So my diligent wife spent the week talking to the kids about Apostles and Prophets and why they are important. By Saturday Hunter was well versed and when you asked him what was happening on Sunday he would shout out "Elder Cook is coming!" Saturday afternoon they had the Priesthood Leadership session which I got to attend and then I rushed home to pick up Kira and the kids, dropped the kids off at the babysitter and then we went together to the adult session. Both sessions were great and uplifting, the messages from Elder Cook and Elder James Hamula of the First Quorum of the Seventy were very applicable and powerful.
On Sunday morning the first really neat experience was when Elder Hamula came by where we were sitting and shook our hands. It was so nice and thoughtful. They announced our new stake presidency, the new stake presidency for the newly created stake and then the new ward boundaries. Our ward was cut back a lot. A little over a year ago they brought in some new members from neighboring wards but these new changes took them back out again plus another section of our ward that had been there previously. So we are smaller now then before our last split which is a little scary because the ward was pretty under-staffed before.As soon as the meeting was over I took hunter and Savannah and we went right up to the stand. There were already a bunch of people up there but I managed to get close enough to send them toward Elder Cook. Hunter knew what he looked like because he had been looking at his picture during the week. So Hunter took Savannah and wiggled between all the people right up to him. He turned and looked down and immediately bent down and scooped them both into a hug and spoke to them for just a second. I don't know what he said but I couldn't help at being touched by his gracious unselfish kindness. That he would take a moment with all of theses important people around, three sets of stake presidencies, bishops and high council members and he still took a moment to do what he did. I teared up as the kids ran back to me, I didn't try to make it over to Elder Cook with all the people around but I did shake Elder Hamula's hand again and tell him thank you.
I have come out of the experience with a renewed appreciation and sense of gratitude for the leadership of our church. There is a spirit that they carry about them, it is not a flamboyant charismatic presence but a calm, strong confidence that I think comes as a result of the mantles that they carry. It is great to belong to a church where men such as these are able to guide and direct us and to represent the Saviour and His church.
FAO Schwartz
Hunter is growing up into such a neat boy. He is a great big brother and is so thoughtful and helpful. He is always laughing and jumping and playing, some may call it hyper, I call it full of life.
Savannah is definately a two year old, and my wife will completely agree she is an absolute daddy's girl. She can go from throwing a fit to absolute sweetheart in 2.2 seconds. She is such a joy to our family and brings little ray of sunshine everyday.
Colton is now completely crawling, he loves his walker and biter biscuits, and after about a week of constant encouragement he is now saying "da da" everytime he sees me. What a beautiful boy.
So the theme this time around in the Bellagio was butterflies. They change it out every three or four months or so and we like to go at least three or four times a year to see what they think up next. They even had a butterfly habitat. Way cool, the kids loved it.
This next shot is from the top floor of the parking garage at the Bellagio. The cranes and the lights on top of the tall buildings were pretty impressive. I have no idea waht they are building but it is huge.
