A very special day with Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Today we had a special stake conference with Elder Dallin H. Oaks from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Michael Reall from the Area Seventy. Our stake got chosen from seven stakes to have Elder Oaks preside. It has been 27 years since the St. Louis South Stake has had an apostle of the Lord visit. What a great privilege and blessing it was for all of us who were there.

The meeting started at 10am. At about 9:00a.m. Elder Oaks came out and started walking to every one's seats to shake their hands. My boys approached him and shook his hand. Mateo kind of rushed into him while he was still shaking others hands. He saw Mateo and his eagerness to shake his hand and gave him a hug. I thought that was so sweet. He then shook Anthony's and Lucas' hands.

I had a special moment with him while I approached him and shook his hand. I told him what a privilege it was to shake his hand and be in his presence. I told him that the last time I was in the presence of an apostle was in my native city Barranquilla in 1998 when Elder Boyd K. Packer went there for a special stake conference. He then said in Spanish with his nice deep voice: "Mucho gusto hermana." It surprised me to hear him speak Spanish, and I just laughed. I didn't get a chance to shake Elder Packer's hand back in 1998 because it was such a huge crowd of people and it was impossible to get to him. But I still felt a very special spirit in the meeting.

It was so much more intimate this time with Elder Oaks. It was only our stake, and we have eight wards. So if I had to guess how many people were there, I would say about 1400, maybe a little more. We had good seats where we could see Elder Oaks clearly . We got there an hour and fifteen minutes before the meeting started. We wanted to make sure we got a good seat.

Today I felt the spirit again testifying to me of the truthfulness of this gospel. I know that Elder Dallin H. Oaks is an apostle of the Lord. He is a special witness of Christ as are the other 14 apostles. I felt that very strongly today. My heart was so full and grateful. I just couldn't believe I was sitting in my normal chapel listening to an apostle. Today I experienced the Lord's tender mercies. He loves us all, and cares for all of us individually. This is a video clip a member took of me shaking Elder Oak's hand. I had no idea he was videotaping this. What a great gift to receive, and a reminder of what I felt. I love this gospel and I know this is the only true church. I yearn for the day when I can have my siblings and their families join the church and share this joy with me as my mom and I share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB0x2Cf-RP8