Today our Stake President visited our ward.
His visit made him the presiding authority during Sacrament Meeting.
Before the meeting began I saw him take his seat right next to our Bishop.
A few moments later, when the Bishop stood up to welcome us to Sacrament Meeting, I noticed that the Stake President was no longer sitting next to where the Bishop would sit once the welcome was over.
Quickly scanning the rostrum I located the Stake President.
He was sitting at the sacrament table - between two priests.
In all my years of attending 48 weeks of Sunday Sacrament Meetings a year (minus General Conference Sundays, Stake Conference Sundays, and the Sundays I’ve had to stay home because of personal sickness, post-partum or having to nurse sick children), I have NEVER - and I mean NEVER - had the privilege of having a Stake President administer the sacrament to a congregation!
As I tried to sing the sacrament hymn the words would not come.
I had to mouth them instead.
And I did such a poor job at that.
For because emotions pressed so intensely, so closely, so sweetly.
My tear ducts gave way to the inner feelings of my heart.
And I easily surrendered to the teachings of the Spirit.
As I watched this man of God tenderly and happily supply trays of bread and water to the members of the Aaronic Priesthood, I imagined that if the Savior were to visit a ward on a Sunday, He would take his place right there, too.
Right there. At the Sacrament Table.
Right there. Blessing and sanctifying His emblems.
Right there. Serving with young priesthood holders who worthily bear His vessels.
Right there. Reminding me, through His example of pure love, why I am to obey His commandments and why I must always remember Him. . .
And on this Sunday, I was taught by the Spirit, through the example of our Stake President, that "he that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all" (Doctrine and Covenants 50:26).
Spencer used this great story as part of his FHE lesson about the sacrament. He had an experience a few weeks ago with the sacrament that he also shared as he taught. Thank you for enriching mine as well as my entire families' lives.
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