Dream come true

We enjoyed the Sunday morning conference session there at conference. We enjoyed our "good" seats, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, standing with 21,000 other LDS members singing "How Firm a Foundation", and of course seeing the living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. I stood there wondering what each of my children thought as he entered the conference center. Actually I knew what they were thinking. My good boys have a love for the prophet just as I do. I was so grateful that I could help them have that opportunity.

I remember watching General Conference as a little girl and wanting to meet the prophet at the time, Spencer W. Kimball. I loved him. I loved his scratchy little voice. I loved how he said, "Do it". I loved that he was MY prophet. I wanted to meet him more than anyone in the world. I was in eigth grade the day that he passed away. That was a very sad day at school. Not only had our prophet passed away, but a friend's father also.

I then loved President Benson and how he encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon. I remember hearing him talk of being prideful. He made a very lasting impression on me as well.

Then there was President Hunter for a short time.

I remember the first time that I told someone who my prophet was. I had grown up knowing that there was a true and living prophet on the earth, but it wasn't until I had that conversation with someone at work that I realized how blessed I was to know that. I remember Jason asking me, "Do you know his name?" I then replied, "Yes, his name is Gordon B. Hinckley." He then asked me if I knew where he lived. I told him that he lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. It seemed silly for me to tell someone that because everyone I had known up to that point knew who the prophet was. I loved that I was able to testify of the living prophet. I went home so grateful that evening.

Over the years, I along with the rest of the LDS members around the world, loved President Hinckley. He was my children's prophet. He was the prophet that they'll remember just as I did President Kimball.

I've always wanted to attend General Conference so that I could be in the presence of the prophet. Year after year it comes and goes and another conference gone.

Friday morning I got a call from my spanish speaking friend telling me that she had two tickets for general conference. She knew that I had never been and offered them to me. I was so excited but sad at the same time. Knowing how much I wanted to go as a child, I couldn't go and not take my children with me. I thanked her for offering me the tickets but turned them down.

About an hour later, another friend called me and asked if my kids were ready to meet a general authority Saturday night. I asked, "Why?" She said that her father-in-law had some tickets for me but I would have to go meet him to get them from him. She appologized for the late notice, but I thanked her and quickly called my other friend back to see if she still had the two tickets. She did! Somehow, miraculously, I had tickets fall into my lap. I made all kinds of arrangements and cancelled plans so that my four oldest boys and myself could go to conference. I was sobbing as I was driving to my friends to pick up the two tickets. I could hardly believe that I was going to go to conference. It was a dream come true.

The next twenty four hours I was greeted with several challenges at which I decided that I wouldn't be able to go. I cried myself to sleep Friday night thinking that I wouldn't be able to pull off this spontaneous trip. But...

My sister of an angel L, rescued me. I can't thank you enough L. You did one of the most selfless things I've ever witnessed. Thank you. Words can't express how much I'm grateful for you and all that you did for me.

The boys and I hopped in the car, made a bee line for Salt Lake and met Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi downtown where he greeted us with five tickets. I told him that he was fulfilling a dream of mine. The kids and I were ecstatic to think that we would all be able to sit next to each other in the "good" seats. We all thanked him and it was so neat seeing each of the boys shake his hand.

While leaving the parking lot, we all decided that it was a neat experience and that we were grateful for the opportunity. We also agreed that we really do enjoy conference at home. There's something about having the prophet's voice come directly into our home. Whether I'm hours away or in the same room as the prophet, I know that he is the true and living prophet on the earth today. I know that!