My yearly focus

Heidi S. Swinton is an award-winning author and screenwriter whose works include PBS documentaries American Prophet; Sacred Stone; Sweetwater Rescue; Trail of Hope; and America’s Choir. She has served on the Relief Society general board and as a member of Church writing committees. She served with her husband, Jeffrey C. Swinton, as he presided over the England London South Mission (2006-2009); they are the parents of five sons, four living, and have four daughters-in-law and six grandchildren.

I just can't wait to read this book.

Yesterday I was given a wonderful opportunity to go and hear this Woman named Heidi Swinton speak (Thank you Corey, for making sure that I was able to go.)  She is the author of the official biography of President Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  For anyone reading this that may not know, I'm a member of this church and I believe and know that he is prophet, one who speaks with the Lord and then in turn relays those messages onto to the members of the church and to the world as to what the Lord would want us to do.  I have always had a great respect for President Monson, but honestly after Saturday I can say that I have fell in love with this man.  Obviously, when you write someones biography you have to truly get to know and understand that person, and Sister Swinton has definitely done that.  She spoke of how President Monson, asked her to take on this task, and all the research that went into preparing to write this book.  She truly knows this man, but the big thing was that I had been seriously thinking about what I really wanted to work on this year, and I really hadn't found my focus for the year, I finally figured it out today. 

Sister Swinton, talked about what she learned was one of President Monson's favorite scriptures.  It is found in The Doctrine and Covenants 84:88
"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

She spoke about the burdens of the whole church that he bears on his shoulders and how she realized and learned that the way that we can truly Follow the Prophet was to be one of the Lord's angels.  We can be the person that helps out our neighbors, friends, family, and strangers.  We can be someone angel by simply listening and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.   I can help lift his burden by helping those around me, and if they are taken care of, then that would be one less thing that somebody else would have to worry about.  So that is going to be my focus.  I wish all of you could have been there to hear what she taught and all the examples she went through of how he was prepared to become the prophet.  As I had heard him say before and what she said he referred to was "that lesson wasn't loss on me" meaning that I didn't have to learn that lesson twice.  I hope that I can better listen this year, that I can be better at helping others, and be someone angel not because I want the recognition, but because I want to be someone who can help bear someone up.  Just as so many have done the same for me in my life, and I know I will need them again in the future.  She also promised us that if we would do this, we would have the angels around us when we needed them.  Well, I can honestly say that even now I'm honestly looking for angels so I guess I better get to work, huh. 


Thank you, Sister Swinton, for taking the time out of what I'm sure was your busy Saturday, to come speak to a bunch of sisters, but also speak and teach me.  You truly struck a chord and I now have vowed to be a just a little bit better.  Now I just can't wait to read this book, so I can learn even that much more.