At the feet of a servant of the Lord.....

September the 14th of 2008 in Allen, Texas was a very special day! We had the special blessing of having a member of the first presidency from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints visiting our stake! We arose early this morning, I got up a little late due to not getting to much sleep the past couple of days. Which frustrated the family of course because we were trying to get to the chapel early enough to get decent seats knowing that many many members would be arriving early for the same reason. Despite my tardiness we still got to the chapel about 5 minutes before they opened the doors.

There was a line outside, how odd it must have looked to non-members, "wow those Mormons love church so much they even line outside the door to go to church." There was a rather long line on both entrances, they slowly began to let us in as the doors were opened, then of course someone opened up the back door and people that had been waiting since 7:30 or earlier to get in probably got seats in the back while those who snuck in through the back door at about 8:40 were sitting up in the front. So it was a bit chaotic before the meeting began. In a sense it made me very grateful to have already had so much experience being in the presence of General Authorities so much on my mission so as to not freak out in a sense that he was coming. Don't get me wrong I didn't take such a special visit for granted and quench the spiritual experiences that come with such a visit. It just reminds me of how people are around movie stars, not knowing how to be human all of a sudden when a person of such fame is present, which is really just disrespectful when it comes to someone like this. Anyways maybe it also helped that I was in the choir, and being so i got to sit on the stand for this meeting. We had a half hour practice beforehand, and then all of us sat on the stand eagerly awaiting his arrival.

As our stake president popped into the chapel everyone's heads began to pop up and look frantically, because he was the one driving him to the chapel. But no one came in after him, then he went back into the hallway. After a few moments and a couple of other people coming into the chapel and onto the stand President Uchtdorf walked in. I stood immediately as did our stake presidency, soon everyone was standing. I tried to imagine what these men think when they walk in and immediately have the respect and attention of all those in that room. It must be a combination of feelings, an overwhelming sense of humility to see so many faithful latter day saints who are willing to listen and do whatever he might say at that very moment. He had us all sit down, and we continued for a few moments to listen to the prelude music and ponder and prepare more for this special meeting.

Our stake president stood and started the meeting by instructing us and announcing the next few speakers. With President Uchtdorf was Elder D. Chad Richardson of the seventy who gave a wonderful talk. One thing my father pointed out that struck him about his talk is how he related a story about the brother of Jared to us and before he did so he used the phrase, "As I was reading in the scriptures this morning," to which my father applied the thought, "Think how early we got up to just come and see them, now think of how early he must have gotten up to not only prepare and travel to get here today but to be able to still have time to study the scriptures." We also have the son of the Houston Texas temple president in our ward, and he had been evacuated due to the hurricane, so he was asked to share his testimony. Something that he said really hit me, "It's one thing to know that the Savior lives, but its another thing to KNOW Him." How true and powerful this statement is. There are many who profess that they are saved and that He lives and many things like this. But it is entirely different to KNOW Him, which occurs when we not only gain a testimony of His existence but when we apply the things that he taught us into our lives.....when we are not just saying "Lord Lord" but doing His will (Matthew 7:21).

As President Uchtdorf got up to speak, I was expecting his visit to the Allen stake alone, not being broadcasted to any other stake, to bring a split to the stake or something to that nature. I was wrong of course, as he stood and taught and counseled us on the things we must be doing in our lives. He took the for strength of youth pamphlet and his temple recommend from his wallet and told us that all of us should carry these 2 things in our pockets. That if we follow the path given in the for strength of youth pamphlet that it would lead us to the Temple. He also taught us that when we pray we should share with our Heavenly Father our gratitude for those whom we love in our lives, especially in our family prayers and with our spouses, and then to express why we are grateful for them and why we love them....and promised us that it would strengthen and sweeten our relationships. He also told us that we should all have Preach My Gospel and that we should study chapter 3, and that if we did "the light will return even brigther." The light being the spirit, the peace, the joy, the love which comes from studying and applying the gospel in our lives. He ended with his testimony, many things were said but what struck me the most is something our home teacher asked if we noticed or caught that he said it. "I know that He lives, and I know Jesus Christ," President Uchtdorf testified. "Stand up for the truth, walk tall...your concerns will be resolved through faithfulness in Christ." What a blessing it is to learn from these servants of the Lord. They are examples of those who have truly consecrated their lives to the gospel and to the Lord. I love them all so dearly. How grateful I am for my mission every day of my life. For teaching me to respect and honor the things these men say. As I finally learned what the Lord meant when He said, "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38) I've received so many answers, I've received so much peace and comfort, I've received so much instruction, and I've received a stronger testimony and deeper conversion as I listen to these brethren counsel us at General Conference or in meetings like this. At work I have the opportunity at times to be in the safe counting things I need to, and most of the time I have my iPod just playing random music, but when I have time to be in there for awhile I usually switch on past conference talks, I feel so many sweet whisperings of the spirit as I do, and I receive so much more strength in my life to keep going and to strive to be my best everyday and correct myself and do better. In a couple of weeks I will have the great blessing of going to Utah and attending conference and to hear in person these brethren speak in the conference center, to which I look forward to gratefully and am very excited about. And yet at the same time I marvel at the thought that its amazing to think that I can feel the same power and spirit of these talks as much as I can in the conference center or from President Uchtdorf at our stake center, as I can while in the tiny safe room at my work. That's what its all about, not having the perfect seat or getting there before everyone else, but that we come prepared living worthily to feel the whisperings and promptings of the spirit, to receive guidance in our lives from the Lord's servants, and from the Lord himself as we sit there.