A Magical Place

Lynn and I got up at 6:45, had breakfast, and arrived at the Marriott Center around 7:30 to wait for the Prophet!!!! We were pretty close to the front of the line, and sat on the concrete in line with all our blankets, and waited for two hours before they let us in to find seats. At 9:30, they opened the doors to the Marriott Center and people were running, pushing, and shoving to get good seats to see the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! We ended up with row 18 seats, right smack dab in front of the pulpit! Around 10:45, thousands of students had flooded in and the place was booming with noise from people talking and shuffling around. Out of no where, the whole place got instantly silent and the 20,000 + students all stood up simultaneously. President Thomas S. Monson walked forth from the tunnel and came forward to the podium seating, waving to us all. Russell M. Nelson, his wife, Susan Tanner, and Ann M. Dibb were also in attendance. President Monson spoke to us about the previous Prophets he has known and spent time with. He told us each of their favorite quotes, foods, hymns, and what they were most known for. He told us funny experiences that he's had with them. Joseph Fielding Smith "seemed to like sweet pickles," but Monson "hated them!" Spencer W. Kimball "refrigerated his notes!" He also liked milk with bread crumbs mixed in....President Monson "did not follow his example!" Kimball was also "not in the Navy like I was!" President Monson made the whole crowd crack up when he said, "I'm sorry, that was not in my prepared message!!!" His personal experiences with President Gordon B. Hinckley were my favorite to hear about. President Monson had a run in with President Hinckley's doctor, who complained that "President Hinckley needs to use his cane for WALKING! Tell him to use it as it's meant to be used!" In response, Monson said, "Doctor, I'm Gordon's first counselor, you're his doctor--YOU TELL HIM!!!" President Monson's talk was perfect in part because he is the Prophet, but also because he spoke about exactly what I had a quiz on in my Living Prophets class last night!!!! (I got an A+ on that quiz, by the way!) As President Monson left the performance arena, two little children were hanging over the edge waving to him. He stopped, looked up at them, and high-fived them. It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen!!! President Monson is amazing and an inspiration to us all. I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to see him in person and learn from him firsthand!

**my pictures are blurry...but you can totally tell it's him!!**

"You have boys bringing you food?"

Yale (BYU) is a magical place, Anna!"

-Anna and Rory, Gilmore Girls change added