Royalty

In my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there are some people that we (the members of the church) pretty much treat as Royalty.  The people we think of and treat as Royalty are the leaders of the church, generally.  Specifically, the Prophet and his councelors (also known as The First Presicency), the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and all Members of the Quorums of the Seventy as well as the other organizations' leaders, like Relief Society Presidency, Young Women's Presidency, and so forth.

This past weekend (today and yesterday) was Stake Conference, which happens every 6 months.  This time, though, regularly attending members were all abluster and excited (including me) because Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Cornish, an Area Authority Seventy for the North America Southeast Area were scheduled to come to our Conference.  When I birthed Jimmy a week before the first meeting of Conference, I was sure I would not be able to make any of the meetings (I'd already given up the idea of the Saturday night meeting because of Jessie's hours at work) since I would definitely NOT be able to take the girls and a new baby to church for two hours of sitting still by myself (not to mention that I couldn't drive myself!).  Additionally, I've felt impressed that I should really try to limit outside exposure to my new baby.  So, taking him in public like that seemed unlikely to be a good idea.  That thought made the fact that it wasn't really possible easier to handle.

And then my Bishop called to tell me about the meeting for New Converts and Investigators before the main Conference.  An early morning meeting specially for people like Jessie (and their partners/friends).  And I just felt super hopeful that, maybe, just maybe Jessie could get to work a little later that day than normal.  So, I asked him.  And he talked to his boss.  And... he was able to go to work for 2pm... which meant we'd be able to stay for the whole Conference!

As it happened, I couldn't stay for the whole Conference because of the messy after-effects of baby birthing.  But we made the early meeting and an hour of the main meeting, which I thoroughly enjoyed... though I honestly cannot remember much of it.  My post pregnancy brain: a sieve!

So, since I can't remember much of the Conference... why this post?  Well, I wanted to share some thoughts I had over this past week... and, in particular, last night.

Last night I was thinking.  My brain IS starting to get back in gear, so I'm starting to THINK a bit more - it's been sorta painful... the whole THINKING... rather than just starting adoringly at Jimmy and trying to call Tea Tea instead of Kat! ^_^

In the thinking, I was puzzling over why I felt so excited over the visiting leadership.  Why was it that we (the regularly attending members of the Church) feel that we're being visited by someone Royal.  Cause, really, it's a bit more than mere famousness... we treat them with more reverence? than someone of "just" celebrity would merit.  And as I pondered on my silliness over the prospect of being in a small meeting with Elder Bednar and even maybe meeting him!, I perceived some answer to my pondering.  And it goes something like this:

We are ALL of Royal birth.  We are children of Heavenly Father and sons and daughters of Christ as we take His name upon us - He is King of King, Lord of Lords and as His children we are truly Royal.  We are His/Their Heirs - in truth.  There can never be too many Princes and Princesses because our Father will have mansions prepared for everyone who has lived so as to merit, THROUGH CHRIST'S MERITS, such.  And so, we are all potentially Royal. There is something that we all regocnize in the leadership of the church.  We recognize it and honor it - and thus, we honor the individuals who posess what we recognize.  What do we recognize?  Individuals striving to live up to their potential in truth and soberness.  We recognize their Royalty because they are a bit (a bit = leaps and bounds ahead!) closer to it than we are (reference previous parenthesis and then realize that's how much farther ahead they are from ME, but this is not to my consternation, but rather inspiration!).  And we honor them for their efforts and we strive to be like them - as we recognize in them "easier" models of Christ-like behavior.  'Cause when it comes right down to it, Christ is, of course, the perfect model for everything and everyone all the time... but the perfection sometimes makes looking to Him rather difficulty - at least, for me it does.  It's often easier for me to see another person's example as they work on climbing their own ladder, as easier to emulate than the perfection that is Christ.

So, while Elder Bednar and Elder Cornish are truly "just guys"... they are also much more because they are striving to deserve, even though they know they never can or will of themselves deserve, the mansions they hope for in the Kingdom of our God.  And THAT is definitely worthy of some reverence... and some Royal treatment!  ^_^