Elder Bednar’s visit and some more make-up pictures

So today Tonya’s sister Holly is in town and we decided to go to the english ward that Heidi and Eric attend. We lucked out, because Elder Bednar and his wife showed up in our sacrament meeting. From the sound of things, it was like they had been on a family vacation the week before and they were at the beach somewhere in North Carolina. From Sister Bednar’s remarks, the Bednar family and the local area seventy’s family, the Lansings, are friends. This definitely wasn’t a visit on assignment or anything–they just showed up.

Sister and Elder Bednar spoke in Sacrament meeting, and then while the primary leaders took the children for normal primary time, Elder Bednar and his wife answered questions from the congregation for two hours during the time that would have been spent on Sunday School and Priesthood/Relief Society.

Very cool to see the Bednars, and very cool to see how down to earth they both were. Both of them are definitely “with it.” They are not detached at all, very warm and friendly, and they just talked to us. It was pretty cool. Tonya and I didn’t get a chance to ask any of our questions, but the questions that did get asked were very good, and the answers were pretty good too. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the questions and answers, both for you who are curious, and then to help me remember.

Some Quick Thoughts

So for some of the questions he just straight up admitted that some answers hadn’t been revealed yet–he didn’t seem to have a problem admitting that he didn’t know the answers to some questions. At the same time he focused on things we do know the answers too, and it just makes the gospel simpler to think in terms of that.

Another subtle observation is that he regularly referred to the power of the spirit to teach us what we need specifically. I’ve heard him and others say specifically that we should look for what the spirit will teach us in that moment and that kind of thing. He didn’t say that today, but you could tell it was in the back of his mind as he answered questions, he would typically follow up with, “and other things that the spirit will teach you as you prepare and listen.” He definitely put a lot of responsibility on the person asking the question to seek out additional answers through scripture and study.

Favorite Questions

1. There was this one guy who asked how he can prepare his seven year old to prepare for baptism, and how he can help him pay attention in sacrament meeting when he has two younger siblings.

Elder Bednar and his wife tag-teamed the response. They both discussed a story about a church custodian who, when the Bednars were young, laid into the congregation during a talk or something, where she complained about how much of a mess everyone made. The Bednars decided to take this sister’s comments into account, and exercised the faith necessary to no longer bring Cheerios to sacrament meeting. So they eliminated snacks and toys for their children in sacrament meeting, even while the children were young.

This was also one of those questions where Elder Bednar told the parents that the spirit would teach them specific things for their situation.

He also related that when his children went to certain stepping stone interviews–like baptism and ordination to the priesthood–they would go to the interview and tell the bishop/church leader that they knew and could verify that their children were worthy. They emphasized to the bishop/church leader that they expected the interview to go forward as planned, but that they were commending their son because they knew enough about each child’s life to verify they were worthy. Pretty cool.

2. A young women asked about getting a temple in Richmond.

Elder Bednar responded by saying that we’ll get a temple in Richmond when the people in Richmond are ready to attend it regularly even though it would be close. He mentioned that sometimes church members go to the temple less when it is close, and so the Lord will have a temple in Richmond when he knows that won’t happen.

3. A 12 year old boy asked about how he could serve more/better.

The first thing he did was ask the young man what he was already doing. Then he touched on the impact he could have doing family history and indexing. He told a story about a letter he had received from a young man who started doing family history indexing instead of World of Warcraft and how it improved his relationship with his parents. Pretty neat.

4. Someone asked Elder Bednar what his life is like as an apostle, and what it was like for Sister Bednar to be the wife of an apostle.

Sister Bednar pointed out that he wasn’t an apostle when she married him. She also talked a lot about how their life is normal, like anybody else’s life. They still have trials, they still have things to overcome, life isn’t perfect, and that the calling her husband has can be difficult. I really liked Sister Bednar and how normal and personable she was.

Same with Elder Bednar.

He mentioned how for him as an apostle he has learned there are no coincidences. He feels that no matter where he is at he is there for a reason, and that his calling as an apostle means that he is always on the lookout for experiences where he is meant to reach out to the one on behalf of the Savior. His answer to this question was really heartfelt, and it definitely testifies to the individual nature of the Savior’s love for each of us.

5. Someone asked how do you know you’ve truly forgiven someone.

On this one, I honestly don’t remember much about what Elder Bednar said, but Sister Bednar told a story about how someone had bullied her when she was a youth, and while she wasn’t like super depressed about her life, occasionally she would feel some angst toward this person and that time of her life. She mentioned that years later she met this person on temple square they just hugged each other, and that the burden she was carrying was lifted. Cool story, and not sure my retelling did it much justice.

We got to shake their hands on their way out–they didn’t do a line or anything, it just happened they were coming down the aisle and shook our hands. Natalie didn’t want to have anything to do with it though, and Elder Bednar chuckled at her shyness.

Like I said, really normal, down-to-earth, personable people. Very cool experience.

And so, lacking a normal segue, on to our photos from our life recently!