Elder L. Tom Perry

Steve and I had the opportunity to attend a Stake Leadership Training meeting last Friday night, and guess who was there???

You better believe it, the one and only Elder L. Tom Perry.

I love this man.  Not only because he sounds just like my Grandpa Jenson, but also because he truly is an apostle of the Lord.  It's so funny that as members of the LDS church, we look at our leaders like they are celebrities.  I mean for the entire week leading up to the meeting, I was praying that I would get the opportunity to shake Elder Perry's hand, and guess what?  I totally did!  Elder Perry was walking into the restroom just as the sister missionaries and I were walking out before the meeting started, and he stopped us and said hello and shook our hands.  I was seriously beaming!  I know that to some this might not seem like a big deal, but for me, it was huge!!  Even though I have been to conference in the Conference Center several times now, I have never actually been close enough to say hello and shake an apostle's hand before.  

It really was such an awesome night, and such a special meeting to be a part of.  The 2 things that surprised me the most about Elder Perry were how tall he is, and how funny he is!  Every time he stood up to the pulpit to speak, they had to raise it way up because he is so much taller than all the other men.  The whole meeting was about missionary work, and how us members need to be aggressively engaged with the full time missionaries in helping the work go forward.  It was so neat, and I loved every minute of it.  I just hope that I can have enough faith and courage to reach out to those around me and do my part.  I truly am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I know that the only way to have a truly happy life is by living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That is probably my favorite thing about Elder Perry.  He is so full of happiness and excitement for life.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that he is that way because he patterns his life after the Savior.  I really am so grateful that we have these wonderful men leading our church.  The church is true folks! 

PS.....Thanks so much Lauren for watching Ellie so that Steve and I could go.  We really do appreciate it more than you know:)