He shook their hands

Today we had stake conference with Elder D. Todd Christofferson. As we were leaving for church, Nate said that the kids were hoping to get to shake his hand. We both realized it would likely not happen.

Our stake is so big that we have to meet in two sessions. A big deal is made about us leaving quickly, in time for the next group to have time to park and get in. During his message this morning, Elder Christofferson announced that he'd like to shake the hands of all the children who would like to. Of course, I started crying. He recognized that this might cause problems with the turnover, but said that he was going to do it anyway. He invited children to walk up on the right of the stand and exit on the left.

We sent them up--they got split up, but Andrew took Edwin, and the girls stayed together. They shook hands and then we left quickly. It was very touching that he made time to do it. We learned that he lived in Fort Collins when he was ages 2-3. He said we are very lucky to have a temple built within our boundaries. He said he didn't know what we'd done to deserve a temple--he said he's not even that lucky.

Last night the adult session was at the same time as a pretty big Denver Broncos football game. We filled the Stake center anyway--all the way to the stage. He said, "I was told that tonight I would have to compete with a football game. It looks like I won."

He said it would take approximately two years from the groundbreaking to completion of the temple. He invited us to consider what we could do in that time to be ready. He quoted 3 Nephi 9:19-20 "And ye shall offer up unto me ^ano more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

 20 And ye shall offer for a ^asacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I ^bbaptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not."

A great conference, and good things to come!