Elder Rasband and Matthew

So. Our original idea was to have my mom fly to Louisville and pick up Matthew. But since she as a Stake RS president, has many duties, she couldn't come. She had to make a lunch for about 50 people after some meetings held at their building. Who were two of them? None other than Elder Holland and Elder Rasband, the Senior President of the Presidency of the Seventy. (Man, how cool is it that my parents' stake has had so many great opportunities like that? Elder Scott when my dad got released, Elder Gibson and now these two? WOW!)

I was so excited that I would get to meet Elder Holland again. (Again you ask? Well, you get cool chanced like that working in the SL temple and being on Temple Square everyday). I wanted Matthew to meet him! Well, the day before my mom had to make the lunches, Matthew and I got sick. SICK-SICK. Not just, a sore throat, runny-nose sick, but a Christmas-Eve-flashback-kind-of-sick. Now, other than being pregnant and a day in December, I don't remember getting the flu many times in my life so it was rather strange that I would get it AGAIN in just a month and a half. I have to say that I just HATED watching Matthew throw up as much as he did and I can only say how grateful I am that we get to live with my mom and dad because my mom took complete care of us. It was so sweet. Anyway, needless to say, I was very sad that it was only my mom that got to go to the church to meet Elder Holland. She said that he was so nice.

So, this morning, the 7th of February, the Sunrise Stake held a special meeting. It didn't have to do with reorganizing the boundaries or releasing the Stake Presidency, but it was just a really nice hour-and-a-half meeting. We got to hear from their Stake President, President Dayley, and a few others. We were so fortunate to have Elder Rasband preside over the meeting and to hear him speak for almost 45 minutes.

The first thing he said when he stood to speak was that he wanted the dad with the little boy in the front row to stand and show the rest of the 1400 people in attendance. He said how wonderful it was that this little boy was wearing a little missionary tag and that he was just informed not too long ago of his assignment to speak in General Conference in April. He'd speak at the Priesthood Session and he said that because of this little boy, he got inspiration on what to speak about for conference in a few months.

I was embarrassed at first, but then I got to thinking how cool that really is. I'm not sure if his idea for his talk will change by the time conference comes up, but for whatever reason, Matthew at that particular time, inspired a General Authority! I am not sure if he'll change his mind, or if he'll mention Matthew in his talk, but either way, it was so amazing that he noticed OUR son and what a sweet thing he really is (okay, not that he noticed him being sweet, because lately, he's had quite the attitude, but it was cute knowing he was noticed and was HELD up by Ammon today).

He went on to talk about families and how King Benjamin's talk at the temple was one of the best sermons in all the scriptures and talked of all the prophets he has had the chance in knowing during his lifetime. He talked of David O. McKay and how he said that no other success could compensate for the failure in the home. Then, he told a story of when Marvin J. Ashton was at a fireside when someone asked what exactly was considered a failure in the home. President McKay said that it was only considered a failure if parents and grandparents stop trying. He then asked us if Lehi was a failure and told us that on his deathbed, Lehi blessed his children and grandchildren and that he and Sariah NEVER stopped trying.

I was so fortunate to be in attendance today and was glad that I got to hear the testimony of Elder Rasband. Because of him, I got another confirmation that the church is true! Families are SO wonderful and I am SO blessed in knowing that my family is sealed together forever. My parents are amazing and have taught me so much in how to be a mom. This is the best church and I hope that one day, Matthew will know how much it means to me.