Preparation

Sunday, March 6th-

 

On Saturday, Feb 20th, our lives changed. Silas was extended and accepted a call to serve as the Bishop in our ward. Today, he was sustained and set apart as the new Bishop of the Sunbow Ward.

This did not come as a huge surprise to us although we were humbled to get the call. We didn't expect this calling to come because we are better than others or because no one else in the ward could do the job. We knew this call was a possibility for a while because the Lord has been preparing our family.

In the fall of 2013, Silas started feeling impressed to get more serious about his personal prayers and scripture study. He has always had a testimony of Christ and of the Restored Gospel, but as he began to be more consistent with these things, he blossomed.

In April 2014, he was called to serve in the High Council on our Stake which brought him into the company of many strong leaders who taught, trained and supported him and each other through the work they do on that council. Silas’s study of the scriptures and of modern revelation in talks and articles given by the Brethren helped him continue to grow spiritually. His work in the council has given him more confidence in sharing his opinion and watching the miracle of a large group coming together, united in one purpose.

He has become more confident in communicating with others as well. In fact, he spends more time in the hallway after church, chatting with members and checking on people. He has sincerely worried about the welfare of many members of our ward and has spent time praying for them.

When Silas was called to be a High Councilor, he was working for the State of Utah. It was a good job but it was running him ragged. He was so busy with his workload and was not doing well physically. In the fall of 2014, the bank for which he had worked for 7 years prior to the State started talking to him about coming back. In February of 2015, he started working for the bank again. The position he now holds gives him more time to create and learn and he is in an environment that is healthier in general. He is a much happier person, husband and father. I believe strongly that if he was still working his job at the State, he would not be physically or emotionally able to function as a good Bishop. The new job has blessed our lives and now will bless others.

I wrote a few weeks ago about being grateful for our home. Being called as a Bishop solidifies our plans of staying in our home for the next several years. I think that we were prepared emotionally for this as we have been finding ways very recently to be grateful for our home.

The new job has helped Silas’s health improve although he still has to deal with some pain due to his arthritis and the back pain he has from scoliosis and as a result of being in several car accidents as a teenager. He has started playing racquetball again more regularly which is a huge help in dealing with his pain. This is a blessing.

I have also enjoyed better health in the last year. I don't have any major issues to deal with but for many years have had a hard time losing weight after having all the kids. I also simply just ate too much. Last March I started counting calories and exercising more intensely. I have lost 35 pounds and kept it off. This has not only helped me to physically be more healthy, but emotionally.

Since having Molly I have had some anxiety, something I had never experienced. With the busy life of a mom with 5 kids, I have had hard moments with feelings of extreme helplessness and feeling overwhelmed. Since I have changed my eating habits, drink lots of water and exercise more regularly, I have had much less anxiety and stress. This will be a blessing to me, my husband and my family as we start this new time in our lives.

For several years, Silas and I have tried to keep our goal of going to the temple once a month. Last year we decided to increase our attendance to twice a month. As we have sacrificed time and money to go more often, we have received many blessings. One of the greatest is that our children already talk about wanting to go to the temple as they see and hear of our love for temple work.

We have also been going on weekly date nights which has helped our marriage and which we will definitely continue as time together will be more precious.

Through all of this preparation, we have grown and our family has been blessed. As we were being interviewed and in the days after, we have both felt of the love our Heavenly Father has for us. He loves and trusts Silas to do what is best for the ward right now. I have faith in that. He won't be perfect but he will do his best.