Burdens Eased

For a variety of reasons, yesterday was a very difficult day for me. Work was extremely tough and I came home tense and bothered by what was required of me, feeling that I had to have a hard heart in order to accomplish some tasks that had to be done. I'm not sure why I felt so burdened, but I did. Later in the evening, as I was reading, the phone rang. It was a phone call from Jason. I hadn't talked to him for a long time and it was wonderful to have a long conversation with him. I told him a little bit about the day and became quite emotional. After I hung up (about 11:30 p.m. my time), I got ready to go to bed. I had a major meltdown. I decided that I needed heavenly intervention to help soften my heart and help me do my job at the same time. I knelt down to pray and Mosiah 24:15 came to my mind. I asked the Lord to help me submit cheerfully and with patience so I could bear the burdens with ease. I didn't sleep well and woke up at 5:10 this morning. I wasn't looking forward to going to work. I simply wanted to stay home and sleep. But I went to work. It wasn't bad today. I was able to be less tense and began to feel better throughout the day.

I had decided to walk down near the Cannon Center today during my lunch hour but as I went outside, it seemed that there was an invisible hand directing me the opposite direction - toward my path behind the MTC. As I came into the church parking lot on the north side of the MTC, I could see rows of pink going up to the temple. I didn't know what I was looking at so I headed up to the temple. The rows of pink were thousands of rose bushes all the same color. It was glorious! This must have been temple day for the missionaries because the place was swarmnig with them. I took a few photos as I felt my spirit lift higher and higher. I headed back to work. I usually walk on 9th east south of the MTC, but again, I felt that invisible hand turning me back into the MTC to go back the way I came. I stopped for a moment to look at some beautiful begonias when I heard someone say, "Excuse me." I turned around and there were three young missionaries. They asked me if I would mind if they bore their testimonies to me. Before they did, I told them I would love to have them do that but I did tell them that I worked for them so they would know I was LDS. I was dressed in pants and had on my tennis shoes -- not the usual fare around the MTC. We had a nice conversation. They are going to LA on a Spanish speaking mission so they wanted to practice on me, I guess. They hadn't been in the MTC too long - wouldn't ship out until August. One would bear his testimony and the other would translate. The testimonies were short and so very, very simple. I found myself fighting tears as I felt the spirit and the purity of these young men. I was profoundly touched. They gave me the message the Lord needed me to hear today. God lives - He knows me and there is a Savior. There is also a living prophet. They didn't say much more but God was speaking to me through them. I doubt they knew it, but I looked at them and thought, "Wow, this is like the three Nephites coming to visit me." My burdens seemed so much easier.

After they were finished and we shook hands, I asked them for a favor. I told them about my husband teasing me about taking photos of good looking guys during my noon walks and we all laughed. I said, "May I take your picture?" They grabbed on to each other and posed for me. As a reminder of this very personal, spiritual experience, here are my "Three Nephites," sent from God to ease my burdens.