DYLAN

Dylan came into my life in a time exactly when I needed him. Without going into too much detail, he was one of the biggest tender mercies I can think of. I know that right now spirits in Florida absolutely need him more than I do though. I'll never forget some of his last words to me when we said our little goodbye. I was talking about how my only regret was waiting so long to make sure that his feelings were genuine so that I could have had that much more time being with him. Then he told me "no Madi. The fact that you waited is one of the best things about you. Don't change." The significance of his kind words didn't occur me until my quiet drive home and in the end that's what got me in tears.
On the day that Dylan left (Tuesday, June 28th) his plane departed early in the morning. My dad happened to also have a trip that morning that he tried to get out of. He hates flying early and is usually able to avoid it but he couldn't get rid of it this one time. It turns out Heavenly Father knew all along that my dad needed to be in that place at that time though. He ran into Dylan and his family right as Dylan was about to go through security to the D gates. Hearing about it from my dad was honestly one of the sweetest tender mercies ever. Waking up from such a rough night to the text saying Dylan shouted "no flippin way!?," gave him a big hug right when he spotted him and was wearing my tie gave me so much comfort even though it was just a little thing. Heavenly Father is in even the smallest details of our lives. I re read one of my favorite conference talks from Elder Bednar this week called 'The Tender Mercies of the Lord' and one part stood out to me a lot: 

“We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord's tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will get live. When words simply cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance.”

When we're in our most fragile emotional states I think is the time that we are most likely to notice the little things the Lord does for us. I have felt such an outpouring of love from our Heavenly Father since Dylan has left and I know it’s because I’ve worked hard to keep my covenants and stay worthy of the spirit’s influence in my life. As you are in tune and notice the small things instead of focusing on a grand gesture that most likely won’t occur, your pile of good things grows and you realize how mercifully Heavenly Father truly loves each of his children. I know with my whole heart that He loves me and is mindful of every one of my struggles. 

The weird thing about sending off a missionary (at least for me) is that it doesn't even feel real. I kept waiting all day for the moment it would hit me that I'm not going to see Dylan for 2 years and that moment never came. I don't think it's going to hit me until later on when something funny happens and I subconsciously think I should tell Dylan then realize he's unreachable or something like that. I absolutely can't wait to get his emails and find out about the sweet miracles he is preforming in Florida.
The church is so true. 
www.mormon.org