Elder Bednar

David A. Bednar (데이비드 에이 베드나 장로, 십이사도 정원회) came to a special Stake Conference today. And, because this is Salt Lake City, a stake covers just the University of Utah.

Yup...definitely Mormon Land.

The speech was in front of the largest group of Mormons I've ever been part of and personally seen.

That is my neighbor bearing

his testimony

For the final speaker, of course, Bednar came up and spoke for about an hour with the same demeanor and purpose as if he was speaking in General Conference. He spoke of being good husbands and wives, and what being together with your families forever in Heaven really meant. There is that inherent contradiction that parents think they will be reunited with their children and live together forever, but..... what if your children get married and have a family of their own? Wouldn't they be with their immediate family forever? I hadn't given this idea much thought because I am still not Sealed to my wife yet, and what Bednar said made a lot of sense. Of his three sons, the youngest is about thirty-five (my age) and not a little child anymore. Bednar is a grandfather, and what this means is that his three sons should be re-united with their children....well, until the grandchildren grow up and have children of their own. I hate to say it this way, but, well....it got me thinking. There aren't many times that the speeches Mormons give are really intellectually stimulating. More often than not, they are inspiring and emotional, but not really intellectual, so it was nice to really have something to ponder. 

Then, the Special Stake Conference ended and everyone put the chairs away quickly and then lined up to shake Elder Bednar's hand. I mean, why not? So, I got in line and talked with those around me until it came time to do the meet and greet. And, I have to say, Elder Bednar looks much older in person. And, I wasn't the only person to think this. Another, very blunt and loud girl said the same thing. Maybe we are just use to the picture of him that graces the LDS website and sits next to every transcribed speech of his. 

This is a young guy. Not the 

guy I saw today. 

I never knew that Elder Bednar was a convert, but he talked about it in his speech. He had never known a father to read him the Scriptures when he was younger, so he would read parts of the D&C to his colic newborn over and over again. 

He told me it was nice to have me as an LDS member after I said I was a convert. That was it. There were a lot of people and I didn't want to keep the line held up. 

And, last night and through this morning, it snowed unbelievably─right to that point where it stops being a Winter Wonderland and starts looking like a Nuclear Winter Wasteland, but the Utah drivers know how to drive on snow; so, unlike Mississippi, the traffic was running smoothly. I got a ride with my neighbor because we gathered at a bigger church building on campus, one of five LDS church buildings I pass by on my way to class. 

Yup...definitely, Mormon Land. 

All in all, it was a very good experience with my first meeting of one of the twelve, and I didn't even have to go far to seen him. It wasn't as in-my-face as my first Temple experience, but it was just as spiritual.