#MeetMyGrandma

The other week I went to the General Woman's meeting session of General Conference at the Conference Center. I've never been in a room with so much female goodness. It was wonderful. We were characteristically running late so Mom asked me to walk inside with Grandma Hanson while she parked the car. Grandmother walks. But it's slow. And so I anticipated a lengthy journey to our seats. I was wrong. An 88 year old darling as cute as Grandma was a fast-pass through all the lines. After the ushers A-lined us to our seats, we sat back, waiting for the prophet to come.

When President Monson walked in I remembered that Grandmother Hanson loves the Prophet. I remembered her story about President Spencer W. Kimball: "President Kimball said, he wouldn't eat a cracker without praying over it," she'd tell me, "and I'm the same way. I'd never eat a cracker before thanking God." I recalled how during her more dangerous stages of Alzheimer's, she walked the 2 miles from her home in Bountiful Utah to Sizzler, without telling anyone. When we finally found her she insisted she was waiting for the Apostles to come. Once during a Kaysville 20th ward's sacrament meeting Grandma leaned over to me and wryly said, "there are a lot of apostles in your ward, huh?"

Sitting there with Grandma in the presence of a living Prophet I said, "Grandma, that's the prophet. That's our prophet. Are you happy to see him?" In response, Grandma managed to rattle out a gorgeous "yes," in her distinct soprano, seldom heard voice; a voice I can still hear when I imagine her singing, "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," a Christmas tradition, that for most of my life was as sure as the rising sun.

As I sat there I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Grandma lived by faith. She forgave. She advocated kindness. And I am in her debt. Her goodness yields immeasurable blessings, for me and for all of her offspring.

I love her. She taught me to be faithful to God's Prophet under any circumstance. Thanks Grandma.

I also love this video.