As we were approaching Houston I decided to check our messages. I was surprised to have a message from our Stake President for me to call him. Knowing that we have Stake Conference coming up in a few weeks I figured that that was why he was calling, and I started to get nervous. As the hours passed I came to grips with the fact that I was going to be asked to speak. "I can do this" I thought to myself. I was feeling great about it all day today and then the phone rang and it was the Stake President following up with the message he'd left earlier.
He explained to me that we have Stake Conference coming up and that every 2 years we have a General Authority come. I'm pretty sure he said it was Marvin J. Ashton--to which I thought "wow this will be some conference!!"...but I think he meant Marlin K. Jensen. I'll have to clarify. Anyway he proceeded to explain that Elder Jensen had one request for the conference...as I am feeling flattered that I fit the description for whatever it was Elder Jensen requested he said, "...and he wants a 9-10 year old girl to give a 5 minute talk on why she believes in Jesus Christ." Wow! I didn't see that coming. I was quickly relieved, but now nervous for Rachel. He asked if I thought she'd be willing to do it, and if he could talk to her. I got her on the phone and they spoke for a few minutes. She accepted his invitation. He then told me that he thought she was a special girl and the first one he thought of.
A few years ago we had a special experience with President Pack. He was visiting our ward for Ward Conference. At the time we had the primary children doing artwork for the program cover. Rachel's had been used several weeks before, so I was surprized to see it again on the program. Before the meeting started, the man who does the programs approached me and said, "I had another picture picked for the program, but yesterday I felt impressed to change it and have Rachel's again."
When it came time for President Pack to speak he stood and said that he was not going to give the remarks he'd prepared, and that he felt impressed to speak on something else. He then asked if the artist of the program cover would stand up. He did not know who Rachel was at this time. He said that as he looked at her picture he knew he needed to speak on families.
A few weeks later I was at a Stake training meeting and he told the story of what had happened in our ward, and how he felt like he needed to now speak to the Stake on families. He showed Rachel's picture and mentioned her name. He had since then gathered a little more information on her and said..."Rachel has diabetes. She has adversity in her life, but she loves her family and she knows they love her." It was so sweet. A week or two after that he again mentioned the experience in our Stake Conference. He asked for the origional drawing which he put in a frame and has in his office. He says he shows it to families as he counsels them. Anyway, now at 9 she has her first major speaking assignment. Keep her in your prayers! After I hung up with Pres. Pack--the flood gates opened. She is NERVOUS!
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