Angels Among Us

Can you have a profound experience and use lyrics from a country song to describe it? Probably not. But I'm going to anyways.

The legendary country group Alabama's song "Angels Among Us" says "Oh I believe there are angels among us, sent down to us from somewhere up above. They come to you and me in our darkest hours...to guide us with the light of love." These are the words that filled my mind tonight as I thought about the surprising way I felt during sacrament meeting just a few hours ago.

Why this occurred I have absolutely no clue. Let me set the stage to prove this was entirely unexpected. First, I wasn't enraptured with sacrament meeting like I should have been. I was fidgety; for some reason, I just could not sit still. It was so bad that I had to entertain myself on Instagram. Second, I was fasting about using my time more wisely. Basically, this is to say that I was not fasting about anything significant or related to what happened later. Plus, my emotions weren't intensely involved in my fast. Basically, I wasn't thinking I would have a significant spiritual experience. Third, I feel great about life. I'm content. I feel more joy and peace than I ever have. I don't really care about dating nor am I sad that I'm not dating someone. I am at peace. All of these show that I was thinking I would survive the meeting without being fully invested and go have a lazy evening at home. But here is what happened nonetheless...

Today, during sacrament meeting, a young woman spoke as her "unofficial farewell" before she leaves for the MTC and then Brazil this week. However, because of the unique circumstances with Stake Conference two weeks ago, followed by the Ogden Temple dedication, and General Conference this next weekend, our ward had to squeeze in Fast Sunday along with this girl's talk/testimony. When she finished, the congregation was invited to share their testimonies. At the very end of the meeting, a few of this soon-to-be missionary's family members shared their thoughts. Then, her sweet grandmother stood up. After struggling to walk up to the pulpit, she introduced herself, emphasizing her middle name and then turning around and pointing to her granddaughter still on the stage, who shared the grandmother's middle name, and said "this is a great day to be a grandmother."

All of the sudden I burst into tears. Which surprised me. I felt the spirit so strongly [I'm still tearing up as I type], which led to the tears. But the second feeling was confusion. Why in the world was I crying? What was happening to me? I wasn't even listening whole-heartedly to the testimonies because I was so antsy and hungry. There was absolutely no reason for me to have an emotional reaction to what was said. But the strong, warm feeling of love persisted. As I tried to figure out why I would be feeling that way, Grandma Davis came to my mind. Suddenly I just somehow knew that she was there with me and that she cares about me. I knew that the grandmother's words were a hidden message from Grandma Davis to me personally. "Britney, it IS a good day to be a grandmother." For the rest of the meeting, I felt her love so purely and strongly. Actually, I couldn't stop the tears and had to run out to the bathroom to get tissues. I don't totally understand what happened as I was balling while this grandmother talked, but I just knew that although my grandmother passed away several years ago, she is aware of me. She loves me and she is looking out for me. I knew in that moment that she was proud of me and going to help me get married and receive the desired blessings of my heart.

It's remarkable how thin the veil is. Despite this being a seemingly strange, far-fetched story, it was real for me. Although there was no tangible evidence of my grandma in that room, I know without doubt that she was with me and is personally watching over me. For me, it was a miraculous tender mercy. How grateful I am for Christ's sacrifice, that He was willing to die and be resurrected.  Because of that, my grandma still lives. She can speak to me and show me that she is involved in my life, that she is one of those "angels among us, sent down to [me] from somewhere up above...[who comes to] me in [my] darkest hour...to guide [me] with the light of love."