Looking Up

As we sat in church, Dallin noticed one of the deacons passing the sacrament. He turned to me and said, “Hey, look! Ben is passing the sacrament today.” I told him that Ben recently turned 12, and had received the priesthood, so now he could pass the sacrament. Dallin asks me frequently how long it will be before he turns 12 and can be a Deacon. I know he looks up to these boys and their responsibilities. But, until now, he’s never known any of them personally. Frankly, I was surprised he knew Ben. I asked him how and Dal replied, “He told me his name when he came to help us move in.”

Four months ago a [heaven sent] troop of Elders and Young Men showed up to haul our stuff out of the moving truck. I’d managed to catch one or two names. But, somewhere in the shuffle, a thoughtful almost-turning-12 young man introduced himself to a small, shy 5-year-old. He made an impression. He was remembered. And now, each week as we sit in Sacrament Meeting, that influence continues to grow, as Ben worthily uses his priesthood and my someday-priesthood-holder looks up at him with awe.