I served the prophet!

Reader's digest version - on Sunday I had the honor of serving the sacrament to President Monson.

Here's the rest of the story:
My calling is to be a co-chair for the Highland Care Center, a long-term care facility within my stake boundaries. (For those of you who don't know, I live about a block and a half from President Monson, so I am in his home Stake; I would be in his home ward, except that I go to a singles ward...) Every 4th (and 5th Sunday if it occurs) my co-chair and I are responsible for putting together the Sacrament Meeting program for those at the Care Center. It's pretty simple, opening and closing prayers, a talk, a musical number, and Elders to help bless and pass the sacrament.

Now it's not unusual for Pres. Monson to pop in unannounced, or so I'm told. Being that most of the elderly there are from the area, he knows quite a few of them and he loves to visit. But in my 8 months in this calling I would hear over and over how he "showed up last week - you should have been here..." But he's never come when it was our ward's turn to do the program. Until yesterday.

Incidentally, that morning, our talk-giver backed out. My co-chair, Amber, put together a fantastic talk - from one of Pres. Monson's talks. Also, a few days before Sunday our musical number backed out and I was inches away from offering to sing a hymn... fortunately, I was spared when a family member of one of the residents showed up and offered to sing instead. One of our Elders didn't show, so I had to sit in to serve the sacrament, which I don't usually do. At this point no one knew President Monson would be there. Just as we're about the sing the opening hymn, in walks the Prophet and takes his usual seat at the front. A flutter of excitement spread through the room (well, among those that are coherent anyway). I tried to act nonchalant, but I think I did raise my eyebrows quite a bit more chalant-ly than I wanted too. Anyway, As we were singing the hymn, I realized that because of where I was sitting, I would be serving the sacrament to the Prophet. As far as the action itself goes - it wasn't anything special - he takes the sacrament just like anyone else would, obviously. But I did feel that it was an honor for me to be there.

He was so funny! After our program he stood and spoke for about 20 minutes. He was very down to earth and I could tell that he loved those people very much. He even played a (VERY) short little song on the piano and sang the little tune. It was great! I think one of the things that struck me was that even though he was a little more casual than usual, he never lost that "feeling" of being the Prophet. I could feel it emanating from him. I never realized how "tangible" that feeling could be. I just knew, as I still know, that he is the Prophet that God has chosen to be His instrument, mouth piece, and example for the Church today.

I had hoped to be able to stick around after and shake his hand, but part of the calling is wheeling residents to and from their rooms. But I thought later, I didn't need to shake his hand or meet him. I had served him and had the spirit confirm to me that he is the Prophet. What more do I need? :)