In April 2016, I served as the Stake Clerk in the Ephraim Utah YSA 2nd Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  That month, we held our regularly scheduled Stake Conference.  We were blessed to have a visit from Elder Dale G. Renlund, an ordained Apostle and Prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Elder Evan A. Schmutz, a General Authority Seventy of the Church.  Our Stake Presidency was being reorganized, and it was a busy two-day process.  As the Stake Clerk, I worked closely with Elder Renlund throughout the process.  It was a spiritual feast to watch the hand of the Lord in this great work and to be a witness to revelation.

After the conference and after the new Stake Presidency was installed, Elder Renlund conducted a two-hour training session for the newly called brethren and their wives.  I was invited to attend the meeting, and Elder Renlund asked me specifically to sit beside him on his right. As I sat down, he reached out and gave me a reassuring pat on my knee.

Later, after a very meaningful, spiritual, and timely training session, the meeting was concluded and Elder Renlund offered to give a closing prayer. During his prayer, among many wonderful things, he mentioned my name specifically. He thanked the Lord for my service and asked the Lord’s blessings to be upon me and my family.

I was overcome by emotion.  Over the previous several months, I had been praying earnestly to the Father for answers to many important issues in my personal life and in the lives of my children and family. During this wonderful prayer from a living Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I was overwhelmed with a sense of the Lord’s love for me and my family.  I know that He (the Lord) knows me; and He knows my wonderful family.  The sweet message and the confirmation by the Holy Spirit was truly a “tender mercy” of the Lord.  I sincerely felt my offering has been accepted by Him.

Since that day, I have been confident that my family and children will be fine.  Of course, I will always be concerned about their welfare, and I know there will yet be the usual challenges, but I will not be worried.  My focus then shifted to my future and the needs of my immediate family: Kathy and me.