During a Stake Women’s Conference I found myself overwhelmed in many ways. I came feeling so out of place, ashamed, and yet desperately seeking forgiveness and peace. I sat alone on a pew as the opening hymn began.
Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd
Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the sheep of his fold;
Dear is the love that he gives them,
Dearer than silver or gold.
Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are his “other” lost sheep;
Over the mountains he follows,
Over the waters so deep.Out in the desert they wander,
Hungry and helpless and cold;
Off to the rescue he hastens,
Bringing them back to the fold.Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the lambs of his fold;
Some from the pastures are straying,
Hungry and helpless and cold.
See, the Good Shepherd is seeking,
Seeking the lambs that are lost,
Bringing them in with rejoicing,
Saved at such infinite cost.Out in the desert they wander,
Hungry and helpless and cold;
Off to the rescue he hastens,
Bringing them back to the fold.Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the “ninety and nine”;
Dear are the sheep that have wandered
Out in the desert to pine.
Hark! he is earnestly calling,
Tenderly pleading today:
“Will you not seek for my lost ones,
Off from my shelter astray?”Out in the desert they wander,
Hungry and helpless and cold;
Off to the rescue he hastens,
Bringing them back to the fold.Green are the pastures inviting;
Sweet are the waters and still.
Lord, we will answer thee gladly,
“Yes, blessed Master, we will!
Make us thy true under-shepherds;
Give us a love that is deep.
Send us out into the desert,
Seeking thy wandering sheep.”Out in the desert they wander,
Hungry and helpless and cold;
Off to the rescue we’ll hasten,
Bringing them back to the fold
The words of that hymn touched my heart so deeply that I found myself sobbing throughout the entire song.
I figured I would get up right after the song, during the open prayer, and try to put myself together in the bathroom or just leave if I couldn’t.
Meanwhile, a friend of mine sitting on the stand helping to conduct the meeting fought contrary thoughts to not be disruptive to the meeting and came off the stand during the 2nd verse and sat by me.
She held me while I cried and we both tried to sing the words. Another Sister who I didn’t know behind me told me that as she watched the scene unfold she had the most distinct impression come to her that she shared with me of how much my Heavenly Father loves me.
I had never sung or “heard” that hymn before and felt so much that it was a personal message to me accompanied by ministering through acts and words of love and kindness.
From that time another seven months passed and I found myself taking the sacrament again and went to the temple for the first time in over a year and a half. I felt impressed to stop and take notice of the paintings throughout the building.
I found a beautiful picture of a beautiful sister kneeling in prayer and a young girl in a flower field dressed in white.
The session was wonderful and as I came out of the Celestial Room I was again prompted to look at the paintings.
There in the temple hallway I saw a beautiful depiction of Christ holding and rejoicing over one lost sheep.
The spirit flooded me with emotions of gratitude for a merciful and loving Savior. And again that tender hymn was brought to mind as well as the following scripture:
“4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Luke 15: 4-7
I have helped searched for “the one” and have been “the one” and will be forever grateful for the experiences of both.