The Prophet Shook my hand!

Today was the Dedication of the Gila Valley Temple. My parents were in the Celestial Room for the 9:00 session and said it was wonderful. My brother and sisters and I and our spouses all got to be in the Instruction Room for the 3:00 session and it was amazing! It was so crazy to think that the Prophet of the Lord was in the next room. It was all so wonderful but one of my favorite parts was when Sister Holland got up to speak and told a story about her family.

She said that her parents were called as Temple workers when she was about 12 years old. It was quite a drive from where they lived so she had to get out of school early to babysit her three younger brothers on the days they had to go. She said she complained to her mother once, that she had to babysit so often while her friends were playing. Her mother told her that when they were set apart as Temple workers that they had received a blessing that their family would always be watched over while they were serving, even that angels would be round about them to protect them. One day, she said, she was bored so she took her brothers for a walk to visit their grandparents. When they arrived her grandmother was just backing out of the drive way and her two year old brother slipped out of her grasp. She said she watched in horror as her grandmother backed over her brothers head. She said she screamed but the scream only frightened her grandmother who then went forward in fear, running over his head again. She said she knew her brother was dead. Her grandfather scooped him up and he and her grandmother drove him to the nearest hospital. She said she was so afraid and heartbroken because she would have to tell her parents. A few hours later she received a call saying that her little brother was alright. He had a great deal of stitches but there was so cranial damage. She said she knew then that the promises made to her family were coming to pass and that angels were truly watching over them. She said that was when she gained her testimony of temples. I just thought that was such an amazing story!

Like I said it was all very wonderful. After the Dedication we stood outside behind a rope waiting for the Prophet, his daughter, President Eyring, and Elder Holland and their wives to come out. They soon came and chatted with people in line as they slowly made their way toward the waiting cars. President Monsen wasn't really shaking hands, he was just waving and walking close by the rope. When he got close to me I said, "President Monsen, can you flare your nostrils?" Then I demonstrated what I meant. He and his daughter, President Eyring and his wife all giggled at me. President Monsen tried to flare his nostrils but ended up wiggling his ears. I said, "I can't wiggle my ears, I can only flare my nostrils." He then extended his hand and walked towards me smiling. He said, (as he shook my hand) "Well God gave some of us ears, and some of us nostrils."
People, the Prophet looked into my eyes and shook my hand! I can't even explain how surreal it was! Then he shook Randon's hand and went on down the line. We were both so excited! Pretty much all of my brothers and sisters shook his hand, too. Then Dena was kind of whispering to herself as Elder Holland walked by, "He's my favorite." So Leslie blurts out, "Elder Holland, you're her favorite!" He smiled and said, "Well then she's my favorite too!" and came over to shake Dena's hand. It was such a sweet experience. I was able to tell his wife how much I enjoyed her words. And then they were gone. It seems like a dream now. On the way to the car Randon said, "I just keep thinking, 'did I really shake his hand?'". Yeah....he did.

I didn't bring my camera because I'm an idiot! So I asked a stranger in the line who had a camera if she would email me the pictures she took! So these are them. But this is literally how close I was.