What a SAVE!

For our family, church starts at 9am. However, Brent and Grant have to be a church 30 minutes early to set up chairs. This means I get to meander in right at 9am and claim my seat next to them.

Today I strolled in as the Bishop was announcing the opening hymn. I sat down between Brent and Grant on the pew and arranged my things as the opening hymn was sung. Once the prayer was said, I opened the meeting program to see who was speaking in Sacrament Meeting. To my surprise the program listed Grant Ward. I nudged Grant, pointed to his name in the program and asked him if he knew he was speaking in church today. His head promptly fell into his hands as horror swept across his face. I turned to Brent and asked him if he knew about this. He said that Brother Harmon had asked him, in passing, if he could ask Grant to speak, but Brent claimed to not know when that assignment would be. I asked Grant what his topic was that he was to speak on and he could not remember.

I found this to be rather humorous. Grant tries to get away with doing the least amount of work possible. He deliberately doesn't tell me about homework assignments so that I don't hound him to do it. I thought it was funny that he was going to have to confront, head on, his procrastination/forgetfulness problem in front of the congregation.

Grant asked what he was supposed to do. The meeting had started, an empty seat on the stand next to Brother Harmon beckoned him. I gave him two options. Option 1, go up and just bear your testimony. Option 2, go up and tell Brother Harmon that you forgot and see what he suggests for you to do.

Grant was scheduled to be the first speaker after the sacrament had been passed. As the sacrament hymn was sung, Grant made his way up to the stand and sat next to Brother Harmon. Brother Harmon started laughing as Grant must have told him his dilemma. I couldn't see Grant from the angle I was sitting at, but he remained on the stand. I assumed that he was going to stay on the stand and just bear his testimony.

As the sacrament was finished being passed, the bishop stood and announced the program for the meeting. He said Grant would be the first speaker. No mention was made that Grant had forgotten or that he was just going to bear his testimony.

Grant got up and told the congregation that he just remembered his speaking assignment as he sat in the meeting. Then Grant said his talk was about honesty. He read from "The Strength of Youth Pamphlet" about the meaning and importance of honesty. Then he read a scripture (from Brother Harmon's scriptures) about honesty. Next he read a quote from President Kimball about honesty. In closing, he bore his testimony about the importance of honesty.

I was so impressed that he pulled off a complete talk in a matter of minutes. I am so grateful to Brother Harmon and Bishop McCook who reminded him of his speaking topic and gave him information to present. No one in the audience would have known that Grant came to church completely unprepared to speak if Grant hadn't told them.

When the meeting was over and I was able to talk to Grant, he said that was the most stressful experience of his life. Great job Grant! I'm sure he will never "accidentally" forget a speaking assignment again!