Today, May 23, 2010, will live forever as one of the greatest days in my life because I got to see President Thomas S. Monson! The moment I saw him, I could feel the Holy Spirit witness to me that this is indeed the Lord’s Prophet.
Last night, Chris was one of the Captains of Ten at the Temple Cultural Celebration. I wasn’t able to go on Friday night because it was adult education graduation, so Chris sort of snuck me on the field to watch the performance. Then, Chris decided to talk to a man in town that he really looks up to, Mike McEuen, who also happens to be one of the security people for this wonderful weekend. Brother McEuen was nice enough to allow Chris and I to stand just behind him while the Prophet drove up to the events in a golf cart. Even when I could see him from a distance, words cannot convey my excitement. He was interviewing with a TV station, and just to see his face was absolutely amazing. All I could think is, “This is the Lord’s Prophet. I am looking at the Lord’s Prophet!”
Elder Jeffery R. Holland was the first to drive by and I remembered to wave. Then it was President Monson’s turn. When he drove by, he was probably 10 feet from us singing a Spanish song, smiling, and waving. Did I wave? Nope, I was star stuck. I just stood there with smiling and staring. After he passed by, Elder Henry B. Eyring came by. I was also in awe of both of the apostles. They are so happy and their countenance confirms their positions in the church.
President Monson went ahead and went on to the field. I couldn’t make him out amongst the crowd, but I was so happy that I wasn’t worried about it. Everything I could imagine had come to pass plus so much more. He spoke to the audience about a time when he was in grade school and he had gotten in trouble for talking too much in class. The teacher had made him write 75 times, “I will not talk in class.” He found himself in there with his Mexican friend named Lewis. Lewis was there to write, “I will not be late.” President Monson went on to talk about how they were in there for about 10 minutes when a car pulled up outside and honked. Lewis got up and asked the teacher for permission to leave because his dad was outside honking. The teacher excused Lewis, and President Monson said that was when it occurred to him that Lewis didn’t have a car. He says he learned then that Mexican’s aren’t dumb; in fact, they are very smart. It was so funny. He really had the best sense of humor. Later, I was reiterating this story to Ryan, and Ryan says, “Wow, the Prophet got in trouble in class! It would’ve been funny if he had had to write I will sit on the rug when Ms. Stone tells me too.” I think this is Ryan’s first time to feel some sort of relation to the prophet.
He went on to talk to a boy in the audience and show him how he is able to wiggle his ears. He then went on stage and left a special blessing with the youth that were in the performance. The youth went around to prepare, and the Prophet sang the same Spanish song with President Eyring that he had sung when he drove by in the golf cart. . It was hilarious! They are really amazing men. Elder Walker from the seventy was also there as was Elder Costa and Thomas S. Monson’s daughter, Ann M. Dibb. You could tell how much he loved his daughter and how proud he was to have her there.
The youth then went through this entire performance without a hiccup. It was truly spectacular to see almost 2000 young men and women do so well in an excellent performance! Their choreography was terrific and the whole program was done so well. All I could think about was this wonderful opportunity these boys and girls are getting. You could tell that their hard work and efforts were paying off. It was astounding!
We came home that night and I was on an all-time high. My adrenaline was through the roof! I could barely sleep thinking about the wonderful performance and the chance I just got to see the performance. I had no idea that the next day could be any better.
My mom’s visiting teacher had recommended that we go to the cornerstone ceremony on the morning of the dedication because Kiley was not going to be able to attend the dedication (you have to be at least 8 and baptized) and she was really feeling down about the whole thing. So, we decided it was worth a try. My mother-in-law and father-in-law were here visiting and agreed to watch the younger kids so Chris and I could take Kiley, Ryan, and their cousin Sara. We got up early and went down. While we were there, we were standing in a line outside the temple talking with Taleah and Josh (Ryan’s good friend). Chris decided to go to the other side and see if we would have a better view. Once he got over there, he saw the poles with red rope to keep the audience back when the Prophet arrives. We were walking over there when Sister Fletcher from an old ward we were in told the kids to go up and stand by the red rope because the Prophet would be pulling up any minute.
We waited for awhile, but then, there he was. It was the Prophet. He got out of the car and smiled at everyone. Then, he walked over to the other side where people were waiting by the red rope. He talked with them for a bit, and came over to our side.
As he approaches he looks down at Ryan and says, “You better hold on to that post there Tiger.” Then, he asked Ryan what his name was. Ryan said it but it was so soft that you couldn’t hear him. I said it a little louder, and President Monson said, “Ryan.” Then, he looks at the other kids, looks at Kiley, and says, “You must be his sister?” Kiley shook her head and said, “Yes.” And, President Monson says, “What’s your name?” She tells him and he says, “Are you nice to your brother?” and he sort of laughs. Kiley says, “Yes.” The Prophet laughs and goes on to talk to others in the audience.
He waived at Josh Mangum, spoke to others in the crowd, and introduced his daughter. The whole time he was no more than a foot from the kids. It was fantastic and far more than I could’ve ever dreamed about. I have never seen a Prophet of God, and I am so grateful we were able to have this opportunity. I encouraged each of my children to write all they could remember and their feelings in their journal because it would always be one of the most amazing days in their lives.
He came out to do the cornerstone and invited more children from the audience to come up. The whole event was clearly overwhelming for many. I have never seen so many smiling faces. I am so thankful for his presence in my life. When I was baptized, one of the greatest draws to the church was the Prophet. It just made sense to me that God wouldn’t leave us without someone in these days to guide and direct our doings. He wouldn’t give us great books like the Bible and then cease that revelation. I think it is amazing that we are able to have the gospel, the Prophet, and the temple in our midst. Today, the words of that song are ringing truer than ever, “We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us in these latter days.”
And, I love the words by President Gordon B. Hinckley, “How thankful we ought to be, how thankful we are, for a prophet to counsel us in words of divine wisdom as we walk our paths in these complex and difficult times. The solid assurance we carry in our hearts, the conviction that God will make His will known to His children through His recognized servants, is the real basis of our faith and activity. We either have a prophet or we have nothing; and having a prophet, we have everything.”
Last night, Chris was one of the Captains of Ten at the Temple Cultural Celebration. I wasn’t able to go on Friday night because it was adult education graduation, so Chris sort of snuck me on the field to watch the performance. Then, Chris decided to talk to a man in town that he really looks up to, Mike McEuen, who also happens to be one of the security people for this wonderful weekend. Brother McEuen was nice enough to allow Chris and I to stand just behind him while the Prophet drove up to the events in a golf cart. Even when I could see him from a distance, words cannot convey my excitement. He was interviewing with a TV station, and just to see his face was absolutely amazing. All I could think is, “This is the Lord’s Prophet. I am looking at the Lord’s Prophet!”
Elder Jeffery R. Holland was the first to drive by and I remembered to wave. Then it was President Monson’s turn. When he drove by, he was probably 10 feet from us singing a Spanish song, smiling, and waving. Did I wave? Nope, I was star stuck. I just stood there with smiling and staring. After he passed by, Elder Henry B. Eyring came by. I was also in awe of both of the apostles. They are so happy and their countenance confirms their positions in the church.
President Monson went ahead and went on to the field. I couldn’t make him out amongst the crowd, but I was so happy that I wasn’t worried about it. Everything I could imagine had come to pass plus so much more. He spoke to the audience about a time when he was in grade school and he had gotten in trouble for talking too much in class. The teacher had made him write 75 times, “I will not talk in class.” He found himself in there with his Mexican friend named Lewis. Lewis was there to write, “I will not be late.” President Monson went on to talk about how they were in there for about 10 minutes when a car pulled up outside and honked. Lewis got up and asked the teacher for permission to leave because his dad was outside honking. The teacher excused Lewis, and President Monson said that was when it occurred to him that Lewis didn’t have a car. He says he learned then that Mexican’s aren’t dumb; in fact, they are very smart. It was so funny. He really had the best sense of humor. Later, I was reiterating this story to Ryan, and Ryan says, “Wow, the Prophet got in trouble in class! It would’ve been funny if he had had to write I will sit on the rug when Ms. Stone tells me too.” I think this is Ryan’s first time to feel some sort of relation to the prophet.
He went on to talk to a boy in the audience and show him how he is able to wiggle his ears. He then went on stage and left a special blessing with the youth that were in the performance. The youth went around to prepare, and the Prophet sang the same Spanish song with President Eyring that he had sung when he drove by in the golf cart. . It was hilarious! They are really amazing men. Elder Walker from the seventy was also there as was Elder Costa and Thomas S. Monson’s daughter, Ann M. Dibb. You could tell how much he loved his daughter and how proud he was to have her there.
The youth then went through this entire performance without a hiccup. It was truly spectacular to see almost 2000 young men and women do so well in an excellent performance! Their choreography was terrific and the whole program was done so well. All I could think about was this wonderful opportunity these boys and girls are getting. You could tell that their hard work and efforts were paying off. It was astounding!
We came home that night and I was on an all-time high. My adrenaline was through the roof! I could barely sleep thinking about the wonderful performance and the chance I just got to see the performance. I had no idea that the next day could be any better.
My mom’s visiting teacher had recommended that we go to the cornerstone ceremony on the morning of the dedication because Kiley was not going to be able to attend the dedication (you have to be at least 8 and baptized) and she was really feeling down about the whole thing. So, we decided it was worth a try. My mother-in-law and father-in-law were here visiting and agreed to watch the younger kids so Chris and I could take Kiley, Ryan, and their cousin Sara. We got up early and went down. While we were there, we were standing in a line outside the temple talking with Taleah and Josh (Ryan’s good friend). Chris decided to go to the other side and see if we would have a better view. Once he got over there, he saw the poles with red rope to keep the audience back when the Prophet arrives. We were walking over there when Sister Fletcher from an old ward we were in told the kids to go up and stand by the red rope because the Prophet would be pulling up any minute.
We waited for awhile, but then, there he was. It was the Prophet. He got out of the car and smiled at everyone. Then, he walked over to the other side where people were waiting by the red rope. He talked with them for a bit, and came over to our side.
As he approaches he looks down at Ryan and says, “You better hold on to that post there Tiger.” Then, he asked Ryan what his name was. Ryan said it but it was so soft that you couldn’t hear him. I said it a little louder, and President Monson said, “Ryan.” Then, he looks at the other kids, looks at Kiley, and says, “You must be his sister?” Kiley shook her head and said, “Yes.” And, President Monson says, “What’s your name?” She tells him and he says, “Are you nice to your brother?” and he sort of laughs. Kiley says, “Yes.” The Prophet laughs and goes on to talk to others in the audience.
He waived at Josh Mangum, spoke to others in the crowd, and introduced his daughter. The whole time he was no more than a foot from the kids. It was fantastic and far more than I could’ve ever dreamed about. I have never seen a Prophet of God, and I am so grateful we were able to have this opportunity. I encouraged each of my children to write all they could remember and their feelings in their journal because it would always be one of the most amazing days in their lives.
He came out to do the cornerstone and invited more children from the audience to come up. The whole event was clearly overwhelming for many. I have never seen so many smiling faces. I am so thankful for his presence in my life. When I was baptized, one of the greatest draws to the church was the Prophet. It just made sense to me that God wouldn’t leave us without someone in these days to guide and direct our doings. He wouldn’t give us great books like the Bible and then cease that revelation. I think it is amazing that we are able to have the gospel, the Prophet, and the temple in our midst. Today, the words of that song are ringing truer than ever, “We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us in these latter days.”
And, I love the words by President Gordon B. Hinckley, “How thankful we ought to be, how thankful we are, for a prophet to counsel us in words of divine wisdom as we walk our paths in these complex and difficult times. The solid assurance we carry in our hearts, the conviction that God will make His will known to His children through His recognized servants, is the real basis of our faith and activity. We either have a prophet or we have nothing; and having a prophet, we have everything.”
