The Love of the Savior

On Sunday our stake had a "special stake conference" so that Elder D. Todd Christofferson could come and speak to us. I have met apostles in the past but for some reason I was really excited about being there in the chapel with Elder Christofferson.
He walked around the church building (all the rooms were full) and then into the chapel (we got there almost an hour early) so that he could greet people and shake their hands. Jake stood up so that he would stop and, sure enough, he did! We all got to shake his hand and he looked right into our eyes as he said hello.
But when he walked into the room, my heart felt big...kinda like when you see a celebrity....but it was different. I knew, as my heart pounded, that he really was an apostle of Jesus Christ. That I was in the presence of a great man with a very special calling. It was unlike anything I have ever felt before and I am so glad that we decided to go.
He's seems to be a quiet man. He has soft blue eyes and always had a gentle smile on his face. It was very peaceful.
I recall some of what was said - pray as a family, read the scriptures as a family, don't live beyond your means, etc. Of course, these are all things we have all heard before, and I don't mean to mention them lightly. But what really touched me was an action.
We all stood to sing the intermediate hymn (I don't remember what it was). For seating purposes, a row of folding chairs was in front of the front pew and there were a couple of teenage boys sitting there. They didn't have a hymn book as those are kept with the pews, and so they weren't singing. Elder Christofferson bent down and handed them his hymnal with a beautiful smile on his face and then stood up straight again and continued singing. I could only see the boys' profiles from behind their ear forward, but those boys sang with all they had once they were holding that book.
How silly that such an insignificant act would mean more to me than hearing his words. I can't really explain it but I felt Christ's love in that simple gesture.
I know that we are so very loved by our Father in Heaven and that Jesus Christ lived and died so that we might know, by His example, that we can return to our home with our Father. I know that we have the opportunity every day to touch others' lives for good and to pass on the love of our Father and Savior in little acts of kindness or sweet, sincere smiles. We are not meant to face this world alone. We are all here to help one another and build each other up.
We are not always successful in overcoming our challenges, but with repentence and the Atonement (which is real) we can be forgiven, pick ourselves up and be better today.
I know these things.