Sitting at the feet of an Apostle

That's how I've spent the last day and a half, sitting at the feet of an Apostle of the Lord. My experience at the 16 and older conference last night was nothing short of sacred. I have never been more touched or more changed then I was listening to Elder Holland. He compared our sufferings to "Liberty Jail" trials. Those times when, like Joseph, we are in the dark, seemingly endless cold and wish for the sun to come. Those are our Liberty Jails. I know I'm so blessed to live here and to witness for myself this sacred place where Joseph was incarcerated for months. I know he must have felt total anguish and despair. We were warned that there would be more of these Liberty Jail trials in our lives to come but that we must never abandon ship when the storm comes. How unwise would it be for us to throw ourselves overboard and deliver ourselves to the raging sea when it's during those storms that we need to batten the hatches and stay the course in the safety of the ship? Through our Liberty Jail moments we learn to have a "broken heart", just as the Master did. Elder Holland taught us that Christ literally died of a broken heart. The Lord loves "broken" things. It is with broken clouds that the earth is nourished, broken land that seed grows, broken grain that bread is baked. We must have a broken heart.
He told us last night that today he would leave us with an Apostalic Blessing. So, it was worth it to me to get my family to the church 2 hours early so I would be able to sit close and witness this miracle. He told us that giving these blessings is historical and a tradition and that he had two missions as an Apostle...to bear witness of the Savior and to go in His name and bless.
This are excerpts from his blessing that he left for the Platte City Stake:
In the name of the Lord...
Elder Holland blessed every man, woman, child as if his hands were on each of our heads. He knows about the needs and quests that we have. He knows we have and will have sad days and happy days.
He blessed us thru those days--those Liberty Jails days to come.
These blessings carried over to those we love and are concerned for as he knew that the cause of much of our sadness may be due to others' sufferings.
He blessed the men to be worthy of the priesthood they bear. Nothing could bless the kingdom more then honoring the priesthood.
He blessed the men to be more like the Master, whose priesthood they hold, to treat all those they know kindly.
He blessed men, young and old that they will become the disciples of Christ they said they would become when they received the priesthood.
He blessed the women. Women have carried the flag of faith since the beginning of time and said he was here because of faithful women in his life. He blessed those we love and cry for and that we will know we are loved and cared for. He reminded us that as Christ suffered, that it was women with perhaps the exception of John, who wept and huddled around the feet of Christ.
He blessed the children that they would be protected in all important decisions they will make. He wanted the youth to understand that we (as leaders) understand their journey and want to help them. Know and love and respond to the teachings of their parents, that they will be safe.
He blessed those who are sick, in mourning, those who have lost loved ones to death and reiterated that this blessing was as if hands were on their heads. He acknowledged that he knew there were some that were hoping to get personal blessings this day but that he couldn't personally bless them all, but that we are to believe that this blessing is as if it is on their heads of healing, happiness and hope.
He blessed marriages and said that God had authorized him to bless us to have strong marriages and trust in each other.
He said, "All of this will be realized in your life."
He said of Christ, "He has, Does, and Will appear."
I cannot even convey the Spirit that was there and the enormity of what we learned and I don't even think it would be appropriate or mean the same to someone else. It has been a sacred experience I will hold in my heart forever. What a generous man, as he lingered as the Savior did with the Nephites as they stood with tears in their eyes as He told them He would leave them until the next day. Elder Holland lingered and shood the hands of many people until he could no longer stay. I truly felt his love for us.

Please do not copy or use my summary of Elder Holland's words for your personal use as much of this is taken from my brief notes and I know that what is sacred to me may not be to you as the message delivery is without the same Spirit. I hope that makes sense and that no one is offended by that. Knowing that others are actually reading my blog has recently altered what I want to include in my thoughts on it. This experience was too important to me for me to allow it to be made light of and I feel awkward even addressing those who read my blog, which I've never done before. What used to be just a journal or way to communicate with family has really blossomed and evolved...not necessarily bad but it does make me rethink what I post and the impact that has. Elder Watson made mention in his talk about the way their comments are posted on the internet and he even mentioned You Tube. I would not want to damage their honorable names by having something I wrote about them on the internet to be published or miscontrued in anyway...therefore my request.

Love to all.