Entry for last week of January 2011

Last week was a wonderful week. We had the usual days at the FHC Wednesday and Saturday. Wednesday evening after we got home I found a message from Brother Paul Smith, Stake executive secretary, asking that I give him a call. He asked if I could help with Stake Conference. (I tho’t maybe he was asking me to speak) He said that Elder Holland had requested a handout with the agenda on it and the words of two of the verses of the songs we’d sing printed on it too and wanted to know if I could do something like I do for the bulletin each week. I told him I would be happy to if he would e-mail mail me the agenda. I started it first thing Thursday morning. It took a few hours. Altho’ Saturday’s agenda and songs would have fit on ½ a page back to back, the Sunday agenda was longer and wouldn’t have. I decided that rather than having a blank back that I should just put a picture and some quotes as I do for the bulletin. I took the theme from the songs that were chosen. They turned out pretty well even if I do say so myself. I was able to e-mail them to Brother Smith and he e-mailed them or took them on his thumb drive, I’m not sure which, to the printer. His brother, owns the printing company. They did them in color (the printer at the church is just black & white) and on good-quality paper. They really looked great!

Saturday was a very long day and a wonderful day. I asked the Lord to bless me so I could make it thro’ the nine hours at the FHC, what with being in charge and teaching my class, then also Stake conference that night. I had told my Sweetheart the night before that we should just stop at the Gangplank to eat supper then go right onto the church so we could get a good seat. He tho’t it was a good idea. So that’s what we did. We got to the church about 5:45 pm and the whole parking lot was full plus cars parked on the street! We looked at each other and tho’t, “Boy, people really came early tonight; it doesn’t even start until seven!” Well it was the Priesthood session still going. We got to listen to the last 15 minutes of it with about 50 other people standing in the foyer. Karl went in and sat in the cultural hall for the last 15 minutes. I leaned against the wall till it was over. Karl immediately went up to find us a seat. There were none. Men did leave to go get their wives but they left coats, books etc. to save their places while they left. I was just into the chapel trying to find him when I noticed President Andrus, our Stake President, walking toward me, just in front of me. I was aware of a man in front of him shaking the hand of a woman beside me. I looked and it was Elder Holland! He shook my hand too. After a few minutes I found Karl at the front of the chapel. He said that since there wasn’t a choir that we should sit in the choir seats. We decided we would sit in the seats that those who bless the sacrament sit in. When Elder Holland came up on the stand, he shook hands with both of us. I had prayed that morning that I would be able to shake his hand at least one of the days, Saturday or Sunday. And he shook my hand twice!! Elder Gary Walker of the Seventy also spoke. He loves missionary service! He told us of some of his experiences and told that someone had challenged them to write down 100 names and pray by name for each one of them and then told us what happened with his relationship with those people. He challenged us to pray about at least one person by name, but we could pray about more. I decided to pray for our neighbors, J & S M and J’s mother C B. Of course I couldn’t leave out their children so I include them too. And I decided to also pray for my hairdresser and her family. I was able to shake his hand after the meeting. He put his arm around me and when I told him I had already decided who to pray for, he gave me a squeeze and said, “Bless your heart.” He has the kindest eyes. The mission president and his wife also spoke. Elder Holland spoke for almost a full hour. It was wonderful to listen to him. He is so fervent in his testimony of the Savior and of the prophet, President Monson. When he reads from the scriptures, he does it with such intensity. My heart burned as he spoke to us. He told us he wasn’t going to speak from any text. That he was going to speak from his heart. He told us that no matter how bad times seemed to us that things would get better. He said his message was for the ones or even the one who may be having an extremely hard time and about ready to give up. It was a wonderful talk. The Spirit was so strong and the feeling so wonderful. We got home about 9:20 pm. I was tired but not as tired as I tho’t I would be. The Lord truly did bless me.

We had decided that we would get up Sunday morning like we did for Saturday mornings. I was ready to go about 7:40. We left about 7:50 am. There weren’t many cars in the parking lot yet. When we got in there we noticed that most of the seats in the chapel were reserved for the elderly and those who had tickets; and one half a section of the side for the youth choir. I told Karl that it must be an enormous choir. It was. But they sang beautifully. We sat in the row behind the last row of the chapel on soft, folding chairs. I tho’t maybe my back would really ache by the time we got out of there but I was blessed again and it didn’t. The temple President and Matron also were there Sunday morning and bore their testimonies. People came in at 8:30 thinking they could get a good seat, and the chapel was full. I guess a good seat includes the cultural hall, because it has two large screens, one on each side, so people can see the speakers better. Others who waited until 9:30 had to go to the multipurpose room or the primary room to find seating. They also broadcast it to the St. Leon Building. I hope they were able to feel the strong Spirit there also. Elder Walker spoke again. And Elder Holland told the youth that they must promise him to stay in the church for ten more years. He said, “You see, if you stay for ten more years, I will have you because it is between 12 and 22 that we lose our youth.” (I had already figured that out.) He ended up giving us an Apostolic Blessing. He started out by just blessing everyone there, then changed it to those in our families who weren’t there, then changed it to all those we pray for. I was thrilled with that. My tho’t was, “Does that include those we’ve chosen to pray for as we do Elder Walker’s challenge?” I decided it must. So all of my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, both of our mothers, our friends we pray for, all of them were included in that Apostolic Blessing.
I had a wonderful feeling as he pronounced it. It was a wonderful two days.

Monday, I was able to sleep in a little longer—till 7:30 or so. I had my 9:00 Directors’ meeting to go to. My chest kind of ached, so I could tell I was tired. I got home about 11:30 am because I had to find teachers for the 12:15 class for missionaries for February. I didn’t do much when I got home. I didn’t change my clothes because we had to go back to a zone conference by 4:45 that afternoon. I was thankful I went to that too. The speaker was President N of the Iona Stake. He gave a very good talk on the importance of families. He finished by 5:30. He could have gone on at least another 15 minutes. We do have to be out of the building by 6:00 pm. It was a good way to end the last three days. I definitely feel that I have been spiritually fed. I was tired by the time we got home. I was still tired this morning but have made two cards, written out checks after writing out the budget, fixed breakfast/brunch and now written in my journal today. I am going to try to make a batch of oatmeal cookies today. I got some mint chips before Christmas and haven’t used them yet. Oh, and I finished Maddy’s baby afghan yesterday too. So I haven’t been idle.

I almost forgot! M C C was born January 26, 2011. She weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz and was 21 inches tall. Has a lot of dark hair. She’s a beauty! Her proud parents are S & J C. Maddy as they will call her, is our great granddaughter. We haven’t seen her yet…I wanted to finish her baby afghan and take it with when we went. We’ll go either Thursday or Friday.