17 February 2013

We just finished a special weekend.  Elder Neal Anderson of the twelve visited us.  About three weeks ago there was four brethren from Salt Lake inspecting the room where he would be speaking.  They were discussing if there needed to be curtains on the windows, how many people would be there, what about the sound system, and many other things I didn't know about.  There were there about four hours, and left.

Two days ago, another group showed up asking much the same questions.  They asked how many students we had in institute, how many teachers, who was the institute director, where they would park their cars, did we have maps, etc how to get there from different parts of the city, etc.

Yesterday, we had a few who stayed the whole day, setting up the sound system, the cameras, wanting to know how we would set up the chairs, how many once again, got into the rafters for the wiring, etc.  It was interesting that he had playing on the sound system George Strait's music, and singing right along with him.  I joked with him a bit, and he spoke quite a bit of English, for he was from the DR. 

Then last night, Apostle Anderson was supposed to be there at 6.  About five, another influx of visitors showed up making sure that the way was clear, there was a place to park his car, where would he enter the building and how far to the room where he would speak.  How many chairs would there be in front, and so on.  Then at about 15 to 6, Elder Anderson, the area Seventy, the Temple President, all of them with their wives, and a few I didn't know showed up.  As he walked in, we all rose and honored him.  He went up front, made sure that everyone was seated, and then stood, and started to shake hands of those on the front rows. 

We started at 6, and he, and those he asked to speak, spoke for 90 minutes.  What a sweet, loving man.  He spoke in broken Spanish, for he had been a mission president in France and Brazil, and Germany.  He had five languages going around in his head, but spoke quite well in Spanish.  There was fifteen minutes where he had an interpreter speak for him, but the rest, he spoke in Spanish.  His subject was butterflies.  That is another blog.

Then today, Sunday, we were pleased to hear him again speak in a special Stake Conference.  He passed by us and said, "Hello Partridges, shook our hand."  It was a wonderful weekend.

It was the  first time, might be the last time, that I wore the suit coat and long sleeve shirt I brought.  It was about 90 degrees and we walked to church, and home.  WOW, HOT, in  February.