Last weekend Elder Gong, an apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was in Arizona for a leadership training and youth fireside. Steve was asked to help coordinate the schedule and building logistics for both events and I think we both underestimated the coordination and details that goes into a such a visit.
The youth fireside was a full house on a Saturday night. They anticipated a crowd of 2300 and were blown away when they counted over 3200.
His talk focused on three areas (and I think he stood more in the crowd than he ever did at the pulpit):
- Be Quick to Observe: Noticing when someone is alone and enlarging your circle to include them. Never be unkind, never let someone sit alone and take a minute to write a note gratitude to someone, anyone.
- Honor your name: Elder Gong spent time learning the given and family names of several in the audience and focused on the importance of these names. Also, honoring the name of Jesus Christ through our actions.
- Patriarichal Blessing: A blessing that doesn’t change, but over time our understanding of it does.
And Elder Gong insisted on handing out ice cream and shaking hands with anyone who wanted to meet him which was a sight to behold. (Not to mention the heroes who frantically ran around town during the fireside buying more ice cream to make sure there was enough for everyone in attendance). It was the best watching him in his apron holding boxes of fat boys walking among crowds of teenagers.
Earlier in the day, we were able to attend a luncheon where we first met Elder Gong. He asked about our family and when we talked about our kids, he asked if any of them would be in attendance at the fireside that evening. We told him 3 of our 5 kids would be in attendance and he said he would love to meet them after the fireside – and we made sure that happened.
After the ice cream had been handed out and the crowds dispersed, he (with his wife) pulled our family into a small room and took some time talking with our kids – it was a beautiful and tender experience we won’t soon forget.
