This is what you call a journal-entry day!

We received a letter on official church letterhead from Elder L. Tom Perry, asking if he could come visit the 9th Ward on July 8th, 2012.  Why, yes, you may, Elder Perry!

Elder Perry,

Thank you for your letter regarding a visit to the Logan 9th Ward and congratulations on your pending birthday! We would be honored to have you for a visit on July 8th. Our Meetings begin at 11:30 AM with Sacrament first. As noted in your letter we will plan for you to bear testimony at the end of the meeting.

If there is anything you need, or if there is anything I can do to help you in your visit, please let me know. I'm sure you have plans with family while you are here but if you have need of a Sunday dinner, please feel welcome to come to our home or that of our good Stake President, Steven Leishman.

On a personal note, my Grandmother Bessie Everton grew up in this neighborhood, attended church at this wonderful building and knew your family. It is a blessing for me to serve here!

We look forward to your visit,

Bishop Lambert

Dear Bishop Lambert,

Elder Perry said he remembers Bessie Everton.  How remarkable that you are now the bishop in the neighborhood where your grandmother grew up.

He doesn't want to put anyone out, nor have anyone make a big production, but a Sunday dinner after the meeting would be very nice - either with your family and/or President Leishman's.  (I used to be secretary to Nolan B. Leishman - wonder if they are any relation?)

Anyway, both Elder and Sister Perry can eat just about anything, except that Elder Perry does not eat fish/seafood.

Kari Smith, secretary to Elder L. Tom Perry 

Good morning Sister Lambert,

     First let me say, I am sorry to hear about your husband. That's awful. Your son's request is so touching. Yes, I am sure Elder Perry would give a blessing to Bishop Lambert. Neither he nor I are in the office this week, but I will send him an e-mail. He is spending the week at Bear Lake for his annual visit with family. He and Sister Perry will not have a driver. He doesn't drive any longer, but Sister Perry does. Elder Perry said they would just be staying for Sacrament Meeting. He said when he attends Sunday School or Priesthood in wards, either the teachers are so nervous they can't teach, or they ask Elder Perry to take over the lesson. As we get closer to Sunday and you know what your husband's situation is, you and President Leishman decide whether the meal is at his home or yours. The Perrys will be flexible. Elder Perry eats most any food except seafood. He doesn't eat big portions, he always says he is watching his weight! He is 90 years old and 6'4" tall, but "watching his weight." I always chuckle when he says that.

 Sincerely, Kari Smith

A beautiful afternoon with Elder and Sister Perry.

The Perrys with Sister Lorene and President Steven Leishman.

Jules and Sara drove up from Highland to attend church with us and hear Elder Perry.  We walked into the building the same time he did, so we were able to visit for a minute or two before the meeting started.  We had fun hanging out with the Highland Lamberts later that afternoon.

Hi, y'all!

How is everybody doing???????  Why are we all spread all over the globe again?  I can't remember who thought that was a good idea.  Just kidding.  I sure miss you guys, but everyone is where they need to be at this moment.  But hurry home, please.

I just wanted to tell everyone about the awesome experience we had today with an apostle of the Lord visiting our ward and then our house.  Some of you know that Elder L. Tom Perry sent a letter to Jason asking if he could visit the 9th ward this month.  For his 90th birthday, he is visiting all the church buildings he helped build, and our building was his childhood church.  He asked to take the last 10 minutes of Sacrament Meeting today and shared such wonderful stories, which made me proud to be a member of the 9th ward!  (Time to stop whining about my house now..,.)  He remembers when our building was just a chapel, located where the gym is now.  His father, who was the bishop there for 18 years (!) asked permission from the First Presidency to make the building larger.  It was during the Great Depression, and lots of people were out of work.  The church was able to employ several ward members during construction of the new church.  But the church only covered 10% of the cost.  The 9th ward paid the rest!  He had a ledger which his mother had kept, with all the people who donated to the church being built.  Some donated lots, ($800) and some just 10 cents.  But everybody helped.  He said he was there every night, sweeping up after the carpenters, etc. left. As he stood at the pulpit, he pointed around the chapel at all the things he had helped with.  He put the insulation around the organ pipes, and puttied the ceiling,etc.  It was so sweet to hear the deep love he has for the building, and to understand why he loves it so much.  He said he has never seen a ward come together like theirs did to accomplish the project.  He almost pounded the pulpit and told us we all needed to carry on the tradition of the 9th ward.  It was very moving.

When Elder Perry told us of his upcoming visit, I told Jason I thought we should invite him to dinner if they were free.  We checked with the Stake Pres to see if that was an appropriate thing to do, and he thought it sounded great.  So we offered a post-meeting meal, and his assistant wrote back saying he would be delighted to come!  Then I started to sweat a lot.  I am so lucky to have had so much help getting my house and yard ready to host an apostle.  I know the physical part it not what's important, but I definitely wanted our little house to be its best.  Thank you to sisters for helping, and for my MIL, Linda, who did so much.  Between Linda and Kate, I seriously had slave labor most of the week.  It was awesome.  My house is all clean now!  Yay!

Anyway, Sister Leishman (stake pres' wife) and I decided on a very simple, delicious menu.  I know some of you are wondering what in the world I prepared, since my cooking skillz are pretty weak.  I made this amazing cranberry-orange chicken salad, which we ate on croissants.  We had green salad with veggies from the garden, and homemade ranch, fruit, and yes, potato chips, which I somehow knew he would love, and he did.  We then had Aggie ice cream, in honor of his alma mater, which was a HUGE hit.  He loved it.  We had 3 flavors as well as homemade hot fudge and cherries.  YUMMMMMMM.  They loved the meal, and were so gracious.

Elder Perry's wife is lovely.  I just loved her so much.  She is quiet, but confident, and so sweet.  You would all just love her.  She is much younger than he is, and drives him around, which drives the church security crazy.  I guess general authorities all have driver/bodyguards now, and Elder Perry makes them nervous because he doesn't want to mess with all that.  Sister Perry is his second wife.  He had his children with his first wife, but she died very young, and he remarried this lady.  Truly, she is lovely.

I have to tell you how cute my kids have been about the whole thing.  Finn has been talking about "L. Tom Perry" for days.  When they pulled up to the house, Finn ran out to the curb to greet them, and gave them big hugs.  It was so adorable.  He was also cuddling with Sister Leishman, and I had to think he must really miss his Grandma.  She is awesome like you, mama.

Elder Perry asked Bennett his age, and then if he knew what would be happening to him in 2 years.  Bennett replied with a big smile, "Priesthood."  It was cute.  Then Elder Perry asked him about his articles of faith....  Uh-oh.  We are pretty weak around here.  But, we soon found out that we are not alone in that.  He put us all on the spot to recite the articles of faith, and even President and Sister Leishman were flustered and couldn't get them out right.  We were trying to sing the primary songs, but     it was pretty weak.  He was unimpressed, so you can guess what we did tonight for scripture study...  Memorized the first 2!

It was such a special day.  The spirit was so strong in the meeting at church, and then to have it continue in our home was a true blessing.  And miracle of miracles:  the kids were good.  And yes, I did bribe them.  Ha ha.

I'll send a photo for you to see...  Wish you all could have been here with us!!!!

Love you so much,

Brooke

We received the sweetest letter from Elder Perry yesterday.  I will have to send you exactly what it said, but I don't know where Jason put it.  It all seems like a dream that the Perrys were really here at our house.  One funny thing I forgot to tell you is this:  We had cleaned the whole house, top to bottom, inside and out, except I forgot to clean out that magazine holder/ mail holder that I have mounted to our wall across from the phone, by the downstairs bathroom.  It is seriuosly jam-packed with stuff, with letters hanging out all over, stamp collection sticking out here, kids' drawings there...  But I hadn't even thought about it until Elder Perry walked out of the bathroom after washing his hands and said, "This must be where the Bishop stores all his important mail."  He said it with a big smile, and I jokingly tried to cover it up- what an eyesore! But he was cute about it.  Ha ha.

I also think I forgot to tell you that he chastised the stake president a little about our missionary efforts in the stake.  Pres. Leishman assured him we were the highest baptizing stake in the valley, and 9th ward is the highest baptizing ward.  Elder Perry said, "I don't want to hear your excuses."  Yikes!  It got a little tense a couple of times.  His wife would almost look at us like, "Oh boy, here we go."  I was a little surprised when he was getting after us like that, but then I remember that he is an Apostle of the Lord, and that is his job. He said he often worries that he will miss helping someone be the best they could and should be, and that he wants us to all get back together.  (Not those exact words, but you know...) 

Elder L. Tom Perry's beloved 9th Ward Building.