A Moment I Will Never Forget
I have some like freak-out, exciting, spiritual news.
I went to Omaha this weekend (which was awesome and spontaneous but not the purpose of the blog) and in Council Bluffs, Iowa where I was staying, Sister Sharon Eubank was giving a devotional! She is the first counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency! This devotional was being broadcasted to over 67 Stakes and there were General Authority in St. Louis (Sister Lisa Harkness of the Primary Presidency) and Kansas City (Sister Becky Craven of the YW Presidency.)
I wasn't able to attend the one on Friday, but even though I was in Omaha and it would’ve been way more convenient to attend the Saturday one in Council Bluffs, I knew we had to go to the one in Kansas City. So we headed back on Saturday and as soon as I got home, I threw on my dress, and drove straight to the Stake Center.
The whole devotional was centered around President Nelson’s challenge to the youth.
Sister Harkness spoke first. I will never forget the first words out of her mouth. 'We are given missions to do on this earth. What we choose to do is apart of our testing. Will we choose to follow our mission on this earth? You are to help gather Israel. Are you willing?'
Her words rang out to me. It had answered every prayer I had poured out in my heart.
Sister Craven was speaking on this topic of social media. (I must admit, when I saw her- I fangirled just a lil’.) She asked us to raise our hand if we participated in the social media challenge. My hand went up (I guess it went up pretty speedy) and then she said that she’d love if someone in the youth could share their testimony.
My YW leader leaned over and said ‘you are going to give it..’ At first, I laughed. That was a good joke.
But then Sister Craven and I made direct eye contact and she asked in the sweetest voice, ‘Would you care to share?’
In front of 67 Stakes across the midwest, I was asked to give my testimony…I was freaking out inside. I bore my testimony on how my love for genealogy grew and that I became closer to my family beyond the vail.
After the devotional, I was able to meet a woman from Wichita, Kansas who was escorting Sister Craven. She told me that Sister Craven actually picked someone out prior but they couldn’t find her. They thought maybe the Lord was saying they needed someone else to speak. She was glad I was there that evening to act as a witness to President Nelson’s challenge.
I was then able to talk to Sister Craven and she is such a dear! She gave me such a sweet hug and asked for my contact info. She said, ‘I want to know where you’re called for your mission. Your countenance shines your love for the gospel. It’s unlike any other.’ I think that was the biggest compliment I could have ever gotten from someone.
We took a couple pictures together and then her public affairs lady, Tracie Cudworth, asked me about college and what I was planning to do. As you many know, I hope to go into Public Relations. She continued and said, ‘I am a teacher at BYU’s Communication School. I teach a class on Thursdays. I’m going to remember your name.’ I looked her up later and found out she is the head writer for mormonnewsroom.org!! It’s my literal dream to work for the church someday.
I feel incredibly blessed and honored to have had this experience. I know it’s all thanks to Heavenly Father constant need to look out for me. I love my Lord and Savior.
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