Simply Amazing Sunday

(Another journaling moment for me...it'll be long and Malan-drawn-out, but stuff I need to remember from this weekend. So ignore if you wish! If you want to hear the point, read the last two paragraphs...)
Do you ever feel this way, that you've had a simply amazing Sunday? I have, and I know sometimes these moments are far and few between, with trying to wrestle my little boys at church by myself and such. I guess I just feel sometimes like, "Does all this effort REALLY matter?" or "Am I spiritually gaining anything from all this effort?" or "Would I gain more from curling up and reading the scriptures or Ensign articles at home instead?"

Today was Stake Conference. We've known for quite some time that Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would be coming, and that this wasn't going to be one of those "the stake presidency is being reorganized" kinds of reasons for a general authority visit, much less one of the Twelve Apostles, coming to speak at our stake conference. For many years now, Elder Oaks has been one of my favorite apostles (and maybe I shouldn't say that, they're ALL great, of course!). During some very difficult recent years, I found much strength and solace in his words from general conference, and I look forward to his talks each conference now. I had heard him in person back in our Fresno West Stake conference when I was young...I can't remember exactly how young, I think I was mutual age, but maybe I was even younger than that? Even still, he made an impression on me at a young age.

So, knowing that he was coming, and knowing that this would be one of Adam's moonlighting- working-from-Friday-morning-until-Sunday-night at 7pm weekends, I was bummed. Bummed that Adam wouldn't get to enjoy conference, but more than that, REALLY bummed that I'd have to figure out a babysitter...which is SUCH a hassle these days, girls not calling me back, no one available etc. I started trying to get a sitter many weeks ago with some of the girls who I thought wouldn't already be watching their own siblings and such, and on the second try, I got someone. I was relieved! Whew! I've only had her babysit twice, but the boys loved her and she said she enjoyed it (and really seemed too!) yay! So I started to prepare for conference, rereading Elder Oaks' talks, rereading this past general conference, etc. I've been looking forward to this weekend for a long time, praying multiple times a day that we can all stay well, just REALLY hoping all would work out. And it DID. Last night was great, so many great words of advice from all of our stake leaders as well as Elder Oaks. And today was more of the same. There were a million people there last night (I barely got a parking spot, even though I was there 25 minutes early, my instructions to the babysitter had gone very speedy and I was glad to be there early, and LUCKILY got a spot!). But, I realized that today could very well spell disaster. You see, our parking lot is VERY small at our building, and we are not supposed to park in the neighborhood surrounding the building--you know, the whole "be a good neighbor" thing. So we have an agreement with Midlands hospital up the street that we can park there and then there are "shuttles" that shuttle people back and forth to the building. In the 7 1/2 years of having conference every 6 months there, we've never attempted worrrying about the shuttle. Instead we always get to the building an hour early (9am) to ensure we get a parking spot. Mostly because I don't understand the legality and safety of taking my family down the street in someone else's minivan to shuttle my children (without carseats...) back and forth. So I worried about today, wondering how I'd do the shuttle thing, if needbe, without Adam (you'd think at some point I would quit worrying about doing things by myself, but I don't. Still.). Or if on the slight chance I DID get a spot how I'd wrestle the kids for the hour before conference started, much less sit through the 2 hours of conference. We left the house at 8:45am and got there at 9am, when we usually try to get there. We got one of the last few parking spots. I was relieved. Whew. (As a sidelight to the story, not to get ahead of myself, Spencer fell asleep on my lap at 10:30 and slept until 11:45...So I got to hear the whole thing, and ALL of Elder Oaks' talk. And Spencer doesn't EVER do that, or at least not for more then about 20 minutes!! Another miracle!)

The kids were actually being really good, Spencer wasn't throwing tantrums too loud, I wasn't chasing him, it was all good. At 9:30, we saw our stake presidency with Elder Oaks out shaking hands with people in the cultural hall. We were SO FAR BACK in the cultural hall, there were just SO MANY people there today. As I sat there and pointed out Elder Oaks to Justin, I felt a pang in my heart--OH how I wished MY boys could shake his hand like all the other children were doing as he wandered through the rows. But I knew there was no way he'd ever make it to us, as far back as we were. There was just no way. And yet, I could feel of his spirit, strength, and power, just being in that room with him.

At 9:45am I decided that I'd better go take the kids for a lap around the building, or I knew I'd be in big trouble in the tantrum department (from the kids...but maybe from me too!). I held Spencer's hand and Justin walked in front of me. As we got to the short hallway in front of the High Council room, I saw our stake presidency, all walking towards us. Time seemed to standstill as, headed right for me, was Elder Oaks, walking towards me (likely on his way to get on the stand with the rest of the stake presidency). I was kind of stunned, I must admit. I grinned a big smile and before I knew it, Elder Oaks said to us, "Can I shake the hands of these young men?" I was quick to say, "Absolutely." I think I was so excited that, in helping Spencer shake his hand, I realized Elder Oaks' hand was outstretched to shake my hand. He said to me, "I'm glad that you're here today." I replied back, "We are glad to have you with us Elder Oaks." I was SO not expecting to find him in the hall. As we rounded the corner, Justin beamed. I asked him who that was, and he told me "Elder Oaks." You have to know, Spencer had been saying ALL MORNING (literally, no joke!) "I want to see the prophet. I want to see the prophet." Ever since general conference he has really enjoyed my telling him about the prophets. He had actually been whining about "seeing the prophet" before we had gotten up for our walk. So my boys not only saw the prophet, but got to shake his hand. I was elated.

I was able to hold back my tears, until President Kunz, our mission president whose family lives in our ward, told in his talk today, a story of meeting Elder Oaks and of his wife bawling right before meeting him because of the spirit that he has with him. I lost it. Because I had experienced that too. And I bawl now, sitting here at my computer thinking back on it. The spirit he carries with him is magnetic and I was grateful to have been in the right frame of mind to be able to experience it. I know that he is a prophet. I know my little boys don't have a clue as to what a special experience they had today. I tried to explain it on our drive home, but I started bawling. I told Justin I was crying a happy cry--he doesn't see me cry very often, generally only when I'm REALLY upset. He said, "I know Mom. They are love tears." Yes Justin love tears, I couldn't describe it better. I'm grateful that the Lord provides us with prophets and apostles on the earth to lead and guide us. In a world where moral standards are deteriorating and basic fundamentals of religion and Christian faith are confused, I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has a plan for each one of us, who doesn't leave us alone--even if we feel alone at times. I know that all I need to do is get on my knees and pray and he IS there. God gave us a Savior, even Jesus Christ, that died for each one of us, for ALL of our sins and imperfections, that we may all be resurrected and have the opportunity to live again with Him someday. And I learn more and more about the nature of the Holy Ghost each day that I feel His influence. I love the Savior, and His gospel and am grateful that I had the opportunity to sit at the feet of an apostle and learn and be strengthened this weekend. I hope that this entry will serve as a reminder to my boys in years to come of this day, the day they shook hands with an apostle of the Lord.