Once in a life time
This last week we had a really unique opportunity to get to travel to Salt Lake City with some of the youth and primary age kids in our ward. While we were there we got to tour Temple square and watch an awesome movie. 
We also went to the rock quarry to see where the rock for the temple came from and was taken to the temple site 20 miles away. While there we learned that even though we were in Zion, crime still exists. One of the cars we were traveling with was broken into and their purses, cell phones, and navigation system was stolen. That did put a little bit of a damper on our time there but, we were very privileged and blessed to get to then go to a special fireside with Sister Lynne Cannegieter. Sister Cannegieter has been the personal secretary for Thomas S. Monson since 1964 shortly after he became a general authority in 1963. She is probably the person who knows the Prophet best, other than his wife, and is the first woman in church history to be the secretary to a Prophet.
We were able to meet and talk with her about what it has been like to work so closely with the Prophet and those around him. Sister Cannegieter has been acquainted with every prophet since David O McKay! The last few she knew very well. We learned a lot of fun little facts/stories about President Monson that were really neat. Like did you know that he has never eaten pizza, or black olives! She said that not eating pizza has become somewhat of a badge he now wears, at first it was just something he never did, but now he wont just to say he hasn't. Some other things that we were able to learn about him is that even though it is rumored that he has a photographic memory, he does not. She said that he does have an incredible memory and can recall the names of someone he met years before, and up until recently he memorized every talk he gave. But it is not photographic, she said with a little giggle. She also told us about his favorite candies(chocolate form a local candy maker), his favorite meal(a rib eye steak at a local steak house), and his favorite temple, she was sure he would say it was either the Salt Lake Temple, or the Freiberg Germany Temple. She shared some really great stories with us about the work that President Monson did while he was working in East Germany while the wall was still up and the country was run by communism. She talked about how he would often come home with only the outfit on his back and his slippers because he had given away all of his clothes and shoes to those who needed them. This is something he still does today, she joked about how her personal closet at her office is full of his suits right now awaiting shipment to Tonga! She said that he is one of the most generous and loving men she knows and that he loves to spend time with his family and friends. It was a great and spiritual evening as we were able to learn more about our Prophet. We are very grateful to her and so glad that we had this opportunity.
We also went to the rock quarry to see where the rock for the temple came from and was taken to the temple site 20 miles away. While there we learned that even though we were in Zion, crime still exists. One of the cars we were traveling with was broken into and their purses, cell phones, and navigation system was stolen. That did put a little bit of a damper on our time there but, we were very privileged and blessed to get to then go to a special fireside with Sister Lynne Cannegieter. Sister Cannegieter has been the personal secretary for Thomas S. Monson since 1964 shortly after he became a general authority in 1963. She is probably the person who knows the Prophet best, other than his wife, and is the first woman in church history to be the secretary to a Prophet.
We were able to meet and talk with her about what it has been like to work so closely with the Prophet and those around him. Sister Cannegieter has been acquainted with every prophet since David O McKay! The last few she knew very well. We learned a lot of fun little facts/stories about President Monson that were really neat. Like did you know that he has never eaten pizza, or black olives! She said that not eating pizza has become somewhat of a badge he now wears, at first it was just something he never did, but now he wont just to say he hasn't. Some other things that we were able to learn about him is that even though it is rumored that he has a photographic memory, he does not. She said that he does have an incredible memory and can recall the names of someone he met years before, and up until recently he memorized every talk he gave. But it is not photographic, she said with a little giggle. She also told us about his favorite candies(chocolate form a local candy maker), his favorite meal(a rib eye steak at a local steak house), and his favorite temple, she was sure he would say it was either the Salt Lake Temple, or the Freiberg Germany Temple. She shared some really great stories with us about the work that President Monson did while he was working in East Germany while the wall was still up and the country was run by communism. She talked about how he would often come home with only the outfit on his back and his slippers because he had given away all of his clothes and shoes to those who needed them. This is something he still does today, she joked about how her personal closet at her office is full of his suits right now awaiting shipment to Tonga! She said that he is one of the most generous and loving men she knows and that he loves to spend time with his family and friends. It was a great and spiritual evening as we were able to learn more about our Prophet. We are very grateful to her and so glad that we had this opportunity.
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