blind spot

I am grateful that I have never not wanted to attend church. This is not to say that there haven't been times when my motivation to attend comes more from simply "the strength of good habits" (as our bishop's good wife once aptly stated) rather than from the pure desire to sit through three hours of church. I am grateful to know, however, that the most important thing I do on Sunday is to partake of the sacrament, and that anything I gain beyond that is just icing on the cake.

Today I enjoyed icing on my cake.

Our Sacrament Meeting was the annual Primary program, which always proves not only sweet and inspiring, but also entertaining at times. The Sunbeam class, all lined up in the front, sang louder and with greater gusto than the entire rest of the Primary. They knew every word to every song. Sarah sang "Called to Serve" with the rest of the Senior Primary kids (not too many, in our ward) and I loved hearing her clear, sweet voice ringing with conviction.

In Sunday School we're discussing one of my favorite parts of The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi when Christ appears to the Nephites. I really like our teacher--he is sincere, and unpretentiously real with a good sense of humor. We discussed 3 Nephi 18, where Christ tells the Nephites to "watch and pray and always." I noticed how many times the word "always" appears in this chapter--many. Interesting that it's always; not occasionally, when we have time, as needed, or at your convenience. ALWAYS. Our teacher, Brother Stamps, said that he thinks of Satan as being in our blind spot. We have to be mindful of his presence but not preoccupied with it. He said, "If I drove like this [head turned backwards looking over his shoulder toward his blind spot] all the time, I would crash." We have to keep our eyes focused on the road with an occasional glance at our blind spot to know what's there. He also reminded us that we can bind Satan with our righteousness. I not only love that imagery, but also the knowledge that what he said is true.

Finally, in Relief Society one of my favorite teachers taught from Elder Bednar's General Conference talk titled "Pray Always." She is a widow of nearly twenty years--one of the most cheerful people I know--and she always has meaningful experiences to share. Today she told us about a time when prayers for an ailing child were answered miraculously, and another time when the answer to her pleading prayers for her husband's life to be spared (he suffered from cancer) was that "Everything will be okay." At the time she assumed that meant that he would survive the cancer, but she now realizes that in fact, everything has been okay. Her prayers have been answered. I am reminded of something my mother often says, that sometimes the blessing comes in not being spared the trial but rather, in being given the strength to get through it.

How grateful I am to know that I have a Heavenly Father who has my best interest at heart and knows me--sometimes better than I do. How grateful I am today for the icing on my cake.