I Should Have Brought Kleenex *Edit*

I definitely should have brought some kleenex in with me to Stake Conference. As I was getting out of the truck to walk in, I had the thought that maybe I should.  That’ll teach me to listen to the Spirit!  Where to start?  It was no secret that today was likely going be an emotional day.  We’ve known for a few weeks now that the Stake Presidency would be reorganized at this Stake Conference.  The Stake Center was just filled. We filled the chapel and all of the cultural hall and then on the stage and several rooms set up throughout the stake center (it was being filmed and then fed onto tv’s in other rooms of the building).  Since President B. had been our Stake President for 9 1/2 years, there were memories from everyone.  But the Spirit was so strong from the time the choir did their prelude music.  It was simply wonderful.  And then as the congregation sang Hymn #6 with such…conviction, I finally understood what it meant to have the choirs of angels singing with you.  Myself, I had issues getting through the hymn without crying.  But then as part of the sustaining of church leaders, they took care of the Stake Presidency.  Before the meeting actually got started, I know the Spirit whispered to me who our new Stake President would be.  I was a little surprised, as I know this particular brethren and his wife were planning to retire in three or four years and move back to Utah.  But sure enough, he was called to be our new Stake President.  I remember when he was called as our Bishop.  I had that same witness just before he was officially called that he would be our new Bishop.  That was six years ago now.  He and his wife Ann moved in the ward just before we did 9 years ago.  He started out as my Sunday School teacher, and not long after that was called to the Bishopric.  Then six years ago, he was called to be the Bishop of our ward.  Then a year ago in April, he was called to the Stake Presidency. For a few months, he was doing double duty as the second counselor in the Stake Presidency and as our Bishop.  And then yesterday, he was called to be the new Stake President.  And the last few years, he’s also been our home teacher.  In addition, his wife Ann and my mom have been visiting teaching partners for several years now.  So they’re close family friends.  My dad even knows and likes them very much (and actually sticks around when he comes over for home teaching visits!)

I didn’t know this, but apparently he and his wife didn’t move to Wisconsin for a job.  They moved here because that’s where the Lord wanted them.  It’s become clear now that the Lord needed them in Wisconsin.  The two area authorities both spoke today and both commented on the potential they see in the stake and the excitement they feel in this stake.  I hope we can realize that potential.  I guess now we won’t see much of them in the ward.  I know my mom was really hoping they’d be back in the ward more regularly, but I suspect we’ll see less of them now than we did in the last year and a half that he was in the Stake Presidency. After the meeting was over (which I spent the first hour of in tears – couldn’t help myself as members of the old stake presidency spoke briefly and then the new stake presidency, including the old stake president’s wife and the new stake president’s wife), my mom went up to give Ann a hug – my mom knew that Ann had never wanted to be the Stake President’s wife, but there she was.  And I guess my mom remarked to her that she’d always tried to stay under the radar of the Stake President and Ann remarked to her, "Marcia, he’s your home teacher."  My mom just laughed then and I did too when my mom related the story after we’d gotten home.   Neither my mom nor I will remain under the radar anymore.   Both President N and his wife Ann have been family friends for awhile now.  Over the last few years, I’ve realized that when I have kids and it’s time for the baby blessing, I’d want him there, regardless of where he and his wife are and where I’m living.  I’ve not said anything, as that time is still nebulous and who knows when it’ll actually happen.  And I think I’ll want him there regardless of whether my dad’s joined the church or not. 

All in all, Stake Conference was exactly what I needed.  I’m getting ready to start that new job this week and really needed the spiritual feast that today was.  The Spirit was so strong today and I just really needed that.  There was something one of the General Authorities mentioned today that really stuck with me.  He started by talking about 2Nephi 25:23 and grace.  And then got to talking about "almost" and how it applies to us and living the Gospel.  He mentioned that we don’t "have" to follow the commandments.  Instead, we "get" to follow the commandments.  The difference really hit home with me.  It was just an amazing Stake Conference.  Next week is Fast Sunday for us and as I think about it, I think I’m going to fast for something related to my new job, though what will likely be determined by how training goes this week.

*Added later*

I’ve had the events of stake conference on my mind for most of the day.  I was thinking about something else one of the General Authorities said (we had Elder Hayfen – I think I spelled that right and I *think* Elder Hanson. I can’t find pictures online so I don’t know that for sure). He mentioned how the new Stake President was called. He said that he and the other general authority didn’t come to Madison to choose the new Stake President.  They came to Madison to identify by prophecy and revelation who the Lord had already chosen.

The other thing that just occurred to me is how much help the Lord’s given me over the last 48 hours. I made a point of praying for help in cleaning my room and more importantly the desire to clean it and just do it.  Here I am, it’s 9:50 and my room’s pretty clean.  Well, it’s clean.  It was a federal disaster area before.  My next thing is to pray for the desire to keep it clean, something I’ve never had before.

In a lot of ways, today was a testimony building day for me. Sometimes it’s nice to have a testimony building day that doesn’t involve trials and tribulations.

"Life is measured not by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."