I was reminded today of an experience I had in college. I was reading President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, The Merciful Obtain Mercy, from the last General Conference. He spoke about forgiving others and dissolving contention. One of his focuses was in the family, but he also spoke of forgiving everyone and dissolving conflict everywhere.
In college, my dad passed away right before Christmas. At the time, I was our college ward's music chairman. One of my responsibilities in that ward was to write a cantata for Christmas. (No, I do not compose music. I took existing music and added text between songs....) I really wanted my parents to be able to hear it, but my dad was still in the ICU, and as a result, neither of my parents could attend. The cantata was a huge success and went off perfectly.
My bishop asked me to write another one for Easter that year. I remember that the hardest thing about that Easter cantata was that once again, neither of my parents could attend. My dad was gone by then. My mom had something- I don't remember now what- that made it impossible for her to attend. (Seems like she was having car trouble and couldn't safely make the drive, but I don't remember.) I prayed very hard before that Easter cantata that my dad could attend it- and that I'd be able to KNOW he was there since I wouldn't be able to see him.
I know a lot of people don't believe in any type of afterlife or communication between this world and the next. But I testify that I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that my dad was there at that Easter cantata. I didn't see him, but I felt him and I knew with all my heart, mind, and soul that he had come to see my cantata in answer to my prayer.
That was a huge spiritual experience for me. I'd missed my dad so much, and it was a big testimony that just because he wouldn't be there in person for the major life events coming up, he was still there to witness them.
Switching gears for just a moment. My roommates and I were good friends with the girls from another apartment in our building. The girls in that apartment were having serious conflict with each other. Major issues had come up, and as a result, they were always fighting, always bitter, and always eager to make sure their friends didn't like the group of roommates they were angry with. This is what Pres. Uchtdorf's talk reminded me of.
I came home from church that day well behind the rest of the girls in my building. I had stayed after to absorb the wonderful feeling I'd had with my dad being there to see my cantata. The second I opened the door to my apartment, the peaceful feeling of the spirit and the feeling of communion with my dad left. My roommates were at the kitchen table with one of the girls from upstairs talking angrily about the conflict in that apartment. The feeling of contention was so strong in our apartment. It chased away all the good feelings I'd had during church that day.
I remember being so upset (and therefore adding to the spirit of contention) that they had ruined such a glorious experience for me. I was so happy when the girls upstairs parted ways after the semester and the contention was gone.
To anyone experiencing any type of feeling of contention anywhere, read this talk. http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/05/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng
You will thank me later.
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