Grandpa Elder Holland

I felt like this topic deserves a separate post because it was so amazing and this experience alone will make me a changed person. I had the wonderful opportunity to spend 48 hours with Elder Holland. He came two weekends ago because he had some church business in Lebanon. He was in charge of the Center and he always makes a stop here. He came on Sabbath (Saturday) and we got to eat dinner with him before he gave his fireside. The fireside started with a musical number given by 8 people in our group. They sang Master, the Tempest is Ranging. It was the most beautiful musical number I have ever experienced. I have never really been a huge fan of the song, but the arrangement and the voices were all just too perfect. I started crying at this point and I knew I was in trouble. Elder Holland, as we all know, is amazing. He spoke on mercy and how is the Christ’s main attribute that we all need to work on. The ultimate example of his perfect mercy is the Atonement. Before he got into the heat of his talk he spoke on the Center and his love for this place. Then in the Elder Holland tone he commanded us to never return as the person we came. He said if we did we would be a disappointment to this church. I mean, I was always motivated to be a changed person, but now it is on a different level. I don’t mind the extra encouragement. Everyone I spoke to thought that Elder Holland was speaking right to them during his fireside. But they are all WRONG, because he was talking to me! J He influenced us all and we all needed to hear it.

Elder Holland was staying in the Center so we got the unique experience to see him several more times. We saw him later that night and got a picture with him. We also got to see him the next morning. A bunch of us were going to the Dead Sea so we were all upstairs waiting for our taxi and all of a sudden someone grabs my neck. Lo and behold it is Elder Holland. He just stood there for a few minutes and talked about going to the Dead Sea and told us to have fun. I feel like he could be my grandpa or something. He is very kind and very funny. His wife is very cute and little. I received hugs from both of them. I know that this experience alone was awesome. Combining it with the fact that I am in Jerusalem just makes it that more unique and that more amazing. I am definitely a changed person.