Speaking of the "tender mercies of the Lord," Elder David A. Bednar recalled how six months ago he stood at the pulpit of the Conference Center as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Moments before he offered his first address as an apostle that October morning, the then-president of BYU-Idaho joined the choir and congregation for the intermediate hymn, "Redeemer of Israel," his favorite hymn. "My mind was drawn immediately to Nephi's phrase, 'the tender mercies of the Lord,' and I knew in that very moment I was experiencing just such a tender mercy," Elder Bednar said Sunday afternoon during his second general conference address.
"A loving Savior was sending me a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance through a hymn selected weeks previously.
"Some may count this experience as simply a nice coincidence, but I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord's timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them."
Through personal study, pondering and prayer, Elder Bednar continued, he has come to a better understanding "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."
He then related how at a recent stake conference, a young wife and mother of four whose husband was slain in Iraq in December 2003 recounted how, after being notified of her husband's death, she received his Christmas card and message. Elder Bednar quoted from the Christmas card: "The Lord has made it possible for us to be together forever. So even when we are apart, we will still be together as a family."
To this sister, Elder Bednar explained, "as a voice from the dust from a departed eternal companion and father, came a most needed spiritual reassurance and witness. As I indicated earlier, the Lord's tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."
Referring to 1 Nephi 1:20, where the word chosen is central to understanding the concept of the Lord's tender mercies, Elder Bednar said some erroneously believe, "I am not one who has been or ever will be chosen."
To become chosen is not an exclusive status, he added. "Rather you and I ultimately determine if we are chosen. . . . God does not have a list of favorites to which we must hope our names will someday be added. He does not limit 'the chosen' to a restricted few. Rather, it is our hearts and our aspirations and our obedience which definitively determine whether we are counted as one of God's chosen."
Quoting Doctrine and Covenants 11:20, including the words, "this is your work, to keep my commandments," Elder Bednar explained: "Thus, the Father's work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. Our work is to keep His commandments with all of our might, mind and strength — and we thereby become chosen and, through the Holy Ghost, receive and recognize the tender mercies of the Lord in our daily lives."
