Being able to attend Stake Conference (Adult, Youth and Regular Session) was just amazing!!! The spirit was so empowering. Elder Richard J. Maynes from the 70 spoke at each session. He is the type that likes to use the chalk board and the cool diagram! The Adult session was about the Celestial Kingdom, Earth, Church, and how we fit into each of them! We need to look at the good traditions that we are doing, continue them, and then the bad ones... work on them!
The Youth session (ages 14-25) He told us to imagine ourselves when we are 80 years old and a news guy wanted to interview us. What would be the top 4 decisions we made that impacted our life? It was mostly geared toward the Young Men... missions!!! The experience is priceless! I thought of Elder Pratt! Elder Maynes said that all the preparation for a mission is tagged with you and when you come home you are basically a spiritual giant!!!
Then the Regular session was super amazing too!!! Ha. It was amazing to hear the Primary children sing! They are so cute! WOW, Sister Maynes, President Smith, Beck, Wilkin and Sister Eckel all talked about reading scriptures, prayer, the temple/ being worthy to attend, youth being able to step up to the plate, what is our role in life, going to higher ground. It was the best! They all gave great analogies too! Elder Maynes said that Joseph Smith was an investigator of the church; Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father were the missionaries. It is so true. We each have questions and they can be answered. We have to be humble and exercise our knees!
Then to top all that off, an Elder came up to me and asked if I was a Pratt. It was odd, but then he told me he knew my brother!!!! It was Elder Wright! He told me that Elder Pratt was his Zone Leader in the Missionary Training Center! !!!! (MTC) Also with Elder Carter, they were in a room with Elder Strong!!! :) (He was transferred to Youngstown) So I had to talk a picture of them!!! (An Elder decided to get in the picture with them) They will be released January 5th! (I think that is the wrong word to use?!!?!) It would be the coolest thing for Elder Pratt to come home and see them before they return home!!!! Talking to the missionaries brought back happy memories of Elder Pratt’s letters while at the MTC!!! ;)
When we finally started to walk out the door of the church, it was such a nice feeling to see the trunk door open and little sacks that had our lunch inside! (Mom, you’re awesome!) I’m still on a spiritual overload and trying to put into action what all was said. Good thing I took lots of notes so I won’t forget! ;)
Standing from left to right is Elder Lythgo, Elder Carter, and Elder Wright.
