Beck Fireside

The Sister Beck fireside was last night.

My part in it was very minimal. I sang a hymn right after the opening prayer and then Sister Beck's brother (who lives in our stake) introduced her, and she gave her talk and it was over.

I heard most of her talk...got a little distracted by my youngest towards the end. She began with her love of the gospel which was about the only time she got a little choked up. She reiterated her testimony of standing strong and immovable with our faith and families and did mention that "we do families better than anyone else."

She polled the audience: who grew up members? who baptized in last 5 years? who speaks another language? who has lived outside US? Who is single? who is attending with their family? etc. She wanted to get to know her audience better.

I enjoyed hearing her speak about her experiences in Brazil. She lived there for 5 years as a young girl when her father was the mission president, and went back again as part of her General YW calling. She spoke about how much the church had grown in one generation and spoke about the temple dedication and jubilee. It was the perfect story for us because we just had our jubilee, and we have members of many nations in our stake.

She then spoke a bit about family home evenings growing up and sharing the Book of Mormon with her granddaughters. That's the last I remember, though I do know she looked up some scriptures with the audience as well.

I found her to be relaxed and funny. Her husband was way funny. He winked at the audience when acknowledged and chewed gum with his arms folded the entire time...very casual, not what I expected at all.

I decided after watching her speak that the assignment of speaking at general conference must be quite overwhelming. And the amount of time she is given to speak is SO brief, that it is not a time for us to get to know her. In this fireside, where she had 45 minutes, she could be relaxed and make a joke and pause to smile. I found it much more meaningful than the brief statement she was able to make at GC. I think she might have been trying to be a bit poetic in both her General RS and GC talks...by using phrases repeatedly..."Mothers who know..." and for some of us it did not quite land.

I do respect her for this huge assignment she has, and I do sustain her and I desire to support her. I just kept thinking of my own mother who is 1 year younger than her, and sort of has the same haircut, and seeing her in that light made her much more real.

And she was wearing separates.