New Stake Center

This is going to be a short post and another Spiritual Experience one to boot. We were able to go to the dedication of our new stake center tonight. Two years ago after a youth fireside on Sunday night where I acutally got to be one of the final speakers in the building (I guess that's my claim to fame), our stake center was set afire by arsonists. I don't know who did it, and I guess to me it really doesn't matter. I was just very sad that someone would do something like that on purpose. Anyway, 2 years later we have a beautiful new building and me and my family were able to attend one of those completely amazingly spiritual meetings.

Our stake president told about some of the things that came about with the fire and after the fire and bore his testimony then we had Elder LeSueur from the quorum of the 70 speak for a short minute and then read the dedicatory prayer. I've been to a rededication of temples, but the only church building dedication I remember was the Main Street Chapel in Snowflake. I was in High School and don't remember much about it except that my Dad was conducting the meeting as the 1st Counselor in the Stake presidency. He had been called as the new Stake President, but that would not take place until the Stake Conference meeting later that day. Elder Dallin H. Oaks was presiding at the meeting that day and was there to set apart the new Stake Presidency. My dad must have been quite nervous, because as he was conducting and announcing the speakers, he drew a blank and had to turn to Elder Oaks and say "What's your name again?"

Anyway, I digress - back to present day. The prayer was so amazing. The buiding was dedicated almost room by room to perform the proper functions in each important area of the building. The primary room, the Relief Society room, the YM and YW rooms, the chapel, the cultural hall, the Priesthood rooms, the Bishop's offices, the stake offices. He even mentioned the artwork and that people will be inspired by the stories and the meaning that go along with the artwork chosen for the building. This was especially poignant for me because I got to choose artwork for the YW room at the very last minute. In fact, it's not even hung yet, but when I was thinking about how to choose artwork that will have special meaning and will accompany the YW theme, I really feel like I was directed what to do and how to do it.

After the amazing prayer, we sang "The Spirit of God" and on the last verse, the choir sang the Halleluiah anthem that was written for temple dedications. As Jeff said, you could cut the Spirit with a knife. We walked around the building for awhile afterward and spoke with friends and we were leaving as President Ahlstrom and President Clouse were coming back in the building. We spoke to them and told them what an amazing meeting it was. Even Cooper was saying how neat it was. So when we got home and I was saying goodnight to him, I asked him how he felt about the Spirit that was there tonight. When I asked if he had felt it like that before, his response was, "No, not like that." He hadn't really wanted to go, mostly because he didn't want to put his church clothes back on after dinner, but he chose to go. What at great lesson for him and for me to take every opportunity possible to expose yourself and your children to the Spirit. I'm sure that will be a meeting that he'll remember for the rest of his life.