Crystal, My Biggest Mistake

Crystal got sick Thanksgiving night, not from turkey overdose, but from a combination viral/bacterial infection that attacked her with coughing, headaches, chills and a general malaise. On Friday morning, Jordan got up at 4:45 a.m. to go out to the stores, not to shop, but to cover it for the newspaper. See his video of the shopping adventure here. Crystal didn't get up until later and even then only had the energy to sit on the couch.

By Sunday, she was still having trouble talking without coughing (singing, as well, which made her sad that she didn't get to participate as much in our Sacrament Meeting see the Halloween entry). Because of this, she asked me to teach her Sunday School class. She teaches the 14- to 18-year-olds in our ward. They are a good group, but sometimes prefer to relax their grasp on their attention.

Well, I was trying to make the lesson, on 1 Peter in the New Testament, as exciting for them as I could. Crystal was sitting next to me, not talking much (she later told me she was fantasizing about lying on the floor and napping), and helping me keep the kids in check. So, I started to teach the class about Peter's statements about Christ and how He gives us a "lively hope." I asked them what "lively" meant to them, and one boy said he thought of "hyper," and I then asked them to think about being hyper and excited about the gospel. Then I told them that the gospel is truly exciting and knowing that Christ offers me the chance to repent and become better each day is a very exciting for me.

Then my tongue got away from me.

I wanted to bear my testimony of repentance, and tell them I have made lots of mistakes in my life and that through repentance I've been able to overcome them, but that didn't work out exactly as planned. I said, "I makes lots of mistakes in my life," looked at Crystal, and continued, "and my wife here is a great example of that."

Whoops!

Crystal looked at me weird and the kids all sort of paused and cocked their heads, likely thinking, "I don't think you know what you're saying."

Luckily, I quickly realized what I'd said, and how I'd said "example" instead of "witness." I quickly corrected myself, then realizing more what I had said before, I said, "Wow, black hat for Jordan."

To make it even funnier, Crystal had to leave right then for a coughing fit, so it seemed like she walked out because she was mad.

When, I finally got my thoughts back together after my mega-faux pas, I told the kids I was very grateful for forgiveness and that I was going to have to ask it of my wife as soon as class was over. Crystal was gracious and forgiving, as always, and laughed it off. Whew!

Another example of why I WRITE for a living!