Neal A. Maxwell
"'I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.' ("1 Ne. 1:201 Nephi 1:20; italics added.)
"The Lord teaches us much about Himself through His 'tender mercies.' He also teaches us much about that which we may become, as we confront, on our scale, the individual curricula of our lives. His most apt pupils, of course, are the men and women of God. In those instances of record, the Lord has displayed much gentleness and tenderness in His tutoring of such individuals. The pattern usually involves His disclosing more about Himself and about His work, thus expanding the horizons of the person being tutored. He is likewise reassuring and assigns that favored individual a portion of His work, including declaring the gospel, while making special promises. The pattern, though mercifully scaled, is there in the lives of all true disciples." (Meek and Lowly, p.115.)