A couple of weeks ago, we were notified that Bishop Richard C Edgley would be presiding at our Stake Conference, and that he had been known to pick speakers from the congregation, so we'd better have a talk prepared for the conference. Then it gets closer to Stake Conference and they start reminding us about our talks that we should ALL have prepared, and it becomes the joke of the ward....playing Russian Roulette by going to Stake Conference. We went to the adult session last night, and were a bit apprehensive because our odds weren't that great. It was a smaller congregation, so we really could have been picked! Well, we dodged that bullet and we were safe. Then we knew for sure that we wouldn't be picked for the Sunday session because it would just be MEAN to make one of us speak while the other had all 3 munchkins on their own! We even joked with a member of the Stake Presidency about it on our way out last night!
We almost didn't go this morning. It makes a big difference to leave the house by 9am instead of 12:30! It was rough. There was yelling (all by me) but we made it. We were knee deep in keeping everyone quiet when the opening song/prayer was finished and the Stake President stood up to announce the next part of the program. Yes, Amanda Shoff would be the second speaker (only after a youth speaker). Are you kidding me? Ben and I just stared at each other with shock. Seriously? I had NOTHING written down. I made some notes a few weeks back. I wrote 7 words:
Patience
To this end was I born
That's it. I had thought a lot about what I would talk about, but hadn't come up with anything concrete. I went up there with only my scriptures. And many extra heart beats. And sweaty feet. I almost fell going up the stairs because of my newly developing tremors. The place was packed. Not to mention extra classrooms with translators. And a whole separate chapel for the Spanish speakers. I was translated today! Yep. Hatian, Portugese, and Spanish. And I was televised! Not too shabby. And I survived the whole thing, but just barely. I think I did okay, not because of anything I did, but I know that it was the Spirit working through me to touch at least one person there who needed to hear something that I said. It was a very humbling experience that I hope to never relive again. Although, if it ever does happen again, I know I would survive. And I will have a very detailed PRINTED talk prepared. I really should become a gambling gal, what with my luck! There were only 3 speakers selected from the congregation today!!
I think that the way it all came about is that a member of our ward was called to be in the 6th Quorum of the Seventy. Rulon Munns is his name. He is a really amazing guy and I am friends with his 3 daughters that live here. Anyway, it was fun talking to him after conference at a service/Eagle Project about what it was like to be interviewed, what his travel will be like now, what his calling entails. As I talked with him this afternoon, he told me that he knew then as he was talking to me surrounded by mulch and dirt that I would be speaking at conference. I told him it really wouldn't have hurt if he could have clued me in then!!! Since he is now a general authority, he "helped" Bishop Edgley select the speakers.
I definitely gained more from this experience than anyone else. I recently read Three Cups of Tea, and I usually avoid humanitarian books like that because it just makes me feel like I don't do enough for the common good. You know, thoughts like "I am just a mom" or "I am JUST a primary teacher." Well, today taught me that being those things is JUST fine with me. I am happy to be where I am doing what I am doing, because that is where the Lord needs me RIGHT NOW. That may change in the future, but right now I am not just anybody. I am somebody and the Lord knows exactly who I am and where I should be....even if that means that I should be speaking in Stake Conference!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)