Those "One in a Million" Types

You know those "change you life" sort of people--the ones you meet who really have a significant impact on your life for your knowing them? Well Judge (President) Thomas B. Griffith, is one of those people. He was my former stake president back at BYU during the time that Devon and I lived in the Colony, and later when I moved back and was first called as a Relief Society President for that ward. During that time he was nominated by President George Bush to hold the seat of a judge on the federal circuit court in D.C.--one of the most prestigious courts in the nation (which he was then appointed and ratified to). I gave the prayer at the Stake Conference where he was released. Got to sit up on the stand to the side of him and Elder Merril J. Bateman, and learned a lot about humility by watching how this eloquent, dynamic man quietly made sure not to go over a MINUTE of his allotted time to speak, because it was no longer his place to preside over and lead that stake. (I saw this only by being able to observe close-hand how he managed his time and what he did when he saw it was up.) Back then we often had training meetings at 7 o'clock in the morning with President Griffith, and we used to joke (but were actually serious) that we would get up at 3 or 4 in the morning to go hear President Griffith speak--he was just that amazing to listen to and learn from. Well, things haven't changed.

A few months ago during a meeting with the bishopric, Bishop Sonksen held up a poster about a YSA Conference down in Cincinnati to ask if we should announce it to the ward or not (Cincy is two hours south of Columbus). Before he could really even get his question out I sort of squealed loudly in delight and quickly took the paper from him upon seeing a picture of President Griffith on the flyer, denoting him as the key-note speaker for the conference. Cue short moment of sheepish embarrassment as everyone in the room looks at me like I'm a bit crazy. But don't worry, I was SO excited to learn that President Griffith was coming anywhere NEAR Columbus to speak that I very quickly discarded any embarrassment over my reaction and just gave in to the pure excitement. Needless to say, they let me announce the conference to the ward.

A few weeks and a car ride later, a small group of friends from my ward and I found ourselves down in Cincinnati, bright and early for the conference. I was deliriously tired, and only really thinking about the breakfast food I'd just procured after our long car ride, when I heard a familiar voice say "Well hello! What are YOU doing here?!" I turned around to see Judge Griffith sitting at the table behind me, which in my tired stupor I had totally missed. I was surprised that he remembered me without any promptings--it has probably been at least 6 years since I was in his stake, of whicht there were obviously a lot of members and persons TO remember--, and quite frankly that he remembered me well enough to recognize me just from my passing by in a sleepy stupor (that's probably the state he saw me in most, so that at least makes more sense to me.) He quickly got up and we talked and caught up for a good while on what I was doing these days, how his family was dealing with his commuting back and forth from D.C. to Provo each month (and I complain about 20 minutes...j/k), and just on things in general from back in the BYU 9th Stake days. It was nice to talk with him, but honestly I was in a sort of sleepy, "oh-my-gosh-I-am-in-awe-of-this-man-and-respect-him-so-much" mix of emotion that I doubt I was very...coherent? in my discussion with him. ;) It did, however, make me smile when after I told him that I still had the poster of our old stake theme up in my room (I'll never forget that theme or the focus we had in that stake on the Atonement), he sort of confidingly laughed and told me "so do I!" :) He said he took a copy of one of them when he was released and still keeps it up in his office. I loved that. :)

Well, anyways. The conference was good, and we all had a fun time. I'll admit that after all the build-up I'd given President Griffith to my ward here in Columbus, I was a bit nervous that he wouldn't quite live up to it. After all, I'd put him on quite the pedestal, because I honestly just loved and admired that man SO much. I even compared him to Elder Holland, because of his bold and straight to the point, clear-cut way of teaching true doctrine. Let's hope he doesn't disappoint then, right?? I was mostly worried because I kept thinking "He had a mantle given to him then TO be able to teach with such power and authority to us. That mantle is no longer his. Maybe he won't be as powerful or able to expound the scriptures and gospel to us." Thankfully, though he no longer had that specific mantle, he still had that ability to teach and expound with power. I was in awe again, and so filled with the POWER of the spirit. I learned so much. Again, his focus was on the atonement of Jesus Christ, and what some of the fundamental teachings are that we find in the scriptures. They were just ellaborated in a way that just...just makes so much SENSE! Anyways. I was so grateful that I went, so happy to be remembered, but mostly just SO FED by the spirit. I was thrilled to again be so touched by the words of God in the scriptures. Good gospel teaching can really do that. The Spirit can always do that.

So, here are a few pictures from the conference.

Judge, Brother (President) Griffith and I. (Doesn't he kind of look like a little boy here?)

A group shot of those of us from Columbus, plus two new friends we made at the conference (yes, I made more than two.)


The lovely ladies of the trip, gorgeous inside and out: Briana Rae, Kelsey Hoover, Your's Truly, and Diana Hatch



All in all, a lovely trip. Worth every second of it (execpt maybe the lame mix-and-mingle games..;) j/k), and exciting to be reunited with the messages (and piercing type of delivery) that have shaped and influenced me and my testimony--my LIFE--so much. I would not be the same person today had I not been a member of that stake. So much of what I have learned about the gospel, I learned through lessons taught and observed while in the BYU 9th Stake. What a blessing! Thank you Brother Griffith. And thank you friends for coming down with me so I didn't have to drive 4 hours by myself just to hear a one-hour long fireside. :) Extra blessings there too. :)