do. Also, all the while my emotional and mental state was waned, I found myself numb as I sang a hymn, mouthing the words without knowing what I was singing. As the chorus began, it was a tender mercy a line of the song clearly stood out and I heard it amidst the sorrow I was feeling and the fog that had encompassed me, “We will heed not what the wicked may say, But the Lord alone we will obey”. Upon hearing these words, I was assured that the divine direction I had received was right despite opposition to the good I was doing. 

Following Sacrament Meeting, I was headed to a specific Sunday School class, when per a tender mercy, I was rerouted to attend a different class, for which again, all of the messages presented were a strong confirmation to me of the divine inspiration I had received from Heavenly Father which buoyed my brokenness. 

And then BOOM, right after church, again, the opposition to that which is good I was doing came on strong with a heaviness that was hard to bear. Desiring to feel a peace, comfort, and solace, I spontaneously headed to a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In route, I prayed to have someone—an earthly, mortal, safe person I could talk to apart from Heavenly Father. Within confusion to comprehend what was happening and seeking to know what was next for me, it was a tender mercy I heard Heavenly Father say to me, “I’ll help you”[to do the good I have inspired you to do]. Upon my arrival at the temple, it was a remarkable tender mercy my prayer for someone I could talk to was answered. 

The roller coaster ride is not yet over, however, from the strong opposition to that which is good coming my way, experiencing the emotional lows as I fall subject to criticism, there have also been many tender mercies of emotional strength more powerful from Heavenly Father.

When have you received hard opposition to that which is good you were doing, and a greater power and strength from Heavenly Father to not abandon your righteous and divinely inspired direction came by way of continuous confirmations and assurances?

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Heavenly Help For Guidance And Direction

I was confident as I sat in my car in the parking lot looking up at the temple that I would receive heavenly help for guidance and direction to know what to do in my situation. 

One trying evening as I sat on our family couch uncertain of what lie ahead in my future, I felt impressed to immediately go to the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though it was a late hour and the temple was closed, I was confident as I sat in my car in the parking lot looking up at the temple that I would receive heavenly help for guidance and direction to know what to do in my situation. 

While in route, the darkness of the evening, along with the dark sky area I was in gave off an eery feeling and not the peace I thought I would feel per my impression to head to the temple. In addition, along the shortest path to the temple according to GPS, each turn I took, road construction had blocked the passageway. I was faced with detour after detour. 

As I was approximately a block away and could find no way to get closer to the temple, an unsettling feeling that was all encompassing, I decided to head back home. As I drove away, it was a tender mercy I was able to see the upper portion of the temple between a gate that separated the neighborhood I was in and the temple grounds a little way off and what then struck out to me was a long banner spread out across someone’s porch that said, “Let God Prevail”. Though I did not make it all the way to the temple, it was a tender mercy I was led to this banner, an answer from Heavenly Father. 

A separate unrelated occurrence within days of this experience, again heavenly help for guidance and direction came. As a Covid-19 letter from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was issued, three things that stood out to me in the letter were the words, “urge”, “a very high” and the absence of a mandate/command from God himself. I was conflicted as to up to that time I had received clear direction for me from Heavenly Father what to do and this letter was in opposition of what I had received for me from Him. So, I took my concern directly to Heavenly Father and shared my conflict and how confused I was seeking once again heavenly help for guidance and direction to know what to do for me. 

I prayed that on Sunday our family Bishop would share something that would provide a clear answer for me. Following the talks and prior to the meeting coming to a close, it was a tender mercy the Bishop got up and spoke to the letter and shared the importance of personal revelation for ourselves and our family and asked whatever that may be for each individual, mask or not mask, vaccinate or not vaccinate, to not let our personally inspired direction divide our Ward family, that respect for one another and acceptance be shown one to another. 

Peace entered my soul and confirmation that the answer I had received prior to the letter had not changed. That confirmation was once again confirmed when I read a letter from a former Bishop of a congregation I had attended with a like message.

Again, approximately a week and a half following the above first and second experience, while attending a BYU Convocation, with a tender heart, a lump in my throat, and holding back somewhat near visible tears from flowing down my cheeks, I reminisced my experience over two decades earlier the heavenly help for guidance and direction I had received.

I felt intense emotions of gratitude for the privilege, blessing, and tender mercy it was for me to be able to attend BYU and how my life has been touched and enriched and in turn, my immense desire to bless and enrich the lives of others. “Enter To Learn, Go Forth To Serve” means so much to me and I become emotional each time I think of these words and see them on BYU Campus. 

As I felt the weight that so much depended on the essay portion of the application to be accepted to BYU, due to my struggle with writing, I reached out in prayer to Heavenly Father. Through the heavenly help for guidance and direction I received, it was a tender mercy I was accepted to BYU. I was a transfer student from Ricks College, a two-year school from which I had recently graduated and I applied to BYU prior to my mission to Japan for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in hopes of attending following my mission to which I am ever so grateful I had the blessed opportunity to do so.  

When have you experienced uncertainty, been conflicted, or had a desire of your heart and as you reached out to Heavenly Father, heavenly help for guidance and direction came?

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

This Too Shall Pass

Amidst the time period of nerve-racking worry and concern, it was a tender mercy I felt comforted “this too shall pass” and relieved once it did.

Here we go again! Another first-timer puppy owner scare! And, like the ones before, once again, a surety all was well came. On this occasion, it was when the phrase, “this too shall pass” entered my mind.

Our 6 1/2 month old puppy is notorious for eating paper products—napkins, paper towels, receipts, book covers, etc. out of the trash and off of countertops. 

In an instance, while preoccupied and not solely focused on her, it was a tender mercy an out-of-the blue, spontaneous alert to check on her and check on her now popped into my mind. In rapid succession came the question, “where is she?”; acknowledgement she was missing; another similarly posed question, “where did she go?”; an instinct that she had gone into our master bathroom; and a prayer while in immediate route there that I would get to her in time before she ate something she was not to eat.   

Sure enough, she had gone into the bathroom. However, by the time I got to her, per the evidence of small remnant pieces on the bedroom floor next to the bathroom of an item that had been thrown out, it appeared she may have eaten some of it, though I was not for certain if she had.

I was really concerned. And especially so because it was her bedtime. I questioned, “Do I keep her up or put her in her crate for the night?” I wrestled profusely with what to do. I read up on google about various options to handle what she may have ingested—from giving her hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting within 15 minutes of ingesting a foreign object, or if that time had passed giving her straight pumpkin for the fiber to help in removal of it within 10-24 hours, or feeding her rice in place of her regular diet until she pooped it out. 

Being that the veterinary office was closed and I did not know until the day after that a veterinarian was on call after hours, the only person I knew to reach out to was Heavenly Father. As I knelt in prayer desiring to hear an answer to my prayer, one by one I asked about each option and the response for each was a no. Rather, the answer I received for what to do was “you do not need to do anything”. 

I questioned if the dialogue between Heavenly Father and I was actually me giving myself the answer. Urg! So frustrating! I have come to recognize His voice and yet here in this important moment, I was not sure whose voice I was hearing, my own or Heavenly Father’s. I did however feel a peace to do nothing, but I was not content. I wanted a surety that the answer I received was from Heavenly Father, so once again I turned to Him in prayer for help to know with certainty  if the answer came from Him. 

Through my desire to undoubtedly hear Him and faith I would receive that clarity, I decided to read a random article in the Liahona. A few paragraphs in, I stopped at a paragraph that began with the word nothing. I questioned if that was the confirmation I needed. Though I still felt a peace and comfort to do nothing, I was not settled and sure that I was hearing the answer from Heavenly Father or from my own thoughts. 

After I kept our puppy up for a time and saw no signs of her having any issues, I placed her in her crate. She slept well all night long. Sometime during the night, as my mind was in rest and relaxed mode, I awoke to these words, “this too shall pass” in reference to all the other questionable items that she had before ingested and pooped out and that it would be the case this time as well. It was a tender mercy these words solidified and confirmed that I did not need to do anything. 

Once up for the day, I continued to research all I could to educate myself regarding every concerning question I had. I also reached out to a veterinarian and received concurrence that I did not need to do anything unless our puppy showed signs of having problems which she had not up to that point behaved any different than her normal self. She ate, pooped, and peed like clockwork. Eighteen hours later, it was a tender mercy a portion of what she had ingested did pass and a couple hours after that, the rest, I assumed, came out. Amidst the time period of nerve-racking worry and concern, it was a tender mercy I felt comforted “this too shall pass” and relieved once it did. 

When have you been concerned about what to do in an unsettling situation you had experienced before and you received a confirmation that like the prior similar instances, “this too shall pass” and all would be well?

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Peace From Within Came In Due Time

A peace from within came in due time after a number of consecutive tender mercy moments.

Nearly a year and half ago, I received a distinct impression that a big change would occur for our family. And, it was clear to me the time for the change was not right then. As to when I did not know until a few months back. It was a tender mercy it was then I received a confirmation over and over again that the time had come, however, there was a component associated with the change to which I felt unsettled. With a desire to be fully on board with this component as I was with the overall change itself, I sought to feel peace. A peace from within came in due time after a number of consecutive tender mercy moments. 

The process to my eventual feeling a peace regarding that component started off with a late night prayer before I read my scriptures with a hope that a peace would come by way of something I read. Amidst the words I read and reread as I desired to capture the gist of every verse, a very specific question of concern popped into my mind. I was enlightened to bring it up to my husband the next morning. When I did, he shared that it had not crossed his mind, however, it was a tender mercy he had received information that morning, unrequested by him, in his email inbox that directly corresponded to the question of concern and ruled out that undesirable circumstance I would not want to face. It was a tender mercy I felt of Heavenly Father’s awareness of me to provide an assurance all was well in regards to this critical detail of good to know importance associated with the component that may not have come up on my radar. Unfortunately, though I was grateful, I still did not feel the peace I desired to feel. 

The following evening, I drove to a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to seek for a peace the rest of my family and members of our extended family already felt regarding the component. While there by myself in the parking lot looking up towards the temple that was closed at the time, it was a tender mercy I was impressed to share immediately with a number of family members before they, who in that very moment were gathered together in the same place, returned to their own residences this statement that came to my mind, “Though I still do not feel the peace I desire to feel and I am continuing to seek it, I am willing to join you all on the journey.”    

And then, it was a tender mercy that back-to-back, I came across this verse in my daily scripture reading, 

2 Nephi 11:3 “And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.”

And, right after this scripture, Proverbs 3 verse 5 entered my mind, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Each tender mercy moment was impactful. Even though I still struggled to feel peace after each one, a peace from within came in due time. The tender mercy moment that clinched it for me and the desired peace came was when I had an aha moment of realization that the opportunity to expand and do more with a hobby of mine would be available to me by means of this component. It was this tender mercy that impacted me the most in a very personal way. As I sought for peace, though it did not come immediately, I was grateful peace from within came in due time. 

When have you known that an inspired change in your life was right, but unsettled about a component of the change you desired to feel good about also, and specific to that, peace from within came in due time? 

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

What To Do? What To Do?

What To Do? What To Do? Each evening, we have enjoyed well spent, quality hours of fun together eating a Christmas treat and playing a game.

What To Do? What To Do?

As my children are getting older, I still want Christmas to be a magical time of year. I LOVE Christmas. It is magical for me and I don’t ever want that to go away. With the Christmas season upon us, I so wanted to come up with activities our two kids still at home would enjoy doing all together as a family during the days leading up to Christmas day. The question was “What To Do? What To Do?” I spent a lot of time thinking about what to do without any answer coming to me, until the answer came through a series of events and then I could barely contain my excitement and giddiness to share the idea, first with my husband and then our kids. 

A couple of days prior to the first of December while on a drive with one of my children, I asked them about our Christmas traditions and which ones they liked and would like to continue to carry on this upcoming Christmas season. As I went down the list, the activities our family has done in year’s past did not so much interest them any longer, except for one, ice skating. Desiring to come up with more than just that one activity our children, who are not so little anymore and will be leaving home all too soon, would enjoy was a challenge. 

During our dialogue, it was a tender mercy I was prompted to ask them if they like games to which they said yes in a casual kind of way and it was expressed again what they, as of late, had brought up several times before of a game we did not have that they were interested in playing. Traditionally, every year for Christmas our family has unwrapped a new game. Of the number of games we have, most have only been played once or not at all as we gravitate to our favorite top go-to games—Ticket To Ride, Settlers of Catan, Boggle, Apples To Apples, Rook, and Phase 10. 

Though following our conversation I was still unsure what to do that would engage our children to enjoy the spirit of the holiday all season long up through Christmas day and my prayers to know what to do continued, the prompting kickstarted what became a fully formed idea that began on December 1. 

On this mid morning Tuesday, it was a tender mercy I felt impressed to reopen an email I had received from our women’s Relief Society organization at church about an upcoming homeless care kit collection service activity. Even though I would be unable to attend the activity, I wanted to help out. Upon my also going to our Relief Society Facebook page to see if there was a list of what was needed to then gather what items our family had on hand to donate to the cause and deliver them to the Relief Society President that afternoon, the first thing I saw as I opened up Facebook was a friend share on their Facebook stories the #LightTheWorld calendar. Not realizing as the day began that it was December 1st nor was I at all aware the #LightTheWorld countdown would be happening again this year, grateful to not miss the opportunity to start with day 1, it was a tender mercy I saw the post when I did and the first day of the countdown was about donating to a charity to which it so happened I was in the process of doing.  

From there, it was a tender mercy I was prompted to open up another email from our ward Bishop regarding an Angel Tree to which I wanted to help out in that way as well. As I began taking an inventory of what gifts for what ages I already had on hand from purchases I have made over the years and saved specifically to give for birthdays and Christmas, I discovered an unexpired sealed box of cordial cherry chocolates from last Christmas.  

While in route the few minutes away from my place to drop off the items for the homeless service project with plans of returning home right after, it was a tender mercy that per the series of events above, a spontaneous, on the spot, impression as to what activity to do that would suit our family well dawned on me. It was to do a 25 day Christmas countdown in which each day one family member would secretly wrap a Christmas treat of their choosing and a second family member would likewise secretly wrap a game of their choosing from our current selection of games or the purchase of a new game and then a third family member would unwrap the treat and the fourth family member would unwrap the game and we would spend the evening eating the treat and playing the game. Every day after, up through Christmas day, we would rotate who did what. I was super ecstatic about this splendid idea and could not wait to share it with our family. 

After delivering the items, I straightaway drove to a store nearest me to purchase the very game my child had most recently, here and there, requested. Originally, I was going to drive to a store further away because it was where I had seen the game days earlier, yet it was a tender mercy that I felt impressed to go to the store just up the street from me and being that they too had the game, I saved a lot of time not sitting in rush hour traffic and money for gas had I traveled 4x the distance to the other store.  

Once home, I couldn’t wait to gather our family together to share the idea with them. With giddiness and enthusiasm, I began by asking them what day it was. One of our children responded with December 1. They then asked if we were doing the #LightTheWorld countdown. It was remarkable this child remembered it from the Christmas past and I happily shared that we, without initially being aware, participated in Day 1 and then I proceeded to excitedly present the activity idea that had come to me. 

It was a tender mercy that everyone was on board and where I had hoped that one day we would take the time to play our other games, now was that opportunity. Also, it was a tender mercy that the 25 day countdown idea came on December 1. As we began the countdown that evening, the child wanting the new game was pleased when they opened up the first wrapped gift to see the game of their choosing and that it would be the first one we played, and our other child opened up the wrapped cordial cherry chocolates.

It has been an incredible Christmas season thus far. Our 25 day Christmas countdown has been a daily event everyone has looked forward to with joy. When I asked my children, “If we didn’t have any gifts on Christmas day and this is all we did, would they be ok with that?” They said yes. Each evening, we have enjoyed well spent, quality hours of fun together eating a Christmas treat and playing a game. 

When has an answer to a prayer in which you desired to know “What to do? What to do?” come by way of a series of events? 

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Still There

...phew, at the end of the adventure the item was still there where I had initially placed it and in working order.


While vacationing, late one afternoon our family went tubing down a river. It was fun, yet not as relaxing as I had hoped. While on the river, I opted to keep an essential and not so easily replaceable item on me the whole time, with the intent it would remain safe and secure. Despite a perilous moment in the rapids soon after I fell behind everyone else as they were carried briskly downstream per a straighter course than I, phew, at the end of the adventure the item was still there where I had initially placed it and in working order.  

My plan while on the river was to stay in my tube the entire time and enjoy a leisure ride effortlessly floating along and taking in the scenery all around me. As such, I selected of the two tube options, one with a deep height circumference that would more so keep me up and out of the water. 

Throughout our adventure, I kept our car key remote with me. To keep it dry and secure, I slipped it onto the waistband drawstring of my denim capri shorts and double knotted it tightly. I then flipped the knot with the key attached inside my capris between my pants and an undergarment. My top layer shirt I kept untucked to lay over top my capris. I then put on my life jacket. As the bottom of my pants legs had an elastic hem, I pulled them up to rest them just below my knees. I was hopeful that if in the event the car key remote slipped off the knotted tie, whichever pant leg it fell into, it would stay pocketed and not escape the elastic hem.

While on the bus that took us up to the drop off location where we would begin the tubing adventure, we were informed of several islands downstream and instructed to go around them on one particular side as we approached them. As I neared the first island, no matter how hard I tried to steer myself via my hands to paddle in the direction we were asked to go, I was unsuccessful. 

The closer I got to the island and continued to make no headway in navigating over to the side I needed to be on, I quickly got out of the tube and tried to walk and pull the tube over to that side, but with the swiftness of the water and not being able to firmly plant my feet on anything, it was a challenge as I fought against the force of the river. I gave it my all.

All the while in the water and at the river’s mercy, after clearing the island, I prayed to stay calm as I attempted every possible way I could to get back in the tube. Unable to plop back in as I had no footing below me, I tried to grab a branch or protruding rock on the edge of the bank to hold myself steady long enough to get back in, however, that didn’t work. As the water propelled me aggressively forward, I hung over the outside of the back end of the tube. After what felt longer than it probably actually was, it was a tender mercy I reached a temporary calm spot in the river and a place where I could quickly stand up adequately and get back in the tube sitting upright.  

During the time I was in the water, I was concerned that the inside of my car key remote may have gotten wet and would no longer work. Once back in the tube, I hoped the sun’s heat would not only dry my clothes but also that my dry clothes would soak up any possible water that may have gotten inside the car key remote, however, time and again as I crashed into the rapids, water toppled onto my lap and soaked up my clothes. 

Even after being directly in the water and drenched multiple times throughout the tubing adventure, it was a tender mercy that after exiting the river, not only was my car key remote still there where I knotted it on the drawstring, but also when I returned to our car, the remote had only a little bit of moisture on the outside and it still worked. 

When have you been concerned that something you intended to keep safe and secure may have become damaged or gone missing due to life’s happenings, and it was still there in the place you put it and in one piece?

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Willing To Accept It Was Gone Gone

After searching for my credit card to no avail, I was willing to accept it was gone gone.

During a moment I was relaxing after an afternoon of running errands, suddenly, out of the blue, I received a prompting to look for my credit card. After searching intently and not being able to find it, I was willing to accept it was gone gone and ready to outright cancel my card.  

Initially, I was taken aback by the prompting as I was so certain I knew exactly the whereabouts of my card. As a matter of fact, in the moment I received the prompting, I could clearly visualize myself standing outside of my car upon my return home from getting gas and grocery shopping with the card in my right hand along with my phone and purchase receipts. 

Once inside the house, I placed everything that was in my hand onto a table before going back out to the car for the groceries. However, when I approached the table after receiving the prompting, apparently my recollection of what actually took place was inaccurate. The card was not where I thought I had left it. Up until I had received the prompting, I had been completely oblivious that the card was even missing.   

Immediately, I began thinking of everywhere I had been since coming home and, one by one, I backtracked to each of those places. As I came up empty-handed after repeatedly checking each location multiple times, I then considered the possibility that the card was not even in the house.

My thoughts took me back to the grocery store. I wondered if perhaps after placing my credit card temporarily in the same back pant pocket as my phone while checking out, that when I removed my phone as I was getting into my car, the card may have fallen out in the parking lot. When I called the store and asked someone in customer service if anyone had turned it in, I was told no. 

With each dead end, I then convinced myself of another scenario. I firmly believed that when I removed everything from my back pants pockets as I was getting into the car at the grocery store to leave for home, I placed my credit card in my lap. And then when I stopped at our mailbox along the way, it for sure fell from my lap onto the street as I stepped out of the car to get our mail. I was one hundred percent set that was what actually happened with the card, unfortunately, when I drove back to the mailbox and looked around, it was not there.

At this point, I had no idea where it could be or what happened to it. I determined that finding my credit card was a lost cause. I resigned to the fact that my credit card was gone gone and I was more than ready to cancel it. Even though I knew that by doing so, it would entail waiting several days before a new credit card arrived to which I would not be able to make any necessary purchases until then and all online payment accounts associated with the card would need to be updated, it was a tender mercy that if I were to cancel the card, I had enough groceries to last our family a little while and my car had a full tank of gas. 

And yet, at the same time, although I had retraced my steps several times to no avail, I was still hopeful I would find my credit card so I kept looking more thoroughly in every place I had already checked throughout the house as well as inside the car. 

After nonstop looking and not finding it, just before I was prepared to move forward, fully willing to accept it was gone gone and cancel the card, I again went out to the car and slid the driver’s seat back to search the floor one more time. When I again came up empty-handed, I decided to offer a prayer.

I prayed that if the card was still in my possession I would come to know following the prayer exactly where to find it, otherwise, I would straightaway cancel it. Right after the prayer, I had a thought to look again on the floor in an area where many things have fallen through a slim, narrow gap between the driver seat and the middle console. It was a tender mercy that it was there I found my credit card.

When has your credit or debit card turned up missing and though you were willing to accept it was gone gone, before canceling the card, you found it?

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.

Matter Of Fact Plan Of Action

When plans changed unexpectedly, I did not skip a beat as a revised matter of fact plan of action transpired.

When my original plan for getting our kids to school changed unexpectedly, I did not skip a beat as a revised matter of fact plan of action transpired. 

On this winter morning, once we were all in the car ready to go, I started it up and noticed the tire pressure light was on. At first, I assumed the light was indicating a decrease in tire pressure attributed to the cold 37 degree weather, but as I recalled a prior tire incident, I immediately felt inclined to walk around the car and quickly glance at each of the tires before driving away. 

In doing so, I saw that one of the back tires appeared low. While accessing the condition of the tire, it was a tender mercy that right at that time, my husband had just stepped out of the house to leave for work and observed what I was doing. He came over immediately to assist. As I knew I would not be able to go directly to a shop to get the tire repaired before getting my kids to school on time, right away, I knew what to do. I decisively and proactively, without hesitation, went into Plan B action mode. 

While my husband was using an air compressor to add air to the tire, I shared with him my matter of fact plan of action to take our younger kids to school in the car used by our teenage drivers who were not using it at the time. It was a tender mercy the car was available as a backup and the worries I would have had about the possibility of the low tire going flat at any point during the approximate one and a half hour roundtrip commute was alleviated. And, as there was a concern on this very cold day whether the heater in the backup car worked, it was a tender mercy it did and we were warmed up fairly quickly. 

Though I had plans to take our car in to have the tire repaired preceding a scheduled meeting I would be facilitating not long after returning home from dropping off our kids, after calling the shop and learning of the lengthy wait time, due to the tight time constraint, I once again moved forward with a revised matter of fact plan of action to instead go to the shop following my meeting and before picking up our kids from school. 

By that time, it was then early afternoon and over the course of several hours since my husband had added air to the tire, the tire pressure had dropped from 35 psi to close to 15 psi. Although I was quite nervous about the slow leak causing the psi to drop so significantly and worried if the low tire pressure would hold up long enough to get to the shop 20 minutes away, it was a tender mercy the tire was not yet altogether flat. 

In hopes of being able to make it to the shop without getting a flat, I attempted to fill up the tire using the air compressor, but I didn’t know how to use it and when I looked up a YouTube video for a demonstration, it wasn’t any help either. So, I placed the air compressor and an extension cord in the trunk of my car and prayed and prayed and prayed that first and foremost I would make it all the way to the shop without losing anymore air. And secondly, if I did lose more air, I was prepared and prayerful that someone along the way would be able to help me.

Before leaving our home, I examined the tire once again and saw where a heavy duty nail of sorts had become lodged in the tire. Despite my naivety of how physics works, I was hopeful and optimistic that as the tire rotated around and around while in route to the shop, the pressure on the nail as it butted up against the pavement over and over again would lock and seal any air from escaping till I got to the tire shop. 

Along the way, although I felt anxious, I tried really hard to keep my mind focused on trusting in the Lord and staying relaxed. It was a wonderful tender mercy that not only did I make it safely to the shop without getting a flat tire, it was super amazing where now that I only had 1 hour before I would need to leave to pick up my kids from school that a garage bay was open and available when I arrived and I was able to pull right in before several other customers came in following behind me and my tire, which was discovered to have also had a screw in it too, was fixed right away for a very minimal charge. 

All in all, it was a tender mercy that before leaving home to take our kids to school, I became aware of the tire that was low before it became a full-fledged flat tire.

When have you had an experience to which you became aware of a situation before it resulted in something more so problematic? And, when have you had plans change unexpectedly and you were able to proactively with decisiveness move instantaneously forward with a revised matter of fact plan of action? 

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.

It Didn’t Make Sense, Nonetheless…

Upon receiving a spontaneous prompting to purchase raspberry lemonade, though it didn’t make sense, nonetheless, the impression to go and do was acted on.

It Didn’t Make Sense, Nonetheless…

As much as I did not want to go to the grocery store this evening, I was grateful for the deliberate focus I had on what all I needed to get and that the menu items for the meals I had planned out for at least the next couple of days all fit in a mini shopping cart. As I was ready to check out, I felt impressed to go all the way to the back of the store in the cold section and get some raspberry lemonade. I did not know the reason for the prompting and though it didn’t make sense, nonetheless I went ahead and followed through with it. 

Typically it is not a food item that I purchase on a regular basis, only on a rare occasion if there’s a coupon or it’s on sale. Remarkably, in conjunction with the impression, it was a tender mercy that the lemonade happened to be on sale. As I purchased two bottles along with our other groceries, brought them home and placed them in our fridge, one of my children noticed and they were pleased. I wondered if maybe it was meant for them, but it didn’t feel like it and so again I still didn’t know the reason for purchasing the raspberry lemonade.

The following night, it seemed fitting to have one of the bottles of raspberry lemonade as just part of our family meal. It tasted delicious and was enjoyed by everyone, however, there was nothing significant that stood out answering the why I felt impressed to specifically purchase the raspberry lemonade and so I was still curious as to the reason. 

Later that evening at the close of the night I received a text message from a friend expressing concern about a mutual friend who was struggling and reaching out for connection. 

Earlier in the week, I felt prompted to message the struggling friend prior to coming to know that they were going through a hard time, but received no response back. As this friend continued to be on my mind for days, I prayed for them and asked Heavenly Father what I could do for them. I was impressed to place their name on a prayer roll inside one of the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so that not only myself, but others as well could pray for them too. However, that would have to wait a couple days until the temple was open to be able to do so. 

In the meantime, when I received the text from the friend about our mutual friend, I once again reached out and asked the struggling friend if they would like to get together. Despite their desire for connection, they replied back that per what they were going through, the timing was not good. I then asked what would help them the most right at that time. They quickly responded that they were in much need of prayers to which I replied that I would definitely do that and at the end of the text message I added a hug and a prayer emoji. 

After our correspondence, it became clear to me that the other bottle of raspberry lemonade was for this struggling friend. However, a part of me felt a little uncomfortable giving them the raspberry lemonade as I was concerned that their perception would be that I was sending a message for them to turn their “lemons into lemonade” and to just get over what they were going through rather than the pure compassion and empathy I felt for them. 

That concern was short lived as I knew I was guided to specifically get the raspberry lemonade for reasons I did not know as well as the thought that when food has been brought to me, I have felt comforted and happy that somebody had thought of me and took the time to bring something to me especially at a time when I’ve been hurting.

The following afternoon I stopped by their home and though it appeared they were there as their family cars were in the driveway, I did not expect them to come to the door. After knocking and waiting a short couple of minutes, I placed a grocery bag with the raspberry lemonade inside on their door knob and texted them to let them know I left it. 

Although I didn’t know anything about my friend’s circumstance or situation, only that they were struggling and going through a very hard time, I knew there was a purpose in getting the raspberry lemonade and though initially it didn’t make sense, nonetheless as I acted on the impression, it was a tender mercy I was able to bless them during their time of need. 

I learned later through a thank you text from the struggling friend a couple of primary whys behind the raspberry lemonade in particular, one being that it is a favorite drink for most of the family members in their household.

When have you received a spontaneous prompting to purchase a random item, which at the time it didn’t make sense, nonetheless, you acted on the impression to go and do and later came to know of the inspirational reason why?

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.

Help From Someone In An Earlier Time Zone

When my car shut down completely while out one evening, help from someone in an earlier time zone was the “key” to getting my car up and running again sooner rather than later.

With no warning, when I was ready to leave our church building just over an hour after arriving, all electronic functions in my car shut down completely and it would not start. Prior to that point, my car had never had any issues starting up. It was a tender mercy that help from someone in an earlier time zone was the “key” to my getting it up and running again. 

On this evening, after dropping off one of my children at the church for a youth activity, I remained there in my car with it turned off and spoke to a loved one on the phone until the activity was over. 

Upon my child’s return to the car following the activity, when I turned on the ignition to leave, my car would not start. Instead, diagnostic messages and other warning indicators flashed and lit up the dashboard.

My first response was to remove the owner’s manual from the glovebox and troubleshoot the problem based on the diagnostic message. However, the steps I followed, did nothing. And, with each attempt to start up the car, in a matter of minutes, the dashboard went blank, the remote doors ceased to work, lights would not turn on, everything was out. 

At this point, I prayed to know what to do. Immediately, the thought to call the dealership that services our vehicle came to mind, yet due to the particular hour, their service department was closed for the evening along with all other local dealerships specific to our vehicle and they would not reopen until the next morning. 

It was then that a remarkable and brilliant impression to call a like dealership for help from someone in an earlier time zone entered my mind. I was excited and hopeful they would to be able to provide me with a way to get my car up and running again without needing to leave it overnight in the church parking lot, calling for roadside assistance, or having it towed. 

Upon my calling the out-of-state dealership right away, I was told by a sales associate that the service department had closed just two minutes prior, fortunately, upon my request to speak to someone in service before all employees were gone, it was a tender mercy my call was picked up and the one who took my call answered all of my questions which led to 1) learning that a manual key, I never knew existed, was attached to my remote car opener as I expressed concern of not having the ability to get into my car if all of my doors were locked due to the electrical outage and 2) narrowing down that the problem was most likely a dead battery. 

Throughout the approximate two hours we were still at the church beyond the time the activity had ended, it was a tender mercy that on this very night the church building was still open for those playing adult basketball which was a wonderful blessing as it was a safe place for my child and I to hang tight temporarily, go the restroom as needed, and be able to charge my phone that had a low battery. Not only that, during that timeframe, it was a tender mercy the ease and calm I felt throughout the entire experience and that we were not in a rush or hurry to be elsewhere. 

It was also a tender mercy that someone exiting the building had jumper cables with them and when they jump started the car, it slowly started back up and began functioning once again. In addition, while troubleshooting under the hood in the dark and when the car was being jump started, it was a tender mercy the winter night’s weather was beautiful. And, as a bonus, through observation, I relearned how to use jumper cables.

And the tender mercies continued. When the battery was tested the next day at a dealership near us, it was determined that what happened to our car was a fluke and the battery was still a good battery that did not yet need to be replaced. 

Which on top of that, it was a tender mercy I came to learn that a replacement battery for my vehicle is a specific and quite pricey type that can only be purchased through the dealership. This heads up information has prepared me for what will be a necessary, huge, out-of-pocket expense at some point down the road, hopefully further out than sooner.   

When has an impression led you to reach out for help from someone in an earlier time zone who was able to troubleshoot a specific immediate need you had when a local business was closed?

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.