I wanted to tell a little about this meeting. In my training I kept hearing about the agent stake president for the coordinating council of the NCCM. I thought I was suppose to meet with him, which is President Hall (a great man). I mentioned this to him and he said he would try to get us in. I said Ok and thought I am suppose to be there. In a meeting with President Craven ( mission president, also a great man) I mentioned to him I was trying to get in the meeting so I could give a presentation on employment. President Hall says that the Area Seventy (Elder Parker) felt the time line to close and I may not have a chance to speak. I mention this to President Craven and he says let me try. All the while I thinking I am suppose to be there. Anyway President tells me Elder Parker says you can have 5 minutes. Well Ok thats something, then in a conversation with my supervisor over employment she asked have you set up the meeting with President Hall, I asked who is suppose to be there? She tells me, and I realize that this is a different meeting than the one I'm now invited to. The one I am now invited to is the Charlotte coordinating council. Attended by all the stake presidents their wives, their counselors and their wives, the temple president, the mission president and his wife and Elder Parker (area seventy) and his wife, the area public affairs person and the area family history couple and now Elder and Sister Slade. No doubt this is the group I need to be in front of, this is who needs to hear my presentation. These are the decision makers in the stakes. I have been given 5 minutes, 5 minutes, I can't introduce myself in 5 minutes. So this is the program 1st Elder Parker speaks, if you have read past sections of this blog you will know how much I love to listen to this man. He talks on the temple , re-enforce our roles as husbands and wives and as families, D&C 44: 2 ( excising faith on the Savior), diversity in the (South) church. Tells us President Monson says there is a need for spirituality in the church. Elder Parker asked each wife there to turn to their husband and teach and testify what they know about the Savior. Of course it was much more powerful than the way I wrote it. Following Elder Parker was President Taggart ( Raleigh Temple President). Following him was our (beloved mission president) President Craven. He bore his testimony, talked about the sacrament, appealed to the stake presidents to call a married couple or maybe 2 brethren to help with the missionaries when they move into or out of apartments, this would free up some of the office staff and relieve them of so much work. He talked about missionaries attending ward councils. After President Craven, Elder and Sister Slade, of course everybody has gone over time, Patty chooses to sit and "let me go". I go up in front and start giving them my train vs employment analogy , it's going well, my time is short and I'm talking a mile a minute. I finished and say thank you, when Elder Parker say's "hold on". He comes up to me and puts his arm around me and say's "Elder Slade you did that in record time but, you didn't ask if there were questions, Sister Slade come up here". Here comes Patty with a oh cr..p what am I going to do now look. He puts his arm around her and say's Ok now any questions. Then all the presidents start in, I got more interest in that short time then I have since I have been here. President Hall gave a huge support and then Elder Parker added more support. It was great!! It was like ldsjobs.org and the employment resource center was better than shrimp and grits. Now I have to keep that feeling going among the stakes and get to the bishops. I was also asked to write a one pager on the employment program within the stake and wards, which will be mailed out to the attendees. The rest of the meeting went great but it was really wonderful to have that opportunity thanks to Presidents Hall and Craven. Hopefully there will be more post to follow after this episode. Love the work, love the Lord and as always keep the faith. Quickly here is picture from a dinner we had out for FHE the past week or so.
Sister Slade at her normal best
