Keep your hands and arms inside the car at all times . . .

“I come from a long line of weepers.”

That was my opening line as I bore my testimony in Sacrament Meeting this morning after sustaining DH as our new bishop. We’ve known that this day was coming for 28 days, which by the way, is far too long for me to know something like this before the fact. The agony and the anticipation are both too acute. But, as DH’s name was read and he stood, the emotions coursing through me were a mixture of the electricity of knowing that this is an inspired call and the absolute gut-bottoming-out-dread of “what have we gotten ourselves into.” Not exactly your easiest feeling to digest in a Sunday morning Sabbath service. Let the roller coaster begin.

I keep being amazed at the tender mercies that are coming my way. I know this entire experience will not be easy, but we have the opportunity to learn a lot and grow individually and as a family in our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ and in our devotion to Him. People have offered their help and support in such warm and loving ways that I know we will be okay and I will learn, if nothing else, to knock a bit more off that bothersome pride with which I’m always struggling. I gladly accept any words of wisdom from those of you who have been there!

Here’s a picture of our family after church. I will call it “before.” I wonder what we’ll all look like when this particular ride has come to a close.



Enjoy the ride!

To explain a bit for dear friends who may visit my blog and who are not members of my faith, first I offer my apologies for being so slow to do this and so inept at it. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we don't have a paid clergy. The nitty gritty of this means that regular unspectacular members like myself and like DH share in the work of ministering and adminstrating to the needs of the congregation on all levels. In our church we believe a great deal in inspiration. We believe that God hears and answers prayers and advises us on any of the myriad things we may need to do from day to day, if we ask in faith. We receive jobs to do from time to time; we call them "callings" based on this idea of inspiration in all things. For us at this time this whole business of a lay ministry means that DH will be filling much of the role that a pastor of another church would fill (ministering to the needs and concerns of our congregation, administrating to the regular needs of keeping a church going with teaching, activities etc), except that he still keeps his day job. A day job that was more than full time already. So, we will have full days ahead of us, to say the least. He could have said no. I could have asked him to say no. This isn't forever, DH will serve until it's deemed time for someone else to take up the position. I believe with all my heart that the Lord is mindful of my little family, that service brings us closer to the Savior and that sacrifice brings blessings. Thus the tears on my part.