On Sunday, November 23, 2008 we had a special stake conference. It was "special" because we had just had one 2 weeks before that. But as it turned out, Elders Jeffrey R. Holland, L. Tom Perry and Neil L. Andersen were in town doing some training with local authorities, and so we were able to gather to hear what Elder Holland had to say. We do not have a building in our stake that is large enough to accommodate all the members in one location, In fact, for other stake gatherings, the proceedings are typically broadcast from the stake center to 3 other LDS buildings in Manhattan. But our stake presidency really wanted all the members of the stake to be able to be in the same room with an apostle of the Lord and so they were able to secure the Hammerstein Ballroom in midtown Manhattan as our meeting place.
The mural on the ceiling of the Hammerstein Ballroom:
A children's choir was also organized to perform for Elder Holland. All the children in the stake were invited to participate. The songs they sang were If The Savior Stood Beside Me and I Am A Child Of God. They also chose 2 children from each ward to be part of a smaller group that sang the descant on I Am A Child Of God. Alexis was part of that descant choir. Because they needed to be close to the stage, a section was reserved for primary children and their families, and so we sat right in front of the pulpit on the second row. It was so nice to have such wonderful seats!
Since I thought it wouldn't be appropriate to take photos or video during the meeting itself (but just had to document this special event), these are from the rehearsal just before the meeting began.
The entire choir:
The descant choir off to the side during rehearsal (Lexi is in the black & blue dress):
(I missed the first verse on this movie- didn't get the camera out fast enough):
We were really excited that Elder Holland was coming to speak to us. Matt and I love him and actually attribute our dating relationship to him. He came to BYU and
spoke during a Tuesday devotional the Tuesday before Valentine's Day in 2000. He spoke about relationships and treating each other nicely. That's about all I remember, actually. But right after the devotional was over, Matt turned to me and the first words he said were, "I'm sorry." I was surprised at that since I didn't think he had anything to apologize for- we weren't even really dating at that point in time- still *just friends*. But he felt he had been teasing me too much and not treating me the way Elder Holland said ladies should be treated. I hadn't thought any of that, but it was a clue to me of Matt's conscienceness and intent to improve himself.
We didn't exactly take notes on what Elder Holland said. But here are some of our thoughts:
It was really wonderful to see an apostle in a less formal setting than General Conference. His thoughts and words meandered a bit, although he always tied them into a gospel principle. And it just made him that much more
real to me. He mentioned that God answers prayers because it had always been a dream of his to be on stage... and here he was on stage just off Broadway!
He told the story of Jesus calming the sea- how Christ had just spent hours adminstering to a large crowd of people and must have been past the point of exhaustion. He went into the ship and probably felt that all he wanted was to lay down for a few minutes and take a nap. Mark records that he laid his head on a pillow. Isn't that nice to know that the Savior had a pillow? Then the storm creeps up and these experienced seamen, who have made their living on the water, freak out and decide to wake him in their fear. He then asks his disciples "why do ye fear?" Elder Holland then talked of the individual storms we (will) face in life. We should not freak out and should not think of abandoning ship. In fact, there is no worse time to leave the ship! We
must stay in the boat and exercise faith. Christ has the power to calm our seas too, if we will be faithful.
"When harder times come, stay with Him. There may be temptation to say, 'Well, I guess God doesn't care about me.' But when the winds and waves are unexpected and fierce,
stay in the boat. This is no time for you to try your own little doggy paddle."
"If times get tough, we just have to become tougher than we have ever been before".
"When troubles come... I want you to remember that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most secure thing throughout time and eternity."
He also quoted 2 Kings 6, "fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them," and said, "from the nursery to the temple we have sentinels leading us along the way...We are all sentinels for each other. We have angels on our right and on our left...there are horses and angels and chariots of fire running to be with you at this very hour."
He also spoke about Pres Hinckley (and all the other apostles) and how Pres. Hinckley was conducting the apostles meeting less than 72 hours before he died... and how he was just unwavering and untired in his calling and why would an almost-98-year-old man commit so much time and energy to his calling? Why wouldn't he take a few days and go golfing, or be with his family? (In an aside he said, "Can you imagine President Hinckley golfing?!") And then Elder Holland quoted Bryan Adams and said, "Everything I do, I do it for you." Everything the prophets and apostles do, they do it for
us. You and me. He went on to say "the miracle of the church is YOU," that the church is made up of individuals and that we (you and me) make the church what it is and without us there
is no church and there
is no way to spread the gospel. And they (the prophet, apostles and Christ himself) do what they do for
us. Sure makes me want to do a little more for others.
(thanks to Rachel for posting the quotes- hope you don't mind that I copied them here.)
Since I thought it wouldn't be appropriate to take photos or video during the meeting itself (but just had to document this special event), these are from the rehearsal just before the meeting began.
