Tender Mercies

A while back I heard this wonderful talk, on The Tender Mercies of the Lord. I know many of you remember it as well. The other day my family and I had experience in one of those tender mercies. The Lord is truly aware of our trials, our hopes. I would like to share this with you, and sense I believe all those who are reading my blog knows our family situation, you will see just how remarkable this event is.

For the past 2 years here in the UK, we had elders missionaries in our word, which was wonderful! They were grate, dedicated young men and having them over for diner did wonders for our son Drew. He is hopeful that the Lord will call him to serve in....Russia...that's right...he wants to serve in Russia. He said it will be really cool to be able to know the same language that I know.

As you know missionaries don't stay long in one place and our elders got replaced by fantastic sister missionaries! I was so excited to have sisters in our word, to have them over for diner and have my girls being influenced by their spirit that they bring. It didn't take long for the sisters to learn of our "life saga" and as I drove them home one of the sisters told me that she has a story to share with me. It would be another week before our next diner visit, and I was soooo curios, what story she has to tell?

Here, is her story, as best as I can remember. 

Sister Casasola  was born some where in Mexico. At the age of 4, her parents went through a very nasty divorce resulting in having full custody of her by her father. Her grandparents at that time were already leaving in US and seeing the heart ache that their son went through, and a difficulty in being a single dad to a 4 yr old daughter, they have encouraged him to immigrate to America, which he did.

When she was 10 years old they were introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ and their life has never been the same. Sister Casasola speaks very highly of her father and he seems to be a righteous, loving and hardworking men. She grew up in the home that promoted faith in the Lord and obedience to His teachings.

She spoke of her dreams and aspirations for her life, as a young women. She wanted to go to BUY. As she was gathering all the documents to attend college, she needed her Social Security card. It was at that moment that her whole world as she knew it collapsed. SHE WAS ILLEGAL! Her father has become US citizen long ago, but for some reason he has never filled papers for her, assuming that because she was little she would automatically become US citizen as he became one.

She said that it was a time for her to find exactly what it ment to be "honest with your fellow men". She said she was taught to leave worthy of the Temple recommend and she felt that at 18 she is an adult and is accountable for her own actions in such regards. She decided that in order to be worthy of the Temple blessings she will leave America. She said she doesn't know where she found the strength to do that. To go to a country that she hasn't been in sence 4. She just knew it was an honest thing to do.

When she applied for her visa to come back to the US, it was denied. She was completely devastated. Missing her family and wondering what's next (remember, she is only 18, just graduated from high school, no family or friends and she barely knew Spanish). While in Mexico, she had to take Spanish class to learn to speak and more importantly to read and to write. She moved there when it was hard to find jobs for any locals and yet, she was blessed with one in just 2 weeks being there. She was able to visit her mom and heal that relationship.

She got excepted into University and began to build her NEW dreams. She has found that she always wanted to study abroad, but it is so unlikely. One of the professor at University there has recommended her to the University in Sweden and she got excepted. While in Sweden she had a dream, where she was eating lunch with her dad. She woke up upset wondering when and if it will ever happen. She called her dad, crying and missing her family. Her dad asked her if she believes in miracles? She said she did. He advised her to file for visa AGAIN. She knew her odds, and that she doesn't have job and a student now and besides US did denied it. He again asked her if she believed in miracles and told her to file for visa.

She got a job earned her visa fees (which are very high) and filed it again. She was asked to come in for an interview where she was questioned thoroughly. She remembers being so scared that while waiting for her turn she had to go to the bathroom and put her hands under hot water, they were ice cold. She promised herself that she will be completely honest and let the Lord work His miracle. And He did! Her visa was approved and more then that it is 10 yrs long (which is very rare).She was able to come home and see her family and now serving mission for our Lord, here, in England.

I wish all of you who read this would of felt what I felt when she spoke. When she testified of the power that the Lord has. That if it is His will, nothing will stop Him from performing a miracles.

I felt that our evening with this lovely beacon of light, for that is what I feel when I am around her, was a tender mercies of the Lord. How wonderful that our Father in Heaven knows our worries and sends his angels to comfort us.

"But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender ^cmercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of ^ddeliverance." 1Nephi: 1:20

                    Sister Casasola  and sister Cubova

P.S. Sister Cubova is from Czech Republic, next time we will have to ask her how she joined the church ;)