Truth and Forgiveness

Today was a day that I had been dreading since Josh gave me the divorce papers. See, I am in my parents ward now and Josh's father, Kermit, is the high councilman for the ward. I wasn't exactly sure how everything was going to go over. I walk in a few minutes late and my family sits in the front so I had to walk past everyone and I ended up sitting directly across from him with one pew between us. Since he is in the high council he was on the podium and I knew I would have to look him in the eye directly. I was not looking forward to it, but after the hymn finished I looked him in the eye and gave him a sad smile and he kept eye contact and mouthed "hi" gave me a sad smile and looked like he was holding back tears. Then and there I knew that I had truly forgiven Kermit for any part he may have played in me ending up getting divorced. My heart broke because I could see the sadness that was in him concerning me. Anyway, I ended up bearing my testimony of how God can heal a broken heart and bring you peace and also that the atonement is not only for those who have sinned, but those that are suffering. I bore of how forgiveness can bring peace into your life and once you have done so you can completely obtain the peace and comfort of the atonement. I do know that what I said is true because I have experienced it in my life though this trial. After sacrament Kermit took me by the hand and pulled me into a hug and told me that he would always love me. I knew that he was telling the truth. You can generally know when someone speaks the truth about such things and I will tell you it was a beautiful experience to hear that from him. I think my heart may be a little more broken today, but not in a bad way. It has broken in a way that has helped me learn to love and to forgive. Forgiveness is the ultimate balm to the soul.