President Monson

President Thomas S. Monson

August 21, 1927 - January 2, 2018

During the last two years especially, the words of President Monson, the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been my lifeline. I've always loved, admired and respected him, but lately his words seem to speak right to my soul. I read old conference addresses and think, wow, he said this eight years ago solely so it could reach my ear today! Honestly, the stuff he said and the life he lived is an inspiration. I want to be like him in so many ways and I will miss him dearly.

My favorite life lesson he taught came in this simple statement, "The sweetest experience I know in life is to feel a prompting and act upon it and later find out that it was the fulfillment of someone's prayer or someone's need. I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for Him." I repeat this sentence on a daily basis and substitute my name in for his. The Lord definitely knew that President Monson would run His errands, and I hope He knows that in my small way I will as well. 

It was ten years ago almost to the day that James and I, a newly engaged couple as of one day, received a call from my mom telling us of President Hinckley's passing as we drove from Sacramento to Provo. I remember being devastated that the prophet of my childhood was gone, but also grateful that there would always be a living prophet on the earth and that President Monson would now fill that role.

Much as President Hinckley represented a clearly defined section of my life, President Monson has as well. He was the prophet of my whole courtship and marriage with James thus far, but even more definitively he was the prophet of all of my child-bearing years. He was the prophet as I entered real adulthood and tried to navigate life and relationships and the impact I want to have on the world. I'm grateful to have had him with me, so sincerely grateful. But I'm growing up, again. I am entering a new phase of life and transitioning to mid-adulthood, and almost poetically I will do it with a new prophet at my side. Just as I expressed ten years ago, I'm feeling grateful that there will always be a living prophet on earth.

God be with you until we meet again President Monson, I love you.

I was planning on changing the quote on this board on a monthly basis when I wrote this up almost a year ago, but I love it so much and could never think of a better Wigginton mantra to replace it with. The boys and I often joked that it was people, not pokemon, that were the most important "p" word in this quote! I think I'm going to keep this up for a few more months, to remember President Monson and the wonderful impact he's had on our life.