Answers to Prayers

Don't you love the Sundays where you get to wear a new dress to church?

And we don't just buy new dresses for no reason.

Reason #1 - My mom was here. 

Did you know she is the most talented person for spotting a good deal of a buy? 

Yup. Dress = 10 pounds. 

She's got the eye.

Reason #2 - I needed a long dress that would hide the fact I haven't shaved in a week or so.

Or two.

(possibly since I got here)

Hey. Don't judge. It's a European thing, right?

Reason #3 - I had to teach a lesson in Relief Society today. The new dress was a confidence booster.

When you're teaching in front of a room full of women that ALL have more life experience than you, 

who are wiser than you, 

who have more knowledge about the topic you're teaching than you do 

- and you don't know any of them - 

you need all the confidence you can get.

The most incredible thing happened today though.

Remember how I talked about "finding myself" in London? 

This has been part of the prayers of my heart for the past few weeks - 

that the Lord would show unto me a better view of who I am and what more I can do to live up to the heavenly potential He wants for me. 

As I thought more about it, I guess my prayer was really for Him to show me what He sees in me.

As divine coincidence would have it, the lesson I taught was on Developing Your Talents. As I prepared, I felt those same feelings of self-criticism and self-doubt creep in.

I'm not as creative as so-and-so.

I'm not as stylish as so-and-so.

I'm not as talented as so-and-so.

So, obviously, I don't have many talents to contribute.

WRONG.

Upon my knees, I asked for strength and confidence to be able to teach this lesson...to be able to testify to the sisters of the White Chapel ward of the London Stake that the Lord is willing to show us our talents if we ask Him and promise to use those talents to serve those around us.

Guess what happened then?

Feeling like my lesson was ready to go, I opened up a new window to the Google Doc Sean and I created so that we could write letters to each other while I'm away.

Added to this Doc - over three pages long - was the answer to my prayer. 

Sean had compiled lists of individual scriptures that he felt I exemplified. He added notes that explained why he felt I had that talent or that ability. He referenced experiences we had had together and examples of when he had seen those characteristics in practice.

He SHOWED me who I was to him...

and for that moment, I saw myself in a completely different light.

"What Heaven Sees in You"

Sent to this earth
You were saved through the ages for this day and time
Child of great worth
Child of promise, daughter of the Divine
Pure and holy in a little, white dress
You were held in a circle and you were
blessed
And the Father looked down
And the angels surrounded that place
They knew the truth, all that you could do
And you will, too, if you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you

Dressed in white once more
Making promises to follow in God’s way
So much lies in store
For the little girl who enters at the gate
Pure and holy in a little, white dress
You were led into the water and you were
blessed...

Do you understand who you are
Part of the Father lives in you
If you continue on this path
Every promise God has given will come true

Heaven on earth
In the house of God, so much fills your heart
and mind
Woman of great worth
Woman of promise, daughter of the Divine
Pure and holy in a long, white dress
You promise forever and you are blessed
And the Father looks down
And the angels surround that place
They know the truth, all that you can do
And you do, too, ‘cause you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you

Will you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you

Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. He has blessed each of us with a divine nature and a divine ability to be so much more than we could ever imagine. We each have a part of Him within us and we are each blessed with specific talents designed to help build His kingdom and do His work. He loves us and has such faith and confidence in us to do all we can, despite our weaknesses.

Who needs a new dress when they have that knowledge?

(The dress is just bonus. :D )