In Our Lovely Deseret: Being willing to say 'Here am I, send me'

What of the “run and mill” of us? In the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, men and women did not consider themselves beneath the notice of the Lord. Too many times they had experienced his hand in their lives; too many times they had been prompted to help others, when near the point of destitution themselves. They did not doubt that their Father in heaven knew their name — knew their needs — knew their hearts. "Here am I, send me" was the very devotion by which the flame of the Restoration was lit and the torch carried to the valleys of the mountains and beyond.

We stand at the beginning of a new year — with that sense of a clean, fresh page of our lives before us, unmarred, unspoiled — a new opportunity to rally the best within us.

We can remember and be encouraged by Brigham Young’s words: “Do you think that the Lord has his eye upon a great many? I do not think there is anybody now on the earth, that has lived before us, or that will come after us, but what he knew … the Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming Gods like himself; when we have been proved in our present capacity, and have been faithful with all things he puts into our possession” ("Discourses of Brigham Young," p. 55, 57).

He has set each of us here with the capacity to become like him. He knows our names; he knows our hearts. How deeply satisfying to think that our Father could say, "Call upon John for this work, call upon Mary. I trust them. I know I can count upon them."

"Here am I, send me" is a most worthy desire, to remember who we are, "to do the will of him who sent (us)" (see John 4:34). This is a commendable goal to make into a living, consistent reality in the year to come.

Susan Evans McCloud is author of more than 40 books and has published screenplays, a book of poetry and lyrics, including two songs in the LDS hymnbook. She has six children. She blogs at susanevansmccloud.blogspot.com.

Email: susasays@broadweave.n