Speaking in Sacrament.

Last month, we were asked to speak in Sacrament.  My first time ever speaking in Sacrament.  I have posted before about church, and how my testimony has grown, so I thought I would share my talk here, too.

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Good morning, brothers and sisters.  Brother Musgrave has asked that we introduce ourselves before we give our talks.   My name is Callie Hall, my cute husband is Caden Hall and our sweet 5 month old daughter is Hazel Hall.  Caden and I moved into the ward in August, when Hazel was just a month old.  We moved from a basement apartment in Ogden into our very first home in Layton.  We live directly next to Bishop Ringler.   The first day that we moved in, Bishop and his wife pulled up as we were unloading boxes.   “Are you our new neighbors?”   Yes.    “Are you LDS?”  Yes.   “Are you active?”  Yes.   “Good! Because I’m your bishop!”   We are blessed to be in this ward.  The ward we came from is what some called “Newlywed, nearly dead” so we are excited about the youth and babies in this ward.

I’m happy to be the one to tell our story, because my husband’s version goes like this.   “We met, we fell in love, we got married.”   My version is slightly more romantic.

Caden and I met in 2011.  We both were working at McKay-Dee hospital at the time.  He worked in room service, and I worked as a CNA.  We saw each other almost every day and would make small talk, both too shy to really start up a conversation.   Each night Caden would bring my patients their dinners and each night I would stare at him and hope he would make eye contact.  Finally, one night, I asked Caden  “Hey, you should sneak me some mashed potatoes and gravy the next time you come to my floor.”   And he actually did it.   Eventually, he got my phone number and we’ve been together ever since.   In my journal, he is known as “mashed potato boy”, we served Mashed Potatoes at our wedding, and we eat them on a daily occurrence in our home.

Caden and I were married in May 2012, we got pregnant with our sweet Hazel 5 months later.  We were then sealed in the Brigham City Temple in May 2013, when I was 7 months pregnant.   We graduated together from Weber State in April 2013, Caden with his Bachelors in Microbiology and me with my Bachelors in Nursing.   Hazel was born in July 2013 and we bought our home in August 2013.   Which brings us to now.  We have been extremely blessed and have the gospel and Christ to thank for all of that.

I’m excited to be speaking today.  I’ve secretly been planning this talk for over a year and half now.  I’ve heard, once you get married you are the next to speak in sacrament.  Somehow, my husband and I have dodged the bullet for about a year and half.   But, I’ve been mentally preparing myself for this very day.  

About a month ago, I received a telephone call on Sunday morning and was asked to say the opening prayer in sacrament.  My reply was “Ohhhh, I don’t think I can.  That sounds way too scary.”   So, I declined and my valiant husband took my place.   Dodged another bullet.   However, I think I’ve run out of hiding places and here I am speaking today on Following the Prophet.

When Caden and I were dating, I wasn’t an active member in the church.  Although I had been baptized, I hadn’t attended church in over fifteen years.  I grew up in a home full of love and acceptance, but lacked any form of religion.   I never knew it to be weird, or strange, just that it was normal.   When I met Caden, and I learned that he was an active member of the church, I immediately assumed he was off limits.  I thought there was no way he would want to date a girl who was not active in the church.  Luckily, to my surprise, Caden accepted me with open arms.  And that is the greatest blessing that has ever happened to me.   

As we began dating, Caden introduced me back into the church.  We started attending sacrament together in a singles ward, with a Bishop who was exactly what my testimony needed.   As things between Caden and I got more and more serious, we began talking about marriage and where things were headed.   The more I thought about our future, the more it became centered around the gospel.  I wanted a family who prayed together, who attended church together and who studied the gospel together.  I wanted my children to be sunbeams and I wanted my husband to hold a calling.   This shocked me, in every way possible.   If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be sealed in the temple, married to an active LDS member, have a child born into the covenant and hold a calling as a primary teacher, I would have thought you were crazy.

Before we were married, Caden and I set some rules for our marriage.   1.  This marriage was for real and we are in this 110%.   2.  We love each other unconditionally.  3. We follow the prophet.  

This has been such a blessing in our home, and the greatest decision we have made in our marriage.  Its been said time and time again, this world is corrupt and cruel.   And only getting worse.   How blessed we are to have a Prophet who speaks directly with God and can counsel us about the current situation and the things to come. 

Our prophet is a prophet of God.   He is in constant revelation with our God.   How great of a blessing to have direct revelation at all times and to know what God has asked of us.  LDS.org states a prophet is: “A messenger of God… His responsibility is to make known God’s will… He is the preacher of righteousness.” 

About a year ago, Caden and I attended a fireside at Weber State with Alex Boye as the speaker.   Alex is a convert of the church and told a story that touched my heart immensely.   Alex told us about a time he stayed in a hotel room.  He wanted his privacy and didn’t want to be bothered, so he placed the “Do Not Disturb” sign on his door knob.   He left for the day, and when he came back, he was angry that the maid had not cleaned his room.   He called down to the front desk to file a complaint.   The lady at the front desk informed Alex that he had the “Do Not Disturb” sign on his door, so the maid did not enter.   

Alex related this story to the Gospel.  He asked how often do we hang our “Do Not Disturb” sign and hope that someone cleans us up?  How often do we shut out the gospel or the counsel of the Prophet, but hope that we still feel of the spirit?  

Often times it can be a challenge to follow ALL the counsel of the Lord.  I find myself trying to tweak the words and make them fit into my life.   It can be hard to meet all the demands or follow all the commandments.  I find myself thinking maybe I can have one cup of coffee, if I add some hot chocolate into it.  Or maybe I can watch an R rated movie, if it only has minimal violence.   This is how Satan gets to me, and if it weren’t for the teachings of the Prophet, current and deceased, I might listen.  

Harold B Lee said it best when he said:  There will be times when you will have to choose between the revelation of God and reasoning of men—between the prophet and the professor. The Prophet Joseph Smith, “Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire.”

I don’t always know WHY President Monson counsels on things.  I don’t always know what the reasoning is or HOW it will benefit my life.  However, I can testify that it absolutely WILL.   Before I made a promise to the Lord to follow the prophet, my life seemed so difficult.  I was lacking direction and I wasn’t sure of my future.   I was living day-to-day without any clear visions of where I wanted to be.   As I brought the Gospel into my life and I listened daily to the prompting of the spirit and the prophet, life has been a complete 180.

In a conference talk in 1960, President Romney tells a story.  He said:   “I remember years ago when I was a bishop I had President Heber J. Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.’ Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, ‘But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.” 

This gives me such piece of mind, to know that our Prophet will never lead us astray.  Life truly is so simple, and we try our hardest to complicate things.   Say your prayers.  Read your scriptures.  Attend church meetings.  And Follow the Prophet.    President Monson will never lead us astray.  He has our hearts in his best interest and he wants only what is best for us and the church of Christ.  

Elder Mark Petersen of the Quorum of the Twelve states: “Not only is our prophet universally loved and revered, but he loves and reveres the Saints and prays for them and labors for them without hesitation and without limit. His kindness is Christlike. He endeavors to do to all as (Christ) himself would be done by.”

How lucky are we to have a living prophet as amazing as President Monson?  And how lucky are we to have previous prophets who have been equally as loving and inspiring?  Conference time is a joyful time in our home.  I look forward to snuggling in our pajamas, getting warm blankets, hot chocolate and listening to the revelation and promptings coming directly from the Lord.

I leave you with my testimony, that I have a great love for President Monson and the prophets before him.  I’m grateful for a God who knows my heart and helps me daily to become better.  I’m blessed to have the Gospel in my home and in our family.   I’m grateful for a husband who has brought the church back into my life and has made me a Mother and an Eternal Companion.   

And I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.