Gethsemane A Tender Mercy

Reprinted from 2015

For our priesthood lesson we meet in a room next to the Primary Room.
During our meetings we can often hear the primary children practicing songs through the wall.  For weeks now I have been impressed with one particular song.

I can’t actually hear the words but the music goes right to my soul. I have been very curious as to what that song is and why it penetrates my heart each time I hear it. But then when priesthood meeting is over I forget all about it.

Hold that thought.

At my last Tuesday night addiction recovery meeting I shared with my group my thoughts on tender mercies. To me a tender mercy is what some would call a coincidence but it is designed just for me and it blesses my life.  Plus, according to Elder Bednar, we can recognize tender mercies because of their unique timing.

Anyway, I shared with my group the following points as to why tender mercies are so important to me and why I have been able to recognize them:

1. I actually pray and ask Heavenly Father to help me recognize them.
2. As soon as I recognize a tender mercy I give thanks to Heavenly Father, and if possible, in a kneeling prayer.
3. As appropriate, I share many of these tender mercies with others.
4. For me, a tender mercy is a way for Heavenly Father to say to me "I know you and I love you!".
5. Plus I try to write them down to be able to refer to them when I'm having a hard day. This is a big help in my recovery process because I can try to feel again the same feelings I felt when I first recognized that tender mercy.

So I shared those thoughts with my group and told them that they could recognize the many tender mercies in their lives if they wanted to. Tender mercies are not based on worthiness. We all receive them because we are sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven.

A few minutes later, when the time was turned over to the missionaries for comments, Elder Butler said he wanted to play a song for us.  It was being sung by a small child.  He then plugged his smartphone into a small speaker and it began to play. The title was Gethsemane. It was that same song that I have been hearing through the wall at church for weeks.

And I just couldn't help but cry. There again was my tender mercy!  That song was being played just for me!  I might have thought it was just a coincidence except for the timing.  It was the exclamation point as to what I had been sharing just moments before.

Heavenly Father really does know me and He loves me!