Drew and I really wanted to go to General Conference this spring but our chances to get tickets didn't look promising. He got work off that weekend anyways, and planned on coming up to spend the weekend with me and my family.
{But what I am here to tell you is that blessings are REAL.}
Out of nowhere we were actually able to get tickets to three different sessions of conference!! We quickly adjusted our plans and before we knew it we were on our way up to Salt Lake.
We made plans to pick up Tiana and her friend in Orem and then we spent Friday afternoon at the Hogle Zoo all together.
The zoo is under construction right now (waiting for a new African Savannah to be built) and so it only took us an hour and a half to get through the entire thing! I really didn't care about any of the animals except for the sloth. I knew there would be a sloth there because I had seen a sloth there 13 years earlier... so there HAD to still be a sloth there, right?
Besides, sloths are my favorite animal in the history of the world ever and it is my ultimate dream to hold one someday.
Well Drew, being the sweetheart that he is, was determined to find the sloth for me.
We finally found it right at the end of our zoo tour and I was so happy. I just stared at it. It was so cute. I was so happy to have been able to see it!
After the zoo, we took Tiana and her friend to the train to ride it back to Orem. Then Drew and I drove up to Centerville to meet up with my beautiful aunt Katie and her sweet husband Briant! [This is where we would be staying for the weekend.] We went to dinner with them and met up with my other aunt Kami and her husband. They met Drew for the very first time ever and asked him question after question!
What dreams and ambitions do you have?
How are you going to get there?
What do you want to do/be?
And so many more.
It was fun listening to them talk and laugh and get to know each other. I absolutely loved it!
We went back to Katie and Bri's after dinner to continue visiting and to eat ice cream and play some games.
It was a fun date night!
The next morning we woke up early and were treated to french toast for breakfast! We then set out for Salt Lake to attend our first ever General Conference together.
it. was. incredible.
I will never forget the feeling I had the moment I saw Thomas S. Monson for the very first time walk into the room. Everyone stood up and the entire building was still. The spirit rushed over me and I felt so warm, happy, and peaceful! Tears filled my eyes and I knew for a fact that the spirit IS real and that Thomas S. Monson truly is the modern day prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that the church is TRUE!
I know that Joseph Smith truly did see God the father and His son, Jesus Christ, and that through him, the gospel was restored to the earth! I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that by being obedient and by living by its precepts we can come to know our Savior Jesus Christ and we can gain a testimony of ourselves that He truly does live and that he loves us.
I absolutely loved
conference. I know that the leaders that spoke to us were inspired by the spirit to know what to prepare for and speak about.. and I know with all my heart that if we follow their counsel we will be blessed!! I know it.
Because we didn't have tickets to Saturday afternoon session, we went to the tabernacle on Temple Square to watch the broadcast. That was fun to be in the old tabernacle because that building is absolutely beautiful!
We spent the rest of the day shopping around City Creek and the Gateway mall. We were exhausted by the time we made it back to Katie and Bri's!
The next morning we were treated to another delicious breakfast. We packed up our things and headed down to Salt Lake to attend the final two sessions of conference; then we would be on our way back to Richfield.
The sessions turned out to be absolutely beautiful. It was wonderful to be a part of the congregation as we stood to welcome the Prophet as he entered the room. One of my favorite parts was probably waving goodbye as we watched the Prophet and his apostles leave because they would wave back!
As we left Salt Lake that beautiful Sunday afternoon, my car began to act funny. First, my stereo started cutting out as we tried listening to music. Then we noticed that my lights weren't very bright (as we looked at them in the reflection of a building). While we were on the freeway, we realized that the blinkers were dim and eventually the speedometer began ticking back and forth whenever we would signal to make a lane change.
I called my parents to see what we should do at this point and they told us to go over to the very right lane in case we needed to pull over. Drew had predicted that the battery was dying and sure enough it was. We had made it to the south end of Provo by this time and then the speedometer started dropping like crazy. It read that we were going 20 mph when we had to have been going at least 60 mph. Then the car started decelerating drastically. We had barely passed an exit and I thought, "Oh great, there goes our chance! My car is going to die before we make it to another exit!"
Luckily, we came right up to the next exit and slowly (with the pedal floored) we crawled right around the huge bend of the off ramp. Up ahead however, was an incline which took us on the over ramp. I did not think we were going to make it at all because we were barely putting along.
Miraculously we made it to the very top of the incline and suddenly my care completely stopped.
It had died right at the top of the over ramp.
I began crying at this point because all I wanted to do was get home to my family, but I couldn't help but be completely grateful for where my car died. We were in a safe place, out of harms way, AND I wasn't alone. I was with Drew! I was so grateful for that.
I had been talking to my parents all along and they told us they would figure out a way to get us help.
As we waited for them to call us back, Drew and I sat there in silence as I softly cried.
Then I heard the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.
Drew sang, "Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side..."
He continued to sing with all of his heart those beautiful words that mean so much to my soul.
"... Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last."
I cried some more, but I was filled with such gratitude for him and for his effort to comfort me.
I knew that we were safe and that we would return home safely to my family within the next couple hours.
Shortly after, my mom called to tell us that a man was on his way to come help us out.
To make a long story short, he checked my car and found that the alternator was in terrible condition.
We were able to get a new one, (which by the way was very rare because the store just so happened to have only one of the exact type/style/model that we needed.) Coincidence? I think not!
The kind man installed the new alternator and charged the dead battery of my car with his truck and jumper cables.
Less than two hours later we were back on the road on our way home.
Our prayers were answered that afternoon. What a blessing it is to have the wonderful gospel in our life and the faith that we have in our Heavenly Father and in his son Jesus Christ.
So that was our weekend.
It was full of adventures, blessings, tender mercies, testimony builders, humility, love, prayer, great friends, and wonderful family.
I am so grateful to be a member of the church and I am so blessed.
Love,
Kate
