Stake President Called it "A Highlight of My Life"

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President Thomas S. Monson taught that is it possible to be on the Lords errand all day, every day. He was truly an instrument in the hands of the Lord. There are hundreds of stories of Thomas S. Monson noticing someone who needed an extra blessing, or extra help. Throughout his day he would ask the Lord who needed his attention, and he would often stop and listen to what the Lord wanted him to do, and how he wanted him to act. He was inspired to find people in need, and invite. Often, President Monson would scan a crowd, ask God what needed to be done, and invite certain people to participate in the meetings. President Monson trusted the Lord to guide him to the people who needed to participate and through inspiration from God he was changing the world one person at a time.

In a 1975 at a Stake conference in Modesto California, Thomas S. Monson was there as assigned to divide the stake. While sitting in the meeting President Monson remembered he had previously attended a conference in that same area ten years earlier and tried to remember the name of the Stake President from those years, and it came to him: Clifton Rooker.

President Monson leaned over and asked the current Stake President if this was the same stake which Clifton Rooker presided? The Stake President informed him that Clifton Rooker was indeed a former Stake President of their Stake.

Elder Monson stepped to the pulpit and asked "If Clifton Rooker in the audience?" He was in the far back in the cultural hall. Elder Monson felt inspired to make the invitation saying "Brother Rooker, we have a place for you on the stand. Would you please come forward?" With every eye watching him Clifton Rooker made that long walk from the back of the building to the pulpit to take a seat at Elder Monson's side.

Later in the meeting, Elder Monson called on Brother Rooker to bear his testimony to "to give him the privilege to tell the people, whom he loved, that he was the real beneficiary of the service of the service he had rendered his Heavenly Father and which he had provided the stake members."

After the meeting concluded, he asked Brother Rooker to join him in setting apart the two new stake presidencies. Brother Rooker responded, "That would be a highlight of my life."

The next morning Elder Monson received a phone call from Brother Rooker's son saying "Brother Monson, I'd like to tell you about my dad. He passed away this morning; but before he did so, he said that yesterday was the happiest day of his entire life."

Elder Monson recorded "I thanked my God for the inspiration which came to me in the twinkling of an eye to invite this good man to come forward and receive the plaudits of this stake members, whom he served, while he was yet alive and able to enjoy them."

Of all the blessings Elder Monson treasures in his life, he has said that one of the greatest is "that feeling which the Lord provides when you know that He, the Lord, has answered the prayer of another through you."

President Monson made it all look so simple. He did not draw attention to himself, simply asked the Lord and acted on the promptings he received. He enjoyed being on the Lords errand, he was not overwhelmed or frustrated with what was asked of him, or the large amounts of people who needed him, he knew the Lord would help him accomplish his mission. President Monson was an inspiring leader and Prophet, inspiring all to be better.

Reference:

Thomas S. Monsons Biography p 384-385