A visit from Elder David A. Bednar

HOLY MOLY! Yes, this is my family with Elder David A. Bednar in our home!!!! Elder Bednar is one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. It Bible times he would be Peter, James or John. And he came to visit us. This just does not happen - to any one! Well, to very very very few people. Ever since he was called to be an apostle 8 years ago and first spoke in General Conference he has been one of my favorites! I love his stories. Now he is definitely my most favorite!

So, here is the story: Our Stake Conference is this weekend. It was announced about a month ago that Elder Bednar and Elder Allen (of the Seventy) would be coming because our Stake Presidency was being released and a new one called. Apostles do not always make this change - we are very lucky to have an Apostle coming to our Stake. So, yesterday about 2:15 our Stake President, President Tindall calls John and asked if he and Elder Bednar and Elder Allen can come visit our family. They would be here in 30-45 minutes. AHHHHHH! Yes of course they can come. We were all home except for Abby who was babysitting at Jeff and Rachelle's. John shaves and puts on a suit and asks if kids should change into church clothes. I said no, they were fine.  Then 5 minutes later freaked out and thought more clearly and said "YES, kids go put on church clothes". I was literally in sweats and had been cleaning and organizing all morning. I change fast and get ready and call my sister in law Brook to see if she or Dave can go babysit so I can pick up Abby. I run over to pick her up and tell her to change fast. We are all ready and it had been 28 minutes.

One thing that had happened that morning was Jeff asked to borrow the Suburban to go pick up some couches. I was supposed to take the kids to DI to drop some stuff off and let them do Christmas shopping for each other. But, I thought no big deal, we can go next week and I let Jeff take my car. Gratefully, or else we all could have been gone when that phone call came. 

Also, I firmly believe this is the reason I have kept a clean house my whole life. My house was totally clean. I did not even think, "oh no, we have to vacuum or dust or do dishes or make beds". Every thing was clean and totally fine for an Apostle of the Lord to be in my home. I did not have to hide anything or throw anything into closets, it was clean and I was so glad. I was so thankful in the moment for my parents who taught me to be clean.

The kids got antsy waiting and they came about 3:15. Isaiah was being very shy and kept saying "I don't want to see him". And he covered his eyes. I think he was overwhelmed by the spirit and did not know how to react. He would not even shake Elder Bednar's hand or give him "knuckles". He sat by me and then president Tindall asked Isaiah to come sit with him and he did, he sat in between he and Elder Allen the whole half hour they were here. Elder Allen rubbed his back and tickled him and played with him. It made his day and Isaiah was happy. Now, I do have good kids (for the most part), but they do not like to sit still. OH MY - for half an hour they were perfect. They sat and listened and did not get up once (other than Abby whose contact was falling out). They were reverent and respectful and happy. 

I can not describe the feeling and the only way I can is to say that the spirit was stronger than being in a temple. We all felt it and felt the peace. Elder Bednar shook all the kids hands and asked them their names and ages, Elder Allen shook their hands and asked their names and Pres. Tindall shook their hands and gave each of them a compliment. Then Elder Bednar chose to sit on the piano bench right across from John and I so he could face us. He looked at John and said, "so, how goes the battle?" John told him how it is going and how his side effects have been minimal and how he feels like he is being refined for whatever the Lord needs. Elder Bednar asked him about the prognosis and John said that with a couple of stem cell transplants he has a 1 in 3 chance of being around long term. He asked John if anything has surprised him about him and what he has been able to do. John talked about his faith being strengthened. He then looked at me and asked me the same question. I said I have been amazed at the strength I have been blessed with to do everything I need to. He then talked about the atonement and how it is not just for bad to be made good. But for the good that is true grace. 

President Tindall talked for a minute and thanked us for letting them come and said we are blessed. Elder Allen then looked at me and said, "Noelle, I can't stop thinking about you". He said sometimes we don't know who we really are and our challenges make us who we are. He said I was a choice daughter and I can do this. I was crying the whole time as he was looking in my eyes talking to me. Then Elder Bednar looked John and I in the eyes and said, " The Lord knows you and is aware of you and mindful of you".  Elder Bednar then said a prayer - a long prayer. Blessing our family. As they were leaving I could not let the moment go by and asked Elder Bednar if I could take a picture of him with the kids. He said definitely. But then Elder Allen said let me do it so you and John can be in the picture. He even knew how to use my iphone :) We shook hands and said good bye and that half an hour went by way too fast.

After they left the kids went to go change (well Elder Bednar actually told them they could) and John and I sat on the couch. I did not want to lose that moment. The Spirit was still so strong, we sat there in awe and peace and feeling so so so blessed and had never felt so close to the Lord. 

Last night I went to our adult session of Stake Conference. Elder Bednar was saying that Elder Holland was in Africa this weekend creating the 3000th Stake. He said with the current membership of the church and the amount of Stakes we have, that we might have an Apostle in our Stake every 27-30 years. But with the growth of the church it will most likely never happen again in our lives in this Stake. And he came to my home!

I think Abby knows what that meant but I don't know if the other kids really really know who Elder Bednar is. They know he is an Apostle and that he speaks in General Conference, but I am not sure if they really understand what an Apostle is. I am so glad I grabbed that picture and some day the kids will understand the greatness of that moment. We have been so blessed and once again experienced a miracle.