CLICK HERE FOR THOUSANDS OF FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES »

Saturday, May 3, 2008

If you could meet anyone

I was driving home from work today, I know it's Saturday and that's a whole 'nother set of issues saved for another day. I can't remember when the last time I did not just assume I was working Saturday. Man I need  a vacation, but I digress. As I said, I was driving home today listening to ESPN on the radio ( remember I have a sickness ) and they were talking about if you could meet anyone in the world, who would that be? I imagined that they were talking about a sports figure and I'm sure they were, it was ESPN after all. I started to think about who I would want that to be. Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, anybody on the Cubs and as cool as that would be I could not help but remember the day when I got my wish. 


Even as a young boy I dreamed of one day meeting the Prophet. It didn't matter who it was at the time, I just wanted to meet the Prophet. 
Anytime I was ever asked that question " If you could meet anyone in the world , who would it be?" I would always answer "The Prophet."
Well as you get older and more realistic, you begin to understand that there are lots of things in life that you dream of that are probably not going to happen ( no chance of dating Farrah Faucet ) so I had pretty much come to grips with the fact that I was not going to just get to meet the Prophet. Oh yea of little faith.

In the fall of 2004 I get an opportunity to work on the new visitors center at the Temple in Hawaii. It was a great job ( how bad can any job in Hawaii be ), we stayed in a beach house, we swam in the ocean and worked at the Temple. Not a bad gig.
Well while we were there we heard rumors that President Hinckley was coming to re-dedicate the portions of the visitors center and temple grounds that were finished. My area was not complete ( not my fault ). So I scheduled my next trip back to coincide with his coming. I brought Kelli along with me for a little vacation and the slim hope that we might see the Prophet.
As the day approached we were told that he might not even come into the visitors center and if he did he probably wouldn't come into our area because it was under construction. Bummer.
Well Kelli is outside just kind of in a hoovering pattern, not knowing if she could stay, well you know her, she goes to the Elder in charge and asks if she can stay and he says they are trying to keep it low-key. Kelli says "what if I'm working?" I peek out of the doors at one time to see where she went and sure enough she's washing windows.

Well the Prophet and his entourage arrive and we go into our construction area and close the door. I find some reason to be working right by the door, just in case. 
The next thing you know the door swings open wide and I am standing face to face with President Hinckley. He peeks his head in and looks at me and asks "what kind of 'mud' are you using to carve that rock?"
Did he just speak to me? What did he just say? Did he say "mud"? How cool is that? Only an old cement guy would know to call it "mud".  Well my lips started to move, but I don't think sound was coming out.  He's got to be thinking, maybe the cement guy is retarded.  I eek out just in time to save some face  "uh, uh it's regular plaster." How lame was that?  I could have said anything.  There was my moment to converse with the Prophet and all I can come up with was "uh,uh it's regular plaster. "  Ugh! 

How about "Hi President Hinckley. I'm so glad you chose to peek in at our work. Would you like to carve a little of the "mud" just for fun to say you did."  Ha!  Ha!  We share a laugh, the Prophet and I. 

No, not me "uh, uh, uh it's regular plaster" that was my once-in-a-life-time moment face to face with the Prophet.  Then to make matters worse Kelli snaps the photo just as I finish speaking and President Hinckley is thinking "Yep, he's retarded! "

But it was still very, very cool. I will never forget the feeling of the Spirit that was in that room in his presence.
I will be much better prepared for my next encounter.

If you could meet anybody on earth, who would that be?
Love to hear back
See Ya 

5 comments:

Janae' said...

Mooch-
I'm not a laugh out loud kinda girl....but your stories do just that for me :)

I have to tell you I added a link to your blog on mine and every time I got a comment or an email, I would link to you from my blog (are you following this)...I started wondering...wow he's active in the blogging world, but he NEVER updates his own. Uhhhh..you had a new address! Time to update my own!
Janae'

steve said...

Mooch,

I always wanted to meet the prophet as well. That is cool that you got to meet him. I have met some of the apostles, but never the prophet. When I am prophet you can say you know me. HA, OKAY BAD JOKE. there is no way i would ever be a prophet, not with my on the golf course antics!

Steve

Keith A. Runyon said...

I remember the mud story...How cool is that? The prophet talks the talk....

Dallin said...

Mooch, way to choke in the clutch. If you really want to talk to the prophet, me and him are way tight. He calls me for advice on alot of things, so i have his personal cell. I'll give you his number, but it's gonna cost you. I don't want him to think less of me after he talks to you either, so you better make sure you're ready this time. ha ha

Kori said...

Hey Mooch,

It is great to see you in the Blog world. I can totally understand your feeling when being in the presence of the Prophet. I totally felt that way when President Ezra Taft Benson was at the Las Vegas Temple. your Family is so beautiful..Do you Guys Never age. President Faust was in our ward in 2001 his granddaughter lived by us. It was so special. I think I am with you meeting the Prophet would be awesome!!!

Love ya, Pete and Kori

 

count hit
UK Electronic Shopping