There were amazing talks today about family, civility towards those we may not agree with, spiritual light, the enabling power of the atonement, gaining spiritual confidence, and my favorite, Christlike love. Though my post tonight isn't about conference exactly, I couldn't not mention some of the amazing things that were spoken about today.
But now, for my simple story. :) I flew out to Kansas City yesterday to see family, and I am just going to say that it was kind of a very long day. No, it was a LONG day, but it was good too. But let me take you to about 2pm yesterday. To set the scene, I'm on my second flight of the day, on a plane that had already been delayed twice because the aircraft was at another airport, and then delayed again, after we all were already boarded, due to a maintenance problem. But still, we were flying, finally, the young guy next to me was a sweetheart on leave from the military, going to surprise his wife and parents, and I was on the final stretch of getting out to KC. I have flown several times before, and it really was never that nerve-racking, and thought I am really claustrophobic, planes never get to me. Well, yesterday, it got to me. :) I found myself 33, 000 feet above the ground, in an airplane full of stale air, and we were hitting some impressive turbulence. I caught myself holding my breath, feeling like I was going to heave, though there was nothing even in my stomach, I began (internally) panicking, and feeling like I was about to suffocate in that aircraft--I promise I'm not just being dramatic. I kept praying in my heart that I would be able to just stay calm--I had another hour left, it had already been a crazy two days, and the day wasn't even at it's climax. I didn't have the slightest clue of what to do except keep breathing and tell myself we were almost there.
Then what I truly believe was a tender mercy, began with the crew going down the aisle asking what people wanted to drink. I don't drink coffee, but I would usually associate it with the morning, and we were on a flight at 3 in the afternoon. But, for some reason or another it was as if half the plane was craving coffee at that moment. I watched as the flight attendants made more and more, as people kept requesting coffee. I have never been on a flight where that has occurred, or even been able to smell coffee on the plane, but before I knew it that was all you could smell: coffee. I closed my eyes, and I was no longer in the stale air of a jet cruising at 33,000 feet. I could breathe again, the walls quit coming in on me, the nausea was gone, and my heart quit racing.
I know many believe that life is full of coincidences, but I don't. Rather, I have a testimony and know that our Heavenly Father is in the very details of our lives, and knows each of us personally and more deeply than we know ourselves. He could have left me there, feeling sick, nauseous, claustrophobic, tired, stressed and overwhelmed--after all, all I had was an hour left and I would have been on the ground and onto the next part of the adventure. But He knew my heart was full of disappointment, my head was spinning, my stomach churning, everything that had happened that day, and everything else that I still needed to do. And as I sat there pleading and praying in my heart for the strength to just make it, and I had no idea what to do, he sent such a tender mercy. He knew exactly what I needed, even though I saw no solution.
At the close of the second meeting of general conference today, the following words came into my mind: "Be still, and know that I am God."
Do we truly know that? Do we completely grasp how much he cares for us? How much our heavenly Parents care for us?
I think that the love they have for us is something we will never be able to fully grasp while in this life. But it is something we can lean on, and trust in.
You will always be loved.
Well, I am excited and look forward to another amazing day of general conference tomorrow. I hope you've had a wonderful day today, and thanks for taking a minute to read this. :)
Lots of love,
Tayler
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