General Conference

Since I mentioned General Conference in my last post then I'll keep going with it here. Taylor turned 8 in April and has been so excited to finally watch general conference in the conference center with her mom and dad. I had gotten the 3 Saturday morning tickets really early, but then we kept coming up with conflicts. Big conflicts where I thought well, maybe she could just go with her dad. I tried to find Sunday tickets instead and that didn't happen, so with the help of a couple of ladies that I hardly knew and the awesome Schlappi family...we got kids to where they needed to be and Matt and I were able to have a special day with Taylor.

I was still a little stressed about it all and really still hoping we could have gone on Sunday, but wow...did things eventually fall into place perfectly so that we could be in the session that we really needed to be in.

I had told Taylor how amazing it was when the Prophet would walk into the conference center and everyone would stand for him. We were so excited to show her that. When everyone stood President Eyring walked in and so did President Uchtdorf, but there was no President Monson anywhere. Everyone just kinda looked at each other. It was strange...this was about to start and the Prophet wasn't anywhere around. His chair was empty...what was going on?

I was sad that Taylor wouldn't get to see the Prophet. I was nervous wondering if everything was ok. Then as the meeting started and President Uchtdorf still announced that President Monson was presiding I thought, that's right. I could feel the peace of knowing that the Lord's church still goes on, but you could feel the void of not having the living prophet in the room!

There was a lot going on...especially around the one side door that he usually comes in. Watching the ushers you could tell that President Monson was in the building during the first speaker, but how does the prophet "sneak" in. :) I think they just had to wait until we were already standing to sing the intermediate hymn to let him in. Funny stuff! Someday I would love to know. The news said he was "delayed in route". Which is funny because Taylor had said, "maybe he was stuck in traffic"...which we laughed at. We were just in a fireside with his daughter the week before where she did a question and answer session about her dad. I wish that fireside was after conference so we could ask. :) He looked like he was in good health so hopefully his sweet wife is too.

That was a huge "mountain top experience" for me...watching President Monson walk into the room...to feel the power of having a living prophet on the earth. I do know that President Monson is a prophet of God and "just as God led the Israelites out of slavery and to a better place through His prophet Moses, He leads His children today.... We all need God’s guidance in a world that is sometimes confusing. Because God loves His children, He continues to send living prophets."

A girl in our ward commented on how President Monson can make us laugh. I LOVE his facial expressions too! From a little girl I have always LOVED his stories! He is amazing! It was hilarious when he finally spoke and said, "Hello!" We laughed...a lot! And like I mentioned in my previous post, when he announced all of the temples, starting with the Provo temple and then on to the Star Valley temple the spirit was so strong. There is so much work to do. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with all that I need to learn and do and teach, but then I feel so much peace in knowing that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and all I want to do is live with Him and my family forever!

It was such a beautiful day! Taylor was just glowing in her beautiful white dress. So many people talked to her and knew she must've just turned 8. She was as sweet as could be. I was so glad that we were able to spend that time with her! :) I LOVE to hold hands with my girls and that was a fun day to just walk around and hold her hand and feel that love for her and for Matt and for my other kiddos that were back home. "I want to share my life with them, for all eternity"!