June 25, 2008
I worked the mission president's seminar at work (The Missionary Training Center Food Services). Many of the twelve apostles were there to teach the mission Presidents. I got there at lunchtime and I was told to go eat, rather than to start work. I grabbed a plate of food and was pointed to a room where I should sit. There were 13 of my co-workers and Richard G. Scott! There was only one empty seat and it was right next to him! . . .So I sat right next to him! He looks different in person. I didn't even recognize him at first! . . .I guess I'm not used to seeing any of the twelve apostles that close. Surprisingly, the thing that helped me to recognize him was his voice: so calm and mild and his words seemed so well thought out. I love his voice! And he was so personable! He joked, talked about his career as a nuclear engineer, asked us if and when we served missions, and what our majors were. Then, although he was our guest, he took our dishes back to the dish room. When he was coming back to the room, I was on my way out. We crossed paths and I was grinning from ear to ear as though I was in the presence of a celebrity ('cause I was! Church celebrities are the best kind!) He said "now that's a lovely smile!" He complimented me! (which was awfully nice, because I honestly was just grinning like an idiot) Then he shook my hand. He said something like "I enjoyed talking with you Courtney!" He remembered my name! Then he said "that was fun, wasn't it?" I agreed. The apostles must meet so many people! How easy it would be to treat and remember them as a group rather than as individuals, but he remembered my name. . .Heavenly Father surely knows me be name.
Something I didn't mention in my journal entry was the way he looked at me. I still remember that so well! He looked at me so intently and with so much love! He does a good job of that at general conference, speaking into the camera as he imagines all of his 'brothers and sisters' who he is speaking to. Surprisingly, this used to be something he struggled with! He mentioned in one of his talks that his wife once said the following to him:
“Rich, when you talk to people, look in their eyes. You look at the ceiling and the walls and the floor, but you never look in their eyes.” That suggestion profoundly changed my life. My precious companion loved me enough to help me by telling me what I needed to know.
I think that is a neat little example of how someone's weakness became their strength! (Ether 12:27). I am going to miss that man! When I found out he passed away, I honestly felt like I lost someone I loved. But I am so glad that he gets to be with his dear wife again! Theirs is a beautiful love story that kept going long after her death more than 20 years ago. He is well known for his adoration for his wife, Jeanene. He spoke about her, it seemed, as often as he could. Here is one of the things he said at a BYU devotional that I attended, back in 2010: Please pardon me for speaking of my precious wife, Jeanene. But we are an eternal family. Although she is on the other side of the veil, that love and appreciation for each other continues to grow and mature. I am confident that when, in our future, I see her again beyond the veil, we will recognize that we are more deeply in love. We will appreciate each other even more, having spent this time separated by the veil. We have grown closer together through the kindness of the Lord (To Have Peace and Happiness, September 12, 2010).
So many of the things Elder Scott said have touched me, I wanted to share just a few of his quotes. I have emboldened the main theme of each of the quotes below:
Often we have difficulty mastering lessons the Lord wants us to learn when things are going too well in our lives. When there is suffering or pain, we ask ourselves a lot of questions. Some of them ought to be: What does the Lord want me to learn from this experience? What do I need to do? What do I need to change? Whom do I need to serve? Or what characteristic must I improve? Pondering and prayer will help us understand what we are to learn from the challenges we are asked to overcome. -Obtaining Help from the Lord October 1991
let us encourage every woman who questions her value to turn to her Heavenly Father and His glorified Son for a supernal confirmation of her immense individual worth. I testify that as each woman seeks it in faith and obedience, the Savior will continually prompt her through the Holy Ghost. That guidance will lead her to fulfillment, peace, and a consuming joy through magnifying her divinely appointed, sacred womanhood. I know the Savior will do that. -The Sanctity of Womanhood, April 2000
Pray even when you have no desire to pray. Sometimes, like a child, you may misbehave and feel you cannot approach your Father with a problem. That is when you most need to pray. Never feel you are too unworthy to pray. -Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer, April 2007
Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry.Being creative will help you enjoy life. It engenders a spirit of gratitude. It develops latent talent, sharpens your capacity to reason, to act, and to find purpose in life. It dispels loneliness and heartache. It gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, and zest for life. -Finding Joy in Life, April 2006
Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change. . . .Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one’s ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing. -The power of scripture, October 2011
Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it! -Make the exercise of faith your first priority, October 2014
I know that Richard G. Scott was called of God as one of his apostles in these days. I am so grateful for a living prophet and righteous leaders who help direct this church according to the will of a loving Father in Heaven--A God who does not leave us alone in this world, but continues to provide direction. I'm excited to hear the words of the prophet and apostles in General Conference in a couple of weeks! Elder Scott will be missed, along with Elder L. Tom Perry and Boyd K. Packer who also passed away this year. But they have left beautiful legacies of faith, love, and goodness, which I hope to emulate in some small way.
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