Bishop Calling and a Trunk or Treat

This is going to be a long blog post. And filled with lots of personal and deep feelings. If you'd rather not read all of it, it's no big deal. I wrote most of it for our family and for our kids later. 

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My heart has been so full all week. We knew for a couple of weeks that this week would be an important week. On October 8, Dave and I had an appointment with the Stake President. About an hour before the appointment, Logan cut his finger really bad. Bad enough to need stitches. I told Dave that I would rush Logan to the urgent care and try my hardest to get to the Stake President's office as quickly as I could. I hoped that I would have time to at least run home and change my clothes first, but I didn't. Logan and I got to the Stake President's office exactly on time - freshly bandaged and wearing sweats. Normally I would have left Logan home and obviously dressed up myself. Dave and I had a pretty good idea why we were there. We had both been having pretty strong feelings for months that Dave was going to get called as Bishop. And that is exactly what happened. Later, Dave said that he wondered if the Stake President was maybe expecting a little more of a reaction from us. In hindsight, we really knew. We just didn't know for sure. You know what I mean?

It was a hard two weeks. We couldn't really tell anyone. We both told our parents but anyone that lived close or was in the ward was obviously out of the question. The Stake President even asked us not to tell our kids until the night before. Logan was an exception because he was there. But, he very clearly didn't know what was going on. A lot of people were speculating that it was Dave beforehand. We both had to get pretty good at dodging the question without telling a lie.

One week after Dave got called, they called his counselors. It was a fun week leading up to that - watching Dave pray and try his hardest to know who to have serve with him. The Stake Presidency asked Dave and I to go to the Stake office so we could meet with the counselors as well. It's a tradition of this Stake Presidency to have the new bishop "hide" in the high counsel room and get revealed AFTER the counselors had already accepted their callings. While we were waiting, I whispered to Dave that I wondered if either of the counselors had impressions before coming like we did. After they both accepted the calling and came into the room with us, they both told stories about how they felt like this calling was coming. It was really cool.

Sunday, October 20th was the day that Dave was sustained and set apart. It was such an incredibly spiritual day! From the minute I woke up, I felt Heavenly Father's love so close. We didn't know what to expect when we got there. Sacrament meeting was under the direction of the Stake Presidency. First, they started by releasing the old bishopric and thanking them for such a wonderful job. Then, one by one they called the new bishopric. They then asked for the previous bishop's wife to come up and say a few words, then the previous bishop. Next they would hear from each of the new counselors, the new bishop's wife, Dave and finally the Stake President would get up. My only regret is that I wasn't prepared. We didn't know ahead of time, but Dave told me that he thought they may ask me to come up. I did think about what to say, but I couldn't come up with anything specific. My heart sank a little bit when they wanted me to go up. I did get up and speak. With a really long pause right in the middle. Dave more than made up for it. He had actually sat down and prepared a few words of testimony. He didn't have his paper with him, but he has an incredible memory.

The Stake President gave a really good talk on the process of choosing a new bishop. He said that he starts a year in advance. He studies the ward directory and listens to the spirit about who should be bishop. He makes a list of about 10 or so that may be good. Over the next few months, he shortens the list more until he gets down to 2 or 3. He said that he then is very careful about doing anything in his personal life that would detract from the spirit. He stops watching tv and is careful about his thoughts. He fasts and prays until he feels that one name is standing out. He then prays that the particular name that he feels inspired by IS who the Lord wants to be bishop. After that, he sends the name in to be approved. I didn't know before this but bishops are approved by the First Presidency. He gave us the letter that he got back approving Dave with all three members of the first presidency's signatures. It's pretty cool! Not that I've ever done this in the past, but I'll definitely never question who is called as bishop. With that intense of a process, it definitely ends up being who the Lord wants.

After sacrament meeting, they ordained all three members of the bishopric as high priests and set them apart. They also set apart the new executive secretary. Poor Logan did an outstanding job! It was 7 prayers in a row. He was getting pretty tired, but he did so good being quiet!

Dave had his dad ordain him to be a high priest. I cried the entire time. It was amazing! His dad has been in really poor health for several years and Dave's brother had to hold him up so he could stand to ordain Dave.

The Stake President set Dave apart. Right after Dave got called, I told him that I wished that the bishop's wife got a blessing. It's not my calling, but it is a sacrifice for me and our family. It only seemed fair, I thought. I only brought it up once to Dave beforehand. I was going to ask him after he got called to give me a blessing. But, I didn't need one. As Dave was getting set apart, the Stake President specifically said that through Dave he was blessing his wife and family. That was only said during Dave's setting apart and I know that Heavenly Father did that for me. I'm so grateful!

After church, we had Dave's family and a few of our close friends over for dinner. It was so nice to be surrounded by those we love most. I went to sleep thank my Heavenly Father for having such amazing people in our lives!!

Dave and I are both incredibly adamant that all callings are equal in the church. There is no prestige with being bishop. Just responsibility to fulfill a calling. I know we both feel incredibly humbled to be trusted with such a "heavy" calling. I know that Dave is going to be an incredible bishop! Even before, he was so good at understanding and loving everyone. I'm excited to see how the gifts he has already been given will be enhanced so much more with now having the "mantle".

Being Bishop is usually a five year calling. About a week beforehand, I decided that I wanted to take a family picture the day he was sustained and the day he was released. That way we can compare how much our kids have grown and our family has changed. All of our kids will have really strong memories of their dad being bishop! It's really such a blessing to our family. I can already feel a stronger spirit in our home!

It's not the very best picture ever, but I have a feeling that it will turn out to be one of my very favorites. We took it several hours after church and we had to make our kids get re-dressed in their church clothes. But I knew if we didn't do it exactly on the day, we wouldn't do it at all.

This week has been his first "official" week and he has been super busy. So far, Monday night is the only night that he has been home. Some of it was extra stuff that he probably won't do every week. He is already a very busy person, so I think it will take some time to adjust and re-schedule things. And definitely re-prioritize!  He may have to cut a few things out. If someone had told me even a year ago that this year he would be a first year principal and be called as bishop, I probably would have cried! But, we've been prepared this year and I know that we'll be taken care of.

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Yesterday, it was sort of crazy. I had Pack Meeting and then immediately afterward, we had our ward trunk or treat. I had to be there early. So, I loaded the kids up and went to pack meeting. Dave met us there as soon as he could get there. We always love the Trunk-or-treat! And there was a HUGE turn out last night. So fun!

I plan on taking better costume pictures next week. We were in such a rush last night! The kids made out with a huge candy haul. Halloween is always so tricky to me. Should I let them just go hog wild for a day or so and eat it all (and be done with the candy) or do we spread it out over several weeks? Definitely a first world problem.

I can't believe how grown up Bria is getting! She's practically a young woman. How did that happen?


More carnivals and Halloween fun next week! So far I like this Friday posting idea. Three weeks in a row!