Definite Tender Mercies!!!

I love the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years time because it is brings with it so many feelings and thoughts of gratitude, love, appreciation, added hope, increased desire to do and become better, and the light of Christ seems to glow with more luster everywhere. It is seen in the clear crisp night sky overloaded with stars, the celestial white of new fallen snow, the increased smiles you see, the time to reconnect with friends, and the warmth of being home with family. During this time I am far more aware of the tender mercies of the Lord. We have been blessed with safe travel, making it up an icy Mink Creek, getting to have a cute baby in the house, having a few nights where the cute baby was able to sleep for 4-5 hours at a time, etc. I also feel extremely blessed to have the friends that I do. I am going to miss everyone in Logan so much! They are absolutely incredible and have done so much more for me than I could ever put words to or express enough gratitude for. I am grateful for their forgiving and understanding hearts when I do the silly things I do and remain there for me. I will miss them all so very much but what makes it okay is the thought of how fun it will be get to see my friends and family down in the SLC/Provo area when I move down there!

"You Are My Hands"

The other morning I was hurrying around my room getting ready for practicum. I was by my bookshelf, I didn't think that I had even really touched it yet and all of a sudden things were falling down all around me. My large picture of Jesus, Mary, and Martha had fallen over and knocked everything else that was on top off. I caught the picture but as I looked about me at the mess on the floor I saw my Christus statue in pieces on the floor. If you look at the picture the base broke and the hands were knocked off. If you look really closely his check was also scratched.
I wanted to feel bad about it and maybe even cry but I didn't have time for that and had to just leave it as it was and go off to practicum. I couldn't help but think of Elder Uchtdorf's talk "You Are My Hands." I have listened to it and other talks because of it. Elder Scott's talk from that same session is one that I would recommend that fits right with it.
Elder Uchtdorf told the story of a city who's statue of Christ was damaged after a bombing in World War II. The hands of the statue were destroied beyond repair so the people in the city add the the words, "You Are My Hands." He went on to say:
"There is a profound lesson in this story. When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation. That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart."
...“the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”4 We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.

One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, “I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But I am still a 20-dollar bill. I am worth something. Even though I may not look like much and even though I have been battered and used, I am still worth the full 20 dollars.”
...True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life.

As of late I have lost sight of what truly matters. It is so easy to wake up, go to practicum, come home, do homework, do this for me, and do that for myself. I have also lost sight of the love of my Savior as a guiding influence for what I should be doing day to day. I have been so blessed with tender mercies to accomplish the things I need to for all aspect of my life. I have been able to witness numerous miracles and have been blessed with so many things this semester. I feel as Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. "For I am the least of the apostles...but by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain...(vs9-10)" and then in 2 Corinthians 12: 8-11 Paul was told "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." He then says, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ my rest upon me...for when I am weak, then am I strong."

I am grateful for this Christmas time and hope and pray that I can remember my Savior's hands, come to know them better so I in turn can try to do as they did. I love you ALL. I hope that this Christmas Season is full of joy, love, and peace for all!