The past few weeks, our family has felt an abundant outpouring of love from our Heavenly Father, yet we have also felt Satan's power, and know it's real. Our home has been filled with high-highs and low-lows...and now we are understanding why.
As a family we have been tried and tested, (and I like to think we made it through) but, we have also felt the Spirit testify of truth more powerfully than usual, or maybe we've just been more aware. We have no doubt that our Heavenly Father knows us and love us...no doubt!
Late Saturday night Garrett and I met with our Stake Presidency and listened as Garrett was extended the call to serve as Bishop of our ward. It was a humbling experience to hear counsel from these good men, President Thurgood, President Rhoades and President Hawks and to know of their love for us and for the Lord. It was humbling to see the letter approving Garrett as Bishop and to see signatures from the First Presidency of the Church, President Monson, President Eyring and President Uchtdorf.
I don't know what to expect, but I do know the Lord will provide and our family will be blessed.
Sunday morning, as Garrett sat in PEC meeting, just before being sustained as Bishop of the Maplewood Ward, when only a few knew of what was to take place, and after not sleeping all night, he could hear the prelude music being played for the ward before ours and recognized his favorite hymn, Be Still My Soul...a tender mercy from a loving Heavenly Father.
After church and a few meetings later, as he home taught the Wilkes family, he shared that experience with them and Sister Wilkes, who is one of our ward organists, said she would be sure to include it every week in her prelude music. We have received many phone calls, cards and delicious desserts offering love and support...we have an amazing ward family.
Many of our friends have shared tender experiences with me that they have had over the years while serving with Garrett or just interacting with him that made this change so easy to accept. Bishop Burton, whom Garrett served as 2nd counselor to just two years ago, stood at the end of Sunday School and told of an experience he and President Elmore, our Stake President at the time, had after extending the call as 2nd counselor to Garrett almost 5 years ago. He shared that after our family had left the room, President Elmore turned to Bishop Burton and said "that young man will soon be a Bishop." Bishop Burton is a tender-hearted man who has a special place in his heart for Garrett. We love him and his wife dearly. We are so blessed and look forward to this new chapter in our family's life.
