Talk...

Phone rings Wednesday night:

'Hello?'
'Sister Madsen, how are you doing this evening?'
'Fine, how are you Brother So-n-so?'
'Fine. I want to ask a favor of you...'
oh boy...
'...you going to be in town Sunday?'
'Yes...'
here it comes...
'Good. Would you be willing to give a talk Sunday?'
'...Sure. What's the topic?'
'The Resurrection'
duh...Easter Sunday...
'"gulp" alrighty then...how much time do I have?'
'15 minutes.'
15 minutes to cover the Resurrection...k...

Sunday Morning I walk up to the front and assist the Bishop in picking out the hymns for Sacrament since our usual hymn-picker wasn't around...totally took advantage, I picked my favorite Sacrament Hymn, 'Reverently and Meekly', and the hymn I was quoting in my talk, 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives'. There is a Special Musical Number, so I suggested 'He is Risen' for the closing hymn.

I sit down, and who sits next to me but Michael Madsen...my very good looking, tall and single cousin. These genes come on both sides of my family...I know I say this a lot, but all the tall, good looking, smart guys are related to me. I think I have a good case for this...

(for my Madsen cousins, he is our Great Uncle Lowell's son, Grandpa's youngest brother...so he's our cousin once removed...he is the youngest of our parents first cousins...)

'So you are speaking today as well huh?' (this is me talking)
'Yeah, Brother and Sister Madsen...'
'You want me to introduce us?' I said smiling at the idea of making a joke about the two of us speaking...
'I probably am going to say something about it...'

I give my talk with no mention of the fact that he and I were talking...he wanted me to take up more time, so I figured I would give him all the time in the world to 'introduce' us and I would focus on my talk.

Special Musical Number

Michael:
'I have waited for a long time for the opportunity for a speaking assignment as Brother and Sister Madsen'
pause for initial laughter...
'I just didn't expect it to be with my cousin...'
another pause for more laughter...

I was glad to have it over with. And I was glad he was given his topic of 'spiritual resurrection'. With my topic being the Resurrection, I didn't talk at all about the difference between immortality and eternal life (they are two very different things), or specifically the difference between a spiritual and physical resurrection...I wanted to but I kept holding myself back because I needed to focus on the Resurrection itself. His talk was a great follow up to mine...

Anyways, all in all a good meeting. I learned A LOT as I studied for my talk, and I came out of Church feeling very well fed...and I am eating a lot of good food today, already had one Easter meal and about to have another in a few hours...:) Yummy...

Happy Easter, everyone...