The President Monson Story

I thought that I had posted this story on my blog, but I can't find it anywhere, so I post it again. This is from October 2009. Almost 2 years ago. Oh my gosh.

And this story starts a couple of months before the happening when David Archuleta came. I had it narrowed it down to 2 people, either David or the prophet. I was pretty sure it was David in my head, but I kept feeling like I was going to meet the prophet. I was so excited, and when it was David, I was still excited, but a little disappointed. I guessed that I was just really excited and that wasn't the spirit that I felt.

Well, on Friday, I was having a bad day. Nothing had really gone wrong. It was just one of the those days that I felt ugly, stupid, etc etc. I was mad that I was feeling that way and wanted to flip it around, but couldn't. I was way overwhelmed with school, college classes, lots of homework, early morning seminary, early-bird chorus, my job, college and scholarship applications, chores, and musical practice. Forget about a social life, I didn't have 5 minutes to myself. I was about to explode. We got out early that day, and on the way home, I said a prayer telling Heavenly Father that I felt like I was doing everything that I was supposed to, but I couldn't take it anymore, and to have a reminder of why I'm doing what I'm doing. I felt better after the prayer.

Well, I always wanted to meet Pres. Hinckley, and was so sad when he died and I couldn't let him go. And living in Nauvoo, I've gained a super strong testimony of Joseph Smith. But I've had a hard time accepting President Monson. Which doesn't make sense, because I never saw or heard Joseph Smith, and President Monson is giving is instruction for today. I've been gaining a gradual testimony of him, but nothing kaboom like I had with Joseph Smith.

So after school, I had to get an ecclesiastical endorsement signed by my bishop for SVU. It definitely didn't need to be that day though. I called him, thinking I could just drop it off at his house, and have him bring it to church on Sunday. But he said he wasn't home. He was at the building north of the temple. And he said he would fill it out right then. I thought that was weird, because that was the new Temple Accomadation center, that was under construction. Me and my dad went on the way to the post office. It wasn't even close to the deadline, but I had this feeling like I needed to hurry and get it signed. We could've even gone to the post office first, but we didn't.

We pull up, and the building is 99% finished. I can see a lot of older, important looking people inside the building through the windows. And they could see me. Just walking up to the door, I felt like it was a VIP party I hadn't been invited to. There weren't door knobs. But I figured that since they saw me, they'd open the door. Nope. I knocked, and an older guy in a suit stuck his head out. He seriously gave a look like "she's not on the list". He opened the door a little more, and my Bishop saw me and said I could come in. He had a security earphone. Everyone was staring at me (because I was the only person under 50 probably). I saw a lady staring at me that looked really familiar. I knew she wasn't from Nauvoo, but that I had seen her recently. Then it hit me. It was Ann M. Dibb who talked in conference - Pres. Monson's daugter! But I still wouldn't believe that Pres. Monson was there. My Bishop said, "you came just at the right time!" I was really confused. He said, "can you see who's in the room on the left?" All I could see was the temple president dressed in white talking to someone. There was a mirror on the wall that showed the top of the mystery guy's head. It looked like Pres' Monson's head, but I still didn't want to get excited. My Bishop was interviewing me and filling out my paper like nothing weird was going on. But I had nothing to do and just felt really out of place. Right at the end of the interview, the temple president came out of the room, and a tall man followed him.

It was President Monson.

He was so tall and erect and confident looking. He was smiling, and looked right at me in that room full of people. He started the conversation, and told me I had a beautiful smile and that I needed to watch out for young men. The second he walked into the room, the spirit came like a tsunami and it was like, HE'S THE PROPHET!

I didn't get to shake his hand or take a picture with him, but it was enough. He went down and visited the flatts (they were closed down for the afternoon). I told all my friends, and they got to shake his hand at the visitor's center or get a look at him. I couldn't believe it had happened. That definitely wasn't the answer to my prayer I thought I would get. He flew home the next morning.

So
1. my prayer was answered
2. I got the testimony of him that I had been waiting for
3. the feeling from 3 months ago was the Spirit, and came true
4. he acknowldged me and gave me a compliment on my insecure teenager day
5. just that tiny bit of advice he gave me, and his presence was the proof and reminder that I needed

My bishop could've said he was busy, or I could've called a couple of hours later. So many things could've happened. But it wasn't a coincidence.