As part of an ongoing Leadership Enrichment Series, I got to watch Elder Renlund during a live face-to-face event. I paraphrased some of the highlights for me (my HWN today)…

At one point, they showed a video clip from Pres. Eyring, where he shared his experience responding to a young man he had just baptized and who broke the law shortly thereafter. Elder Eyring waited before responding, and the Spirit helped Pres. Eyring see him as Heavenly Father does and respond with patience and empathy rather than his natural inclination to reprove. He commented then that…

“If I had given him my own sharp reproof, he would have been justified to view me as his enemy, and I may have lost forever my chance to lift him.”

That’s a powerful example of listening to the Spirit and learning to see as Heavenly Father does :) Another quote that stuck out to me was from Elder Renlund, who said:

“Heavenly Father wants all of his children back home, but He wants them to choose to do so.”

Even with all the pain and sorrow it causes our Father in Heaven, he values our agency so highly that he allows us to choose not to follow Him!

p.s. my cousin’s Kyler and Shawn sang the national anthem again at their basketball game tonight. Senior night at Orem :)