President Dalton

I love our Stake President. I found this photo online (not sure who the young missionary is). We have come home from vacations early so as not to miss an opportunity to hear him speak. He is just an amazing man. I love that in this photo, Christ is looking over his shoulder for this is how it seems when you meet him. He is truly a representative of Jesus Christ. You just want to be your best whenever he's around.

I've been thinking lately about the keeping of my house. Summer is such a hard time to keep it up, but I thought today, about the possibility of someone important showing up at my home and needing a place to stay. Would my house be ready? As you probably are already aware, that response would be a resounding "NO!" I thought of all the times I've thought of the Savior coming to my door, but that just seems too unrealistic to me. Today, the thought came, "What if President Dalton came to stay?" I know that that is a bit more realistic. I would make my home a haven for him. I know my children would too. Please don't take this like I worship the man, but I do respect and honor him as a servant of God.

So, continuing with the President Dalton theme, I have a couple of things I want to share. When Zan was called into the High Council, we, the entire family, went in to witness his setting apart. When we entered the room, President Dalton already knew my name although I had never met him before. He asked each of the kids' names and spoke with each of them on their level. He explained all that would happen, both with the setting apart and with the new calling. He was so loving and kind to our children. I was so touched. The most impressive thing to me, was when the blessing ended, he turned to the kids, and spoke to each of them individually. He remembered all of their names! I just felt the love he had for them, and I was awestruck. They were that important to him.

Tomorrow, my neice will marry President Dalton's son in the Portland Temple. Tonight, we were invited to the groom's dinner. I can't be around the Dalton's and not learn something. At one point this evening, the fathers were asked to give some advice to the bride and groom. In his comments, President Dalton spoke of one of the differences between civil marriage and temple marriage that I had never noticed before. He said that in the world, they say, "Take this woman/man." In the temple they say, "Give yourself" and "Receive." He said that when they get married, Brittany will give all that she's good at as well as all of her fears and doubts to Danny. I have honestly never thought of that before. He said, if you can truly give yourself and receive all that your spouse is, you will truly be "sealed." Wow! Something new to ponder.

One last thing. After we ate, before the advice, the dad's of the bride and groom went around and introduced their family members. First the Dalton's were introduced and then the Hamm's. My brother, Steve, introduced my dad and his wife, me, Quinlan (kids 14 and up were invited), and when he got to Zan, he paused. My brother shared the fact that he was the one who initially set Zan and me up. President Dalton chimed in with "Best move ever" (or something like that). It made me feel so good. I sometimes wonder if I measure up to Zan's amazing qualities; he's just so good at everything. It just did my heart good to know that I had this wonderful man's seal of approval even as flawed as I am.