Stake Conference--A new Stake Presidency

We had our semi annual stake conference last night and this morning. It was sooo good and the Spirit was very strong. We received a new Stake President this morning also. Presidents Doyle Batt, and David Lyman and Robert Fulks had been in for nine years. Heber Andrus was sustained as President with Greg Manwaring and Robert Kite as his counselors. They have all been bishops. President Andrus served as a counselor to Gary Miekle when he was the president. They will be very good for they are spiritual and humble men. Elder Douglas Callister and Elder J. Craig Rowe were the Seventies who presided and called the new presidency in behalf of the Lord. They gave such good talks both last evening and this morning. Elder Callister told us that after picking up their son from his mission in Eastern Canada, they stopped in Upstate New York to see a prominent attorney and his family (Elder Callister was also an attorney by trade) who was a good friend and colleague. They had a meal with them. The wife reminded her husband that Brother Callister was a religious man was used to saying a prayer on the food before eating and asked if it would be all right if he did it then. The friend who was a staunch Jew told Elder Callister and his family that he would permit it but would not permit the name of Jesus to be uttered in their Jewish house. I was sitting there wondering how he would close it. He said that he said a nice blessing then closed it in “the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Amen” One of his children leaned over to him and whispered, “You did it, Dad!” We all had a nice chuckle over that. He also reminded us of what we committed to do as we raised our hands to the square and sustained this new presidency. He gave many examples from his service he and his family have done all over the world. He didn’t use a note at all. He’s a very humble and spiritual man. I could feel it while he was talking as well as when I shook his hand afterwards. He thanked me for my service as he noticed and read my name tag. It made me feel very humble and I almost got emotional then. It was a very good meeting.