Finding Safety: More France

DH's first city on his mission was a small town on the border with Spain. Everyone there had an interesting accent which sent his newly from the MTC mind reeling. The branch was small and the branch president had been serving for 17 years. His family were the leadership of the branch--a sister serving as the RS president, another the primary, a brother the elders quorum president. Work there was difficult, the branch remained small.

Fast forward twenty years. At the end of the Sunday morning meeting, DH sees a face he thinks is this brother so he goes up to him after the meeting, saying how pleased he is to hear that his son is now the branch president. This dear brother seems confused and says, no, my son is the bishop of a ward in another stake in the south of France. I am the branch president again. Again. After 23 years as branch president, he was released for a while and then called again, now three years into his second 'term.' DH expressed amazement. But this dear faithful brother said he was happy to serve. That all his children had served missions. That they were all married in the temple. That they are all faithful and active in the gospel. That he had achieved his lifelong goal of attending the Nauvoo Temple (proudly wearing a tiny Nauvoo Temple lapel pin on his suit).

How many times does twelve months in the nursery seem too long too serve? How many times does more than a year as a primary teacher seem an eternity? How many people have expressed near pity that DH has been bishop for more than four years now? But how long would you be willing to serve in any calling, no matter how much work, no matter how arduous if, the promised result was safety for your family, faithful covenant keeping safety?