22 August 2018 - Wednesday

22 August 2018 - Wednesday

Mom and I were up by 4:30am this morning ready to begin our day.  We had our morning prayers and Scripture reading together, and then took our three mile walk.  The air was the cleanest it has been all summer!  The rain last night did a nice job in providing us with a cool, clear morning.  The air actually smelled great!  The smoke from the California and Utah fires seems to have finally abated and gave us this beautiful morning!

We had almost completed our walk before the sunrise!

The haze in this picture is the fog from the cool rain last night

Our assignment this morning was the Visitors' Center from 10:00am until 3:00pm.  We first met with our district for our weekly cleaning assignment at 8:00am.  The Barn was our responsibility to get ready for this Friday's Trek Leader training.  We completely moved and mopped the Barn floor and then set up tables for the 230 expected guests this Friday.  That was fun to get things ready for this semi-annual event.  The Visitors' Center was still pretty quiet, again, today.  

Getting the floors cleaned and the tables set up this morning

We did have a busload of Chinese tourists this morning, but they all scatter after getting off the bus, and go everywhere in the Homestead.  We understand that the word is out that they stop here because of the clean restrooms!  Not very many speak English, but we sometimes do have some who know the English language.  Some even take a copy of the Book of Mormon.  However, the airports often call Salt Lake and ask them to come and pick up the large number of Books of Mormon in Chinese that are left in the airport lobbies...

Ali sent mom and me a copy of some comments that Elder Neil L' Andersen, of the Quorum of the Twelve, shared from his trip with President Nelson this past week to Canada;

Elder Neil L. Andersen’s comments from Canada visit

with President and Sister Nelson

August 17, 18, 19, 2018

After returning to Salt Lake City late last night, Kathy and I have continued to think about and talk about the experiences of the past few days with deep appreciation for the unparalleled experience of being with President and Sister Nelson. Listening to Sister Wendy Nelson bear testimony of President Nelson’s prophetic calling and having her give a glimpse into what it has been like in their home since he became the Lord’s prophet, strengthened the faith of those who listened. Sister Nelson spoke of her own witness of President Nelson’s prophetic calling.

She said, “Two days after President Monson departed the Lord gave me a singular, most distinct experience with my husband. So distinct, so vivid, so clear. Every detail of that experience is seared in my mind and heart forever. Two days later it happened again exact same experience again” (to her alone). 

She said that it was “too sacred to share over the pulpit,” but that “because of that I can take any witness stand and testify that Russell Marion Nelson is the Prophet of the Lord. Russell Marion Nelson is the living prophet of the living Lord.”  

For Kathy, for me and for many other saints, her comments about revelation were powerful and reinforced our belief, “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants it is the same.”

Sister Nelson explained that in their 12 years of marriage, she had watched the process of revelation and inspiration upon her husband but that since becoming the president of the Church, those revelations have “expanded exponentially.”

She explained, “He keeps a lined yellow pad of paper beside his bed.” Then she declared, “In the morning he holds up a half page to one and a half pages of notes with joy.”

Although she said that sometimes she remains close to him when this process is happening, sometimes she does not. She recounted a night in January when “I got the prompting, ‘move out of bed now.’”

“Two hours later he emerged from the room. ‘Wendy, you won’t believe what’s been happening. The Lord has given me detailed instruction on what I am to do.’”

Sister Nelson said that during the “last eight months it has been an experience to send my husband off to work. He comes back, different than when I sent him off in the morning. I have seen him change at the pulpit. I have heard him use phrases he hasn’t used before. I’ve seen him make changes at the pulpit.” 

She said that just a few weeks ago speaking to young adults in a sacrament meeting, “I saw 30 years fall away.”

I, too, would add that it was amazing to me that a man fewer than three weeks away from being 94 years old could go to the pulpit last night in Toronto with no notes, never repeating himself and speaking for 45 minutes, with the audience of 8,000 riveted on him and his message. When I commented on this after the meeting, President Nelson said, “Well, these people have come from a long way. They come prayerfully. The last thing they want me to do is come to the pulpit and read them a talk.” It was an experience of revelation.

What an amazing tribute and testimony of a Living Prophet, that we have, in directing the work of our Lord and Savior today.  I cannot remember a wife of a Prophet who has shared such intimate details of her relationship and experiences with her husband.  I wanted to make sure these details were included in my blog, tonight, as a confirmation that I, too, have a testimony of our dear Prophet.  What a privilege it is to serve a full-time mission under his direction!

And finally, I have a picture of the thunderhead clouds hovering over Missionary Village late this afternoon.  Mom and I saw these clouds as we were returning home from our shift at the Visitors' Center.  They produced very little rain, but what magnificent cloud formations!

What power seems to be ready to unveil at any moment!