Day after Devotional

Last October I was invited to speak at a BYU devotional on February 2, 2010. Yesterday was a momentous day. Today I feel like a wet noodle.

At 9:30 a.m. I showed up at the Marriott Center and they let me do a dry run with the teleprompter. People had told me that it was easy to use, and they were right.

Devotional started at 11:05. Following a prayer by my friend and colleague, Brad, and musical number by a talented BYU student, I was on stage.

Amazingly, when I got up to speak, I wasn't nervous at all. I think I used up all my nerves in preparing the talk during the last several weeks. Between preparing for devotional and being Relief Society president, I've been so stressed that I've lost my appetite (a good diet plan).

I started talking at about 11:16; I ended about 11:42. My friend Wendi said I came in at 28:16. Whew. I made it. My research assistant, Katrina, gave the closing prayer.

Afterward I went with family and friends to the Brick Oven for lunch (see photos).






I went back to the office for a few hours. A couple of students stopped me on the sidewalk and told me how much they liked my talk. I also received several other compliments in the last two days. I feel quite humbled by the whole experience.

To celebrate I bought two pints of ice cream (the Mormon version of celebrating, sans alcohol). I was really craving Aggie Ice Cream- Lemon Custard, but you can't buy that in Utah County. So I settled for my regular B & J Chubby Hubby and a Haagen Dazs- Lemon. The lemon was tart, but good; not as good Aggie Ice Cream good. I ended the night by attending the BYU- TCU basketball game. It wasn't as exciting as the UofU-BYU game on Saturday night, but I wasn't up for that much excitement.

So the rest is history. I hope it is a long time (if ever) before I have to give a televised talk again. All in all I was very blessed by the experience. I was definitely "strengthened by the hand of the Lord."

Life is Good.