President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in a pink shirt.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you saw him strolling along in a park with his wife, would you pass up the chance to shake his hand? Well, I sure didn't! Looking back, I sure wish I had used our short time for conversation a little more wisely. But I did what came naturally....and it's a little funny when I repeat it. 

So, we are at a park near the temple, Saturday evening. Just the adults in the Jones family. A few family members mention that President Uchtorf just walked by on a sidewalk just up the hill from us. And nobody was making any attempt to go shake his hand or anything. What?! There are those times when there is a line drawn between the Daugs part of me and the Jones part of me. The Jones family members were respectful, trying to see him from a distance, and would not want to disturb his evening walk with his wife. Let him have his privacy. And besides, what would you say anyways? But the Daugs in me took over and started right up that hill. Darin came with for a few steps and then he turned around and left me to go alone. 

President Uchtdorf was just finishing up talking with a small group of people near the playground, so I waited just to the side of them. He and his wife turned towards me and I was suddenly shaking his hand! 

Before I type what I said to him, you need to understand something. He does NOT look the same as when he is on the screen for General Conference!! On screen he looks kind of big and broad....and suitish. But that night at the park....not so much. He is smaller in stature than I would have expected, and aged more than I have always pictured him. And...he had on a pink casual shirt. Not a suit. Not a tie. In that brief moment when he began shaking my hand, I had some pretty serious questions about whether or not Devarie had made a mistake in recognizing him. What if it was someone ELSE? Now what do I do? So, as he shook my hand, the conversation started like this:

Me: "Now, tell me your name."

Him: "Dieter F. Uchtdorf."

Me: "I thought so! Now you must be a bit of a celebrity at this park?" 

Him: "Oh well, we usually don't take this route on our walk."

I don't remember the exact order of the conversation after that. He was just inches from me and I just kept thinking: "His skin is so smooth. His hair is whiter than I recall from T.V. He looks so......angel-like. And he is wearing a very pink shirt!!" I  love pink!! Darin wears pink dress shirts!! The sign of a true man for sure. 

He asked where I was from. I told him about how we had all just been to the temple one last time before my  in-laws left for a mission in Albania. He and his wife thought it was wonderful and he said several times, "How wonderful. All of Heaven's blessings to them. Give them our thanks. The best of blessings to your parents on their mission." And then as we ended the conversation, I walked back down the little hill, and he and his wife started back the way they had come on the sidewalk above us. The rest of our group gave a respectful wave from a distance. He waved back and called out, "Blessings to you on your mission. Thank you for your service." And THAT, was just so awesome, that I'm pretty sure it was worth me being a little bold and Daugs-ish. 

Like so many members of  The Church, he has been a favorite of mine since I was aware of who he was. I always feel such genuine love for the members, and personally, for the Relief Society sisters, when he speaks. Meeting him in the park was a reminder that he is just a man. He takes walks with his wife in pink shirts. But because he is called of God, a servant of The Lord, this mortal man is a link for us from this earth, to the world where Heavenly Father resides. A messenger between the two worlds. A mortal man helping us know how to be like Our Savior. Helping us know The Savior as he does. I think that's what I saw when I was just inches from his face. I couldn't think of a word for it....pure, clean, wise, smooth, brilliant, angel-like, calm, peaceful? A real understanding of, and relationship with our Savior and Father in Heaven......so deep that it almost shines.....I think that's what I couldn't think of a word for. 

Yep, I had a conversation with President Dieter F. Uchtdorf at a park at sunset. 

And he was wearing a pink shirt.