Thou Art there

It just occurred to me that we've hit the halfway mark with this project. So, yay!

Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon Nephi promises the reader that he will show to them the "tender mercies of the Lord". (See: 1 Nephi 1:20) We have been taught that “The Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ” (David A. Bednar, "The Tender Mercies f the Lord", April 2005 general conference). Reading through the Book of Mormon over the last few days I have noticed a number of tender mercies of the Lord.

In Ammonihah Alma was rejected and leaving the area when the Lord commanded him to return. He provided a blessing to Alma in the form of Amulek. Amulek was local who was prepared to take Alma in and to help in his missionary work. (See: Alma 8) I feel as if having people actually listen to Alma and Amulek was a tender mercy of the Lord to them. Then having Alma and Amulek there to preach to Zeezrom was a tender mercy to Zeezrom because it helped him to repent and become a better person. (Alma 15:6-7) The Lord giving Alma the chance to help heal Zeezrom may have been a tender mercy to Alma as well as it assured him that he at least had some success in Amonihah. (See Alma 15)

Neal A. Maxwell testified, 

"Enoch, to whom the Lord revealed so much, praised God amid His vast creations, exclaiming reassuringly, “Yet thou art there” (Moses 7:30; see also Jer. 10:12).

This same special assurance can see each of us through all the seasons and circumstances of our lives. A universal God is actually involved with our small, individual universes of experience! In the midst of His vast dominions, yet He numbers us, knows us, and loves us perfectly (see Moses 1:35; John 10:14)." (Yet Thou Art There)

God does know and wants to bless us. Richard G. Scott testified, "You are His precious child whom He loves perfectly and wants to help."(Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer)

I found it it interesting that I noticed these tender mercies while Alma was going through a fairly hard trial when teaching the people of Ammonihah. He witnessed many of the people that believed him be killed and was then thrown into jail and was smitten. (See: Alma 13-14) In a talk Richard G. Scott suggested that in our own trials there are some questions that are useful and some that are not. One question that he suggested was more useful was "How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial?" There are blessings in our lives even in the midst of our trials.

I know that even though we have trials and challenges, God is there. He will support and strengthen us. He will continue to bless us. My challenge for myself and others is to look for these blessings in our trials and see the tender mercies that God gives us.