When Elder Rasband gave his talk in October called “By Divine Design” it reminded me once again to look for those moments when God is truly guiding my life much better than I ever could have planned.
Elder Rasband said, “He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones.” So many times I don't realize how much my Heavenly Father has been in the details of my life until I look back. That is more obvious in the bigger decisions in my life, but He is involved in the simple details also. One experience comes to mind where I can see so many details He was involved in.
Graduation was nearing for Dave from Utah State University, and we were deciding where we needed to be. An offer came for an interview at Micron in Boise. That job made so much sense for our young family. His dad had passed the year before, so it made sense for us to be near to his mom and his younger brothers still living at home. My mom was going through chemo treatments for breast cancer, so it made sense for us to be closer for my family also. While I lived in Logan, I worked for USU in the Athletics Department. Boise State was in our athletic conference so I already knew people in the athletics department and knew it would be an easy transfer to their office.
While Dave was at his interview, I decided to go to the temple. As soon as I was changed and was walking to the chapel, I had the distinct impression that even though Boise made sense for all of those reasons, it was not where we were supposed to be. I didn’t know where we were supposed to be, I just knew God had a different plan for us.
As I picked up Dave from his interview, he was so excited to tell me that he got the job--he just needed to take a drug test. I told him about my experience in the temple. As we drove to the drug test we agreed we would see what comes up next, but he would still take the test just in case.
A few weeks later, he was invited to San Diego for a visit. Because it was a much longer trip, he went by himself and this time he had the impression this was where we were supposed to be. We ended up in San Diego a month or two later. We moved into La Mesa 1st Ward in San Diego East Stake (again not just a coincidence). We definitely haven't been in close proximity to our families but it has brought us many other blessings and opportunities that we never would have experienced in Boise.
About a year later, we found out that Micron laid off everyone that had been hired the past year and a half. That was a confirmation to us that God is in the details of our lives even more than we would have guessed. Had we not followed the prompting I got in the temple the day of that interview, we would have bought a house during that time, and then not had a job.
Daily I see the hand of the Lord in the details of the lives of people I have been in contact with throughout the years--in and out of the church. Incredible experiences have come through these divinely designed moments.
After this talk was given, I texted a few of my closest friends and told them it’s not by coincidence that we are a part of each others’ lives. It is not by chance that we are where we are. Elder Rasband said, “Heavenly Father can put us in situations with specific intent in mind…Each of us is precious and loved by the Lord, who cares, who whispers, and who watches over us in ways unique to each of us. He is infinitely wiser and more powerful than mortal men and women. He knows our challenges, our triumphs, and the righteous desires of our hearts.”
I consider moments where I recognize this divine design in my life similar to the “tender mercies” that Nephi and Jared refer to in the Book of Mormon. I don’t always understand why I am led down a certain path, but I need to trust that there is a plan and a purpose. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
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