The Man Who Wrote The Book

After we were baptised we moved to Utah and spent two weeks living at the home of the parents of Brother Garlich who had came over many times with the missionaries in Colorado. Brother Garlich's Dad was the Bishop of his ward. He asked me to speak in church. I was so scared. He had asked me the night before we found a house to move to - timing! I thought I would get out of speaking but he asked me to do it anyhow. He said he wanted me to speak on my conversion and to take about 20 minutes. I started preparing my talk and was surprised one day when he came over to my house and asked me to say my talk to him and his wife. I was not finished with it but I told him what I had planned on saying. He said that it would be fine. Then that Sunday night when we were visiting at their house and many of their grown kids were there with their families, he asked me to give my talk to them so that I would not be so nervous the next Sunday. So I did, it really did help me get prepared. Then Sunday came. They had Sacrament last and I was getting nervous sitting through the two hours waiting for my turn. When I walked into the room one of the counselors came up to me and said We are truly blessed today and gave me a hug. Then I went up to where my family was suppose to be and asked if anyone had seen them yet but they had not arrived. Sister Garlich introduced me to the woman sitting next to her as a Sister Ballard and I politely nodded at her and then spotted Robert bringing the kids and went to help them get settled before I went up front. Then Bishop Garlich said he wanted to introduce me to someone. He said "This is Elder Ballard" and I said "Oh my gosh, you are the man who wrote that book!" He laughed and said "Sister Deaton, Heavenly Father is truly blessing us today" He told me the story about how he was suppose to be out of the country this weekend and how plans had changed at the last minute and he was able to come and hear me speak. I gave him a hug and said "Thank you for writing the book, it has saved my life" He smiled and we talked for a minute and then I went and sat down because it was time to start. As the meeting went on I sat and marveled at the way things were turning out and was very grateful that Bishop Garlich had me practice my talk two times in front of other people!! Keep in mind that I looked at Elder Ballard as a man who wrote a book NOT realizing how important his position was in the church. I started out nervous but quickly relaxed and gave my talk. Then Elder Ballard got up and spoke. It was a shock to hear him say that he had been following up behind the scenes to make sure the missionaries did their work. He offered to seal our family in the temple when that time came. He said to continue my missionary work and service. After the meeting was over he came over to me again and we hugged once again before he was mobbed by the member of the church just wanting to shake his hand. We were separated by the volume of people trying to press their way onto the stand and that was the last time I spoke to him. Although he does answer my letters and continues to give me advise and encouragement. I pray that someday he will be able to seal our family in the temple just as he offered. I later had a chance to speak to one of the missionaries who had been teaching us and he explained to me that no matter what time they got home each night they had to call the Mission President to give him a report on how things were going because Elder Ballard was calling the Mission President to see how things were going. He said that they were told I was as "golden as they get" and that I had a great purpose here on this earth. WOW, how could I ever live up to that?