Temple Celebration

On Saturday night Brad and I were on our way to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. We received a call from the Stake Executive Secretary who wanted to schedule an appointment with us for Sunday. We made the appointment and then began wondering why we would be meeting with a member of the Stake Presidency. I thought surely it must be a calling for Brad. He thought it was for me, but I told him that I just was called to be the Camp Director and I didn't think they would release me while I am in the middle of planning girls camp. So of course, we wonder, and wonder some more. Then Sunday came and we had our appointment with President Ford, who is also a member of our ward. He explained that the Stake would like to call us by appointment to serve as the Stake Event Coordinators for the Temple Cultural Celebration Committee. This Temple Cultural Celebration Event takes place whenever a new Temple is completed. We have read about these cultural celebrations at other Temples around the world in the Ensign. It is a celebration for the youth to perform with music and dance in costume. This is a Multistake event - 26 Stakes in our Temple District - and they are broken up into 5 Stakes (one having 6), and Brad and I will serve as the coordinators for the 5 Stakes, helping to coordinate with the other 3 couples who have been called to serve as Music Directors, Dance Directors and Wardrobe Coordinators, and then passing along the information to the High Councilor and the Stake YM/YW Presidents, as well as President Ford, who is the Presidency member over the youth. The information we receive will come directly from the First Presidency, who has this Celebration all planned to culminate at the Conference Center on May 30th. That information will be given to Brother and Sister Bess, who's in a neighboring ward, who will coordinate all 5 Stakes, and meet with us, as we coordinate our Stake. This opportunity is probably a once in a lifetime event to participate in. There will be 10,000 youth ages 12-18 that will be involved with this Celebration. We will probably have a total of nine practices, with two of them at the Conference Center. Then we will attend the event on May 30th and enjoy the Celebration along with President Monson, who will be speaking to us. This appointment, along with the planning of the Cultural Celebration will also provide us and the youth the opportunity to help with the Open House of the Temple. There will be opportunties to help usher and we will also be able to attend the Dedication of the Temple of August. Our whole family will be able to attend the Dedication. That is truly a blessing and possibly a once in a lifetime event. We feel so honored that we were chosen and trusted for this special assignment. President Ford told us that as a Stake Presidency they prayed and felt impressed to call us. Our names came up twice. We are so thankful for this enormous opportunity and the blessings our family will receive. I am so excited for the youth of this area, including Brady, Brinkley and Kasey who will be able to participate in this Temple Celebration.