I have felt for the past couple of days that my entire world has been thrown in the air and I am racing around trying to catch all the pieces before they slam into the ground! On Thursday I met with the Bishop and was informed that my counselors and secretary were going to be released on Sunday. We began going through the ward list and writing down names that were possibilities for their replacements. We had a list of eight or ten and I told the Bishop I felt best about three or four of them. Together we came up with a "tentative" list then of who would be called to which position. I then concentrated on pulling together all the loose ends for my presentation on Plural Marriage and getting the girls to get their "stinkin'!" permission slips returned to me before Mini Youth Conference on Saturday.
The Youth Conference was VERY WELL DONE--theme being "Mission: Totally Possible." The T-shirts were red with a logo similar to the old TV show's beginning logo. The morning was spent in service projects and then we had lunch and headed for the break out sessions. I sat in the same room where my presentation would be and listened to two Elders tell the youth about the MTC experience. Then I gave my information on "So What's the Deal about Polygamy (and other hard questions)." The kids were engaged in learning the entire time and I think they came away with some ideas for how to answer those difficult questions from their peers. It has been a wonderful experience for me to study this topic and I, of course, learned far more than I could give away in the class period. It will eventually be a terrific set of thoughts for my BYU course I am taking, Writing a Family History, since my great grandfather served a year in the penitentiary for living the law of Plural Marriage. Time WELL SPENT, in other words!
Next came dinner and the all-important activity--THE DANCE. As I sat next to the bishopric member who is over YW, I asked him if everything would be put into place on Sunday morning. He motioned me to a quieter hallway (THANK HEAVEN!!) and proceeded to enumerate for me who my new helpers would be. I was pretty upset that only one of the names from the list two days prior was even ON THE LIST, and others had been moved around to callings that seemed "impossible" to me.
After a pretty sleepless night, where I felt irritated that such drastic changes could take place and I not get a say in things, it was 8 am and time for Bishop's Youth Committee meeting. However, not a single young person walked through the door until 25 after 8 and we decided to hang the meeting up. So I was given time to sit down with the Bishop once again and clear the air. (Jeff had been a little brutal with him in PEC which met before BYC!! You know how men want to protect their wives!) And suddenly everything fit into place. After I learned the process the bishopric had been through, I knew by the Spirit that although it made no logical sense to ME, there were things the sisters involved needed to learn and that Heavenly Father's plan for this change would be revealed over time and there WERE REASONS that would later become apparent. I was very grateful that I could then defend the Bishop's name, since there were tears and glares and lots of huffy feelings as the day progressed.
Yesterday we met for nearly two hours, and I find that the four of us will get along very well, though there will be adjustments to be made for all of us. And I know that I am being tempered and refined as I learn to submit my will to Father's, since He obviously has a view of things that I cannot see. I vow to be less prickly in the future and have apologized to the Bishopric member for my pout on Saturday. So for now, it is Onward and Upward and let's get ready for Itty Bitty Night tomorrow night. More on that later!
5 comments:
Oh, Gwen! This truly does sound like A LOT! And I am so grateful that in the midst of all of it, you took the time to attend the Hart's sealing. Thank you for being you!
Being a president and working with callings is always so difficult. There are myriads of complicating events that seem to make no sense at all . . . and then, hopefully, the clouds clear and it all falls into place. I hope that will be the case for you!
I would love to have any notes you may have on the presentation you gave on Plural Marriage. I wish I had been there to learn from you!
You put so much of yourself into everything you do, and everyone benefits so much from it. You are a blessing to so many!
Hum, I wonder if our grandfathers were in prison together, mine was from the Brigham City area.
I too have learned these lessons as I have served the Lord. He is the teacher and he does know ALL things...it is we who must be humble and teachable. I'm sure you were left in for a reason as they were put in for a reason...we are for-ordained to do these things, I know you know that. Once I was called to be the Stake Primary President, we had just moved here, I didn't know any one...but the through the Holy Ghost helping me, the right ones were chosen...it's amazing! :D
Oh Gwen, I feel your heart in this post! Thank you for the update! You are always just so busy but it sounds like you've been keeping a rather impossible schedule of late. I can sympathize with that...
I understand EXACTLY where you're coming from on the calling situation as I've been through that myself. Though, as you will see in a post I will post later on (probably Sunday) I cannot vouch that the Bishopric is always 100% correct in their decisions. They are mostly correct, but now always. I think it's important to remember that they are not perfect, any more than I am (which means - they are not perfect) and that the Lord is teaching them along with us (though...I must caveat that I do not question the General Authorities. As far as I'm concerned - they ARE always right. It's at time like these that we have to rely on the Lord to sustain us when things could be better. He always does. He will lift you and support you with your new counselors. I know He will! He's such a fabulous teacher.
Keep your chin up! Love to you!
Gwen, to hear that you have any bad behavior (in the last 10 years) towards church leaders makes me feel so much better. Recently had some leadership differences, and I honestly thought, "Gwen Krumperman would never this this happen!"
I would love a copy of your notes of the "answers to the hard questions" Because I don't have them, and I get asked them, and the way it's been explained to me leaves me little clarity to pass on.
You rock. Even when you fight with bishops, you rock.
I enjoyed the "journey" you took in coming to realize that we need to trust in the Lord's hands that are working through the Bishop(&ric). Bishops are not perfect and they too, go through the Refiner's Fire on a daily basis. In allowing things to move forward, you're also continuing to sustain him in his calling which he needs to be able to do His work.
Thanks for sharing this!
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