Life changes

Tonight was our evening/adult session of Stake Conference. We have Elder Piper visiting, who is in the Seventy, and serves over the Middle East area. I shook his hand twice. I loved his humble spirit, and his teachings.

During the meeting they also asked six members to come up and bear their testimonies. Some were converts from recent years, some have been members for quite a while. One was a former home teacher of ours that just lost his wife in August. His testimony, and his ability to endure without her touched my heart. All of the testimonies touched me, of course, as did the talks by our Stake Presidency.

What touched me the most, though, wasn't what happened in the meeting. It was what took place just prior to the meeting. One of the sisters in our Stake used to be a youth in Manteca. She had some struggles in her teen years, and later. I had the opportunity of being in her home a few years back when we made visits in her ward. She was also at a bunko night that I attended a few months back. Pat saw her at the temple last night (I was home not feeling well, naturally) and was so excited to see her there. She and I talked for a few minutes before the meeting, in the foyer. She had been invited to give the opening prayer and didn't want to go up to the stand yet since there was no one else up there. We chatted for several minutes, she was concerned about how I was doing since being released.

She is a sweet sister, and I love her. I am grateful to witness the changes she has made in her life; to feel of her testimony, to know the strength that she has. She is a wonderful example to me. For any of you out there (if anyone reads my blog, that is) who wonder if people judge you for what you did in your youth now that you have made the changes that bring you true happiness - wonder no more. All you have become makes you an inspiration to people like me.