Small Blessings

Savannah, Spencer, and Katie with Elder Michael Southward, our Area Authority Seventy,
and Elder Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the Seventy

When I had only been a member of the Church for a short time Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came and visited our area. I went to see him speak, but I had no idea who he was. Sure, the missionaries had spoken to me about prophets and apostles, but I sure didn't have any real idea what that meant in real life. I showed up at the meeting, sang in the stake choir, sat maybe twenty feet from President Packer, and didn't think one bit about it at all. I didn't take notes. I barely listened. The format of that meeting has stuck with me through all these years, but I don't remember a single impression about the things that President Packer spoke. I think about that a lot these days. Now I have a true understanding and testimony of what it means to be in the presence of these general authorities. They are simply men. They aren't perfect. They aren't demi-gods. They are just men. But they are men who represent the Savior in so many ways as they speak with us. They have wonderful responsibilities of administering and guiding the members of the Church to come unto Christ. It is a privilege to hear from them when they travel our direction.

It has been a great blessing to have Herman serving as stake president in our stake. I can see the personal growth that takes place in him regularly. I feel as if our family has been tremendously blessed because of the sacrifice he makes to serve. One of the great blessings is the opportunity to sit in council with these general authorities of the Church, getting the chance to have discussions about gospel principles and doctrines in a more intimate setting. Yesterday I had the great opportunity to meet with Elder Tad R. Callister, one of seven presidents of the Seventy. He was meeting with the five stake presidents of the southwest Missouri area. After training the stake presidents for awhile Elder Callister invited the wives in so that he could speak with us too.

What did he talk about?

He started out by giving us the opportunity to ask him anything we wanted. Anything at all. We could ask about points of doctrine or anything about the apostles. Anything. Well, we all just sat there. What should I ask? Absolutely nothing came to mind. I searched my mind, trying to think of anything that might have come up in a seminary class that I could ask. Nothing. I kept thinking what a blessing it was to have the chance to ask a general authority any sort of question, but despite the opportunity to do so I could not think of a single thing. I just knew that I was going to regret letting this moment pass me by. Erg!

After the room sat silent for a long time Elder Callister just started sharing his thoughts about each of the apostles. It was fascinating, bringing these almost larger than life men to a more personal level. I loved hearing about each of their personalities, their strengths and the things they loved doing in life. I can't say anything that Elder Callister told us. Those comments were meant to stay in that room among us. All I can say is that it was a great, great honor (although that word doesn't quite fit my feelings) to have the opportunity to hear these words. I will watch General Conference differently this year because of the things Elder Callister shared with us. As we were walking out of our meeting and headed to our dinner area Herman and I walked with Elder Callister and Elder Southward. I told them that I was sure that I would think of some awesome questions to ask at about 2 am today. Elder Callister said that is always the way that it goes. He just asked that I not call him at 2 am. No problem. Then Elder Southward leaned forward and joked that he would send me Elder Callister's contact info so I could do that. Sweet! (Not that I ever would ... as if!)

The real blessing for me came as we ate together. Herman and I sat next to Elder Southward. (And can I just say ... Elder Southward is one of the nicest men ever. I always feel his love for my family whenever I speak with him.) We mostly talked about business since Elder Southward owns his own business, and Herman owns his own business too. Then we somehow got to talking about temples. Elder Southward was a temple president before he became an area authority. As we talked I told him how sad I was that someone (some anonymous someone) had done the temple work for my grandpa after he died. People are supposed to ask permission of family members before doing that, and obviously whoever this was did not ask my family at all. I was just talking to Elder Southward, not addressing the entire table, but for some reason as I spoke everyone quieted down to hear me. Then Elder Callister spoke to me and said that he knew of one other instance where that had happened. The temple then allowed that family member to do the ordinance work over because whoever had done the work previously had not gone through the proper procedure to do it. My heart almost burst right on the spot. I was so happy. You know, we do so much temple work for nameless, faceless people ... and that is important, I know. But it seems like I should have the opportunity to do that work for those who I actually do know and love and honor. It was such a blessing to know that I could have my grandpa's work done by my family. It is important to me. Now ... getting the temple to do this might be a bit complicated since it isn't the regular way of getting things done. But Elder Southward said that he would do what it takes to help me out. Yea!!!!

After the dinner finished we headed into the chapel for a youth fireside. Herman and I sat on the stand. I didn't like sitting on the stand so much, but I did like sitting with Herman, so that was good. Spencer was good enough to tell me that the camera broadcasting a feed to a giant projector was pointed right at us, so I made sure not to do anything too crazily embarrassing. It was fantastic to look out into the audience and see so many youth from our five stakes attending. There could have been a lot more. It seemed like several units from our stake were missing. I was so pleased to look out and see all the youth from our ward sitting together. We have such a good group of youth in our ward. I'm glad that my kids get to grow up with good kids all around them. The best thing was seeing Savannah, Spencer, and Katie sitting in that large group of youth, smiling and paying attention to everything going on. I am so happy to have such good children.

Elder Southward spoke to the youth first. He talked about the importance of practicing good techniques as we live the gospel. The habits we develop only help us if they are the right habits. The best object lesson he offered was of this place in Hawaii where the water looks beautiful and inviting. It is almost begging you to jump in for a swim. Beside the water is a warning sign, letting you know that there is great danger in standing near this water. It shows a tally of the deaths that have occurred in the area as it warns you away. Then he showed us a picture of the water creating a giant splash in only a moment of time, enough of a splash to carry you out to sea, never to be seen again. Crazy! And a perfect example of why we should keep the standards of the Church. I loved his talk very much.

Elder Callister spoke next. It was great to hear him talk because he was a bit more casual in his speaking than he would be in General Conference. He was engaging with the youth, drawing them in with his warm and loving personality. I could see the youth drinking in all the words he spoke. I loved his talk!

What did he talk about? Here are some snippets:

• Testimony requires sacrifice. You can't expect to get an A when you study for a B.
• The best defense is a good offense when it comes to beating Satan. You will not win in the battle against Satan if you simply use defense against him.
• Spiritual offense involves PRAYER both morning and night.
• We should pray for things of ETERNAL significance.
• There has to be symmetry between our prayers and our actions.
• Morning prayer is ESSENTIAL. When we leave home we are entering a spiritual battlefield. When we pray we are putting on our spiritual armor to fight those battles and WIN.
• Spiritual offense involves reading and studying the SCRIPTURES.
• When we FEAST upon the words of Christ we can know ALL that we should do. (2 Nephi 32:3)
• We should read our scriptures any day that we want to eat. They are just as important to our spiritual welfare as food is to our body.
• Fasting is super important! We must learn the true value of the fast. If we learn to master our need to eat temporally, we can know that we can also master those desires that might pull us down spiritually.
• Don't wait too long to get your Patriarchal blessings. They are road maps to our future. You want to have it while you are making important life decisions at the end of your teenage years.
• Keep the Sabbath day holy. You will be blessed when you choose to keep this day holy, and you can be an example to others in your community as you do so.
• Stand up for the principles you know are true. 

It was an amazing evening. As he spoke, even though he was addressing the youth, I felt the Holy Ghost urge me to make changes in my own life and with our own family. Herman and I spoke about those promptings during the entire trip home. We are doing pretty well as a family. Our kids are progressing nicely. We are greatly blessed. But we really felt the prompting that we needed to step it up as a family. We're going to have a special family meeting this week to see how to implement things. 

I am so grateful for continuing revelation, for inspired leaders who speak with power and authority, for the ability to receive my own personal revelation as I hear these inspired leaders. I am so grateful for the chance I had to spend a few hours in the presence of such nice, kind general authorities. It is definitely one of my favorite blessings that has come about because of Herman's calling. Life is good!