Sundays and Stake Conference

i'm not sure, but how long can a person live with their heart pounding so hard it feels like you can see it through their chest? my whole body was pounding. i asked jon if he could feel it from his seat. what a trip!

today was our second opportunity to speak at a stake conference. last week, in ukiah, they were broadcasting it to a few of their other buildings, because their members live quite long distances from the stake center. that made for a nice cozy group in the chapel when we spoke. i guess i felt pretty comfortable.

today, jon had an interview an hour before conference began, so i stayed in the car for awhile, tried to get warm (he freezes me out with the a/c in the mornings) read my talk over, and then enjoyed the ensign. (great article, by the way, from president uchdorf about the great influence of righteous women) anyway, i made my way into the building, greeted some of our wonderful missionaries, and then started looking around for my good husband. he was m.i.a. shortly after, a member of the stake presidency grabbed my arm and escorted me to prayer meeting. they let me know i would be the first speaker (yikes!) and then they teased me that if the president didn't show up, they were sure i could cover the 15 minutes allotted to the two of us. funny! haha! we finished with the prayer and we went up to the stand.

jon trotted up to the stand as the president stood to start the meeting. little rascal. things were all good. i still didn't feel really nervous or anything. jon leaned over and asked where we were on the program. i said, "first." he said, "really!" we sang the opening hymn, and then it started. the pounding started. my heart pounded and pounded and pounded. lots of announcements and sustaining, and priesthood ordinations to announce, and my heart kept pounding away. a really beautiful musical number by a youth choir felt like it calmed me a little, but i wondered if i would stand up and promptly pass out from all of the over zealous blood pumping, but i survived.

it wasn't really a nervous feeling, just that feeling you get when you know you need to bear your testimony, and it gets you up out of your seat and on the stand. it was strange for me to feel this way, when i had something prepared and i already was on the stand. i kept thinking maybe the spirit wanted me to say something different than i had prepared. unfortunately, when i stand up with that sensation going on in me, i tend to forget a lot about what i think i would like to say, and who knows what actually comes out. i just pray that no matter what i actually say, the spirit is able to communicate to the hearts of others what it is they need to hear. that is my prayer. that is my expectation. i hope i didn't let my Savior down.

it was a great meeting! a strong spirit. solid talks and testimonies. beautiful music. i was blessed to be there. i can't say i am excited for september though. we get to speak on the 13th, 20th and 27th. pray for me! if you are wondering about hailey...she stayed here today and went to our ward. it sounded like a great block of meetings too! she gets to speak with us on the 13th, at a ward here in santa rosa. we are all stretching a little in the mission field :). ALL IS WELL!