A personal note Aunt Beth wanted to share...

A New Prophet

Like many of you who read this blog, I was anxious to learn the details of the First Presidency reorganization. Although I 'knew' who the prophet would be, a person is never certain who the counselors will be.

Following the press conference this morning, I decided for Family Home Evening tonight I would re-read the Ensign articles about Pres. Monson's life written after his two earlier calls to serve as a counselor in the First Presidency. I want to share one story from the article written by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in February 1986. I abridged it to keep it from being too long.

One weekend in August 1974 an unexpected change of conference assignment came, sending Elder Monson to the Shreveport Louisiana Stake. The Saturday afternoon schedule was filled with a busy slate of meetings. Rather apologetically, the stake president asked Brother Monson if time would permit him to provide a blessing to ten-year-oldChristal Methvin, who was afflicted with cancer. Brother Monson said he would be pleased to do so and then asked if she would be coming to the conference meetings or if she were confined to a Shreveport hospital. Almost reluctantly, the stake president said Christal was unable to leave her home many miles from Shreveport.

Elder Monson examined the meeting schedule and found that there simply was no available time.

Prior to the stake conference, and unbeknown to Brother Monson, Christal had lost her leg to surgery, only to discover later that the cancer had spread to her tiny lungs. A trip had been planned to Salt Lake City, where she might receive a blessing from one of the General Authorities. The Methvins knew none of the Brethren personally, so they placed before Christal a picture of all the Church leaders. She pointed to the photograph of Elder Thomas S. Monson and said, "I would like him to give me a blessing."

As one final favor to Christal, the family agreed to kneel by her bedside and ask for just one more blessing; the chance to enjoy Brother Monson's personal visit.

After receiving word from the stake president that Brother Monson would be unable to visit Christal because of the extremely tight meeting schedule, the Methvins were understandably very disappointed. They knelt again around Christal's bedside, pleading for a final favor on her behalf: that somehow her desire for a blessing at the hands of Brother Monson would be realized.

At the very moment the Methvin family knelt around Christal's bed, Elder Monson was shuffling his notes, preparing to speak at the concluding portion of the Saturday evening session.

His notes became a blur. He attempted to pursue the theme of the meeting as outlined, but the name and image of Christal Methvin would not leave his mind. Then, ever faithful to the precious gift so demonstrably his, he responded to the spiritual message. He instructed that changes in the next day's conference schedule be made, whatever the cost in confusion and disruption. Then the meeting continued.

After a very early Sunday drive over many miles, Elder Monson gazed down upon a child too ill to rise, too weak to speak. Her illness had now rendered her sightless. Deeply touched by the scene and the Spirit of the Lord which was so prevalent, Brother Monson dropped to his knees and took the child's frail hand in his own. "Christal," he whispered, "I am here."

With great effort she whispered back, "Brother Monson, I just knew you would come."

A blessing was pronounced commending a sweet child's body and spirit to the loving watchcare of her Heavenly Father, who surely must have been observing that tender scene. Her barely audible "Thank you" gave eloquent benediction to the blessing and to the sweet life of faith she had lived. The next Thursday, as she was being remembered in the prayer circle of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve where Elder Monson had placed her name, Christal Methvin's pure spirit left its disease-ravaged body and entered the paradise of God.
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I chose to share this story because Pres. Monson shared this same experience in his October 1975 General Conference talk. He introduced his remarks by saying: "Particularly am I grateful for the children who are here. In the balcony to my left I see a beautiful girl of perhaps ten years. Sweet little one, I do not know your name or whence you have come. This, however, I do know: the innocence of your smile and the tender expression of your eyes have persuaded me to place aside for a future time the message I had prepared for this occasion. Today, I am impressed to speak to you.

"When I was a boy your age, I too had a teacher in Sunday School [who read the following verse from the New Testament]. "But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:14.)

"That lesson has never left me. Indeed, just a few months ago I relearned its meaning and partook of its power. My teacher was the Lord. May I share with you this experience.

"Far away from Salt Lake City, and some eighty miles from Shreveport, Louisiana, lives the Jack Methvin family. Mother, dad, and the boys are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Until just recently there was a lovely daughter who, by her presence, graced that home. Her name was Christal. She was but ten years old when death ended her earthly sojourn."

He then goes on with the full story. I was drawn to this story again because grandma, William and I knew this little girl's aunt at the time. It turned out that Christal Methvin was the niece of a good friend of ours in Royal City, Patsy Rex. Patsy worked in the Royal City Market with us.

One of life's lessons I hope to learn from Pres. Monson during his presidency is that while doctrine and theology are more interesting to me than sweet stories, when it comes down to it, it's the people who count the most.

Aunt Beth