We had the best Stake Conference ever! I don't think I have ever had an Apostle at a Stake Conference before. Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to our Stake Conference this weekend. I have always loved his General Conference talks, but I have never gotten to know what he is really like, until now. He is so funny!! He would tell a funny story, and then he would get laughing so hard that his shoulders would shake up and down! He told a little about his family, and how his sixth child was born thirteen years after his first five kids. He said he felt like he got a second chance with this daughter to be a better parent. But he told how messy and unorganized she was, and how he was always nagging her to pick things up and turn off the lights. He said that one day when she was about 13, he realized that he didn't want to be remembered by her as a nagging parent, so he decided to quit nagging altogether. He started praising her for all the good things she did, and ignored all the bad habits that drove him crazy. He told her how proud he was of her for the good things she did. He said that in doing that, she began to try to live up to the wonderful things he was saying about her. He gained a testimony of how saying positive things to others can cause a change in them. His daughter is now married with four children of her own. He said she is an amazing mother.
Gary and I were able to attend the Saturday night Adult session, the Sunday morning Youth session (because Gary is in the Stake YM's presidency), and the Sunday morning Family session. Gary also attended the Saturday afternoon Priesthood Leadership session.
One of the most surprising things that Elder Oaks did, was to go around before each meeting started to shake hands with as many people as he could. And then after the meetings he would shake more hands. What a great feeling it was to shake the hand of one of the Apostles of the Lord. What a great spirit he brought to our meetings!
