Letting Go!

This past week was a busy one with my Bishopric duties still in full swing.  We had the usual meeting on Tuesday night with visits on Wednesday and a Young Women Recognition Dinner on Thursday night.  The business carried over into the weekend with a funeral on Saturday of the father of some of our close friends in the ward, the Plaiziers.  I will be honest I relished every momment that I got to spend with my ward and fellow Bishopric members knowing that on Sunday I would have to say goodbye as I would be released and it would be our last week in our ward.

Saying goodbye was both easier and harder then I expected.  I thought I would be more of a mess then I was and to be honest I think I was at peace about the decision to move on which tells me that the Lord is guiding us in this move.  I got the opportunity to bear my testimony in sacrament and say my goodbyes to the people whom I have grown to know and love.  In the movie Sound of Music, Maria Von Trapp, sings about raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens being among her favorite things and it got me thinking what are my favorite things and I realized that they have become the many wonderful people I have gotten to know, who have welcomed me into their homes and have shown me love and acceptance.  As I look back on my time in Bishopric it will always be the memories of sharing laughs with the youth or visiting people in their homes and getting a better view of who they really are.  It will be of watching those same members reach out to others around them lifting them up and helping them climb and overcome their personal mountains, many times with that hand being offered to my family and I.  Bottom line it was all about the people and I pray that I won't forget them and that we won't be forgotten either. 

I will eternally be grateful to the Lord and the Bishop for seeing something in me that I'm not sure I saw in myself.  I am so thankful for my beautiful wife who always supported me and lifted me up when it was a lot to take in.  I am grateful for the time I had to be in the 37th Ward and I look forward to getting to know my new ward and going in, as my mom counseled, with an open mind and a heart turned towards forgiveness.  Being released from the Bishopric has turned a page for both B and myself that we feel we are letting go and moving forward with the faith that the Lord is with us and if we listen to Him all will be well.