One of Life's Tender Mercies

Sometimes we experience tender mercies, miracles, and acts of God in our lives and I want to share with you one that I recently experienced.

Right around the time I delivered Paris, I had a prompting to read my patriarchal blessing. I received my patriarchal blessing when I was 13 or 14 years old and it is something that has given me peace and guidance throughout my life. It had probably been years since I last read my blessing when I pulled it out to read it this time. I was reminded of the many blessings I have already been given that were promised me and it was a good reminder of many other things that were told to me that have not yet happened.

Fast forward to Memorial Day weekend. That Sunday, we were in Idaho and had church at home with my mom and step-dad because of the COVID-19 situation. As part of our church meeting that day, we watched a video of President Russell M. Nelson (our prophet) sharing a story about his grandfather receiving a visitation from his own father after his father had died. That video and story is here if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjBwuL0ogJs. After watching the video, we had a discussion about our ancestors and the importance they still play in our lives, even after they have passed. We talked about how we can learn from their stories and the legacies they left behind. It was an appropriate topic of discussion since the next day was Memorial Day. 

My mom then shared a story about her grandfather, my great-grandfather, Gordon R. Hillam. She shared that he had had pretty serious health challenges, including cancer.  Before he went into treatment for his cancer, he was given a blessing, which we have in written form as part of his personal history. There was a specific line in the blessing that was really powerful and gave him and his family a lot of comfort during his challenges, particularly during a time when he had to go in for a surgery that was relatively new for the surgeons and very high risk (This was the 1940's and I am sure medical care looked quite different back then than it does now!) He survived the surgery and the cancer and went on to live for another 10+ years.

I already knew this story about my great-grandfather and I also knew that my patriarchal blessing has the exact same line as the blessing he was given- the one that gave him and his family comfort during his medical issues. But I didn't know if my mom, my husband, or my kids was aware of my connection to him through blessings we had been given. After my mom shared my great-grandfather's story, I then shared my own story and that my patriarchal blessing has the same powerful line as the blessing he was given.  It was a wonderful conversation and reminder that we have connections to our ancestors who came before us, even those who we have never met, as is the case with me and my great-grandfather. 

My great-grandfather, Gordon Hillam

Just two days after this conversation, I went into the ER for delayed post-partum hemorrhaging (I was 3 weeks post-partum at this point).  Devin shared with me a few days after I got home from the hospital that right as we entered the emergency room, he had the specific line from mine and my great-grandfather's blessings come to his mind. This was before we even knew I would be going in for a  D & C, let alone that the procedure would turn into something much more. We were told that the procedure would be 30 minutes and I ended up in surgery for 4 hours with an emergency open hysterectomy as the outcome.  The line from my blessing repeated in his mind through the surgery, giving him peace and comfort as the 30 minute mark passed, then the hour mark, then the two hour mark and on without any news. He was of course very worried about what was happening, but felt that overwhelming peace that can only come from communication with the Holy Ghost.  

This story reminds me so much that we have a God who loves us and is involved in our lives. I do not find it coincidental that I had so recently been prompted to read my patriarchal blessing and to be reminded of the blessings promised me there. I also don't find it coincidental that we had the discussion about my great-grandfather and his surgery just two days before I went in for my own. I don't find it coincidental that in my blessing, I am promised the same thing as my great-grandfather, who would have received this specific blessing likely some 60 years before I received my patriarchal blessing. I know the outcome of my great-grandfather's blessing and that the promise made in his blessing came. This has given me comfort through my life as I have pondered being promised the same thing and especially now as I have worked to make sense of all that has happened in the last few weeks.  I know that the whole sequence of events was in place to help my husband in the immediate time of the surgery, but also to help me remember how known I am and how loved I am by our Heavenly Father.