Loving More Abundantly
Greetings All,
I am sorry that I did not wake up this morning and do my normal Sunday post. It has been kind of crazy around our household this week. I have done a great deal of pondering this week. However, I am not sure that I have pondered much around my scheduled pondering list. So, I am going to go with another verse that came up in personal study that has been rolling around in my head over and over again this week.
For history and journal purposes, I am going to start with a little background and explanation.
It all started last Saturday morning I received a text from our Stake Executive Secretary. He asked if the Queen and I could meet with our Stake President the following afternoon. I responded as soon as I received the message and let him know we could even meet earlier as me meet each Sunday in the same building as the stake offices. He informed me that we would have to meet at the designated time as the President was previously engaged. After that, I really didn't give it much thought.
Sunday morning, as we walked into our church building, I had a odd feeling that something was not right as we walked pasted our Bishop's office. I am not sure what was going on inside, but the noise level was a little louder than one would expect. At 10:30, there was only one counselor on the stand and our meetings were not starting. At 10:35, our Bishop walked into the chapel and took his seat on the stand. It was clear to me that his burdens that day were heavy and weighing on him. I felt impressed to send him a short text message letting him know that I supported him, loved him, and was willing to help in any way I could.
The message came through on his watch during the opening hymn. He smiled and replied with a "Bless You".
And the meeting went on from there.
After church, the Bishop's wife was sitting outside his office. We jokingly stopped to visit and commented that it looked like she was enjoying the quiet of the moment. She informed us that she was and that she had just sent her children home alone while she waited for the Bishop. It was not a normal Sunday event, but she was doing her best to enjoy the moment. We let her know we loved her and proceeded to leave the building.
In the parking lot, we found all of their children sitting in hot vehicle waiting patiently for "Mom". Their young 17 year old son was sitting in the drivers seat. We commented that we had just seen their Mother and she had indicated she had sent them all home. They rolled their eyes and drove away shaking their heads as they had not understood the communication chain completely.
An hour later, we returned to the building for our scheduled appointment. When we arrived in the stake offices, our Stake President asked me to join him in his office while one of the counselors invited the Queen to join him in the high council room.
"This is a little odd", I thought, but I was going to roll with it.
His leading question was, "Are you a current temple recommend holder?"
I indicated that I was and that I had recently started serving in the temple in our district.
Then, after remembering that I was serving ask, "Brother, is there anything in your past that would de-fame myself or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if it were to become public knowledge?"
Boy, that was a loaded question. I am sure that in my adolescence, I made some questionable choices, but, "No, there was nothing in my conduct that would reflect poorly upon myself or the church to which I belonged."
This question has given me much to think about the past few days. In my personal study of Come Follow Me, 2 Corinthians 2:4 has stood out in my mind and I have reflected upon Paul and his situation.
"For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you."
In my adolescence, I did make poor choices at times. As I have increased in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man, I have learned to repent of many of those choices. Heck, I still find myself making poor choices at times that could have been avoided if I had been a little more in tune with the promptings if the Holy Ghost, but like those of the past, I learn from them, repent and to my best to move forward.
Paul had made some poor choices. Even in his role as Apostle of the Lord, he had been a little too brash in his wording. I know that I have done that as well. This morning as I spoke in Sacrament Meeting, I talked about my own personal experiences of hearing the counsel and whispering of the Spirit, which made so much sense in my head, but when I attempted to articulate, they came out jumbled and flawed, yet they were the words that needed to be heard.
You see, after I was able to answer that question, our President asked how things were at home and if there was anything in my conduct with my family that would be concerning.
I informed him that there was not.
He proceeded to invite the Queen into the office, with his presidency, and extend a call to serve as Bishop of our ward. I was completely blindsided. I had no idea that it would be happening and it really was not what I meant when I told our Bishop I was willing to do anything to help him.
But here I am.
As I have reflected upon Paul, his heartache and desires for the people he loved, I have thought of those within my family and ward. I have found myself with many tears. I am sure there will be many more, but as I strive to serve and do as my Heavenly Father desires of me, I can only hope that he and others will overlook my imperfections and feel of my abundant love towards them.
There is just a small sample of my pondering this week.
The Queen has been training, locally, but in person. The house has been quiet.
I spent the few couple days of the week in the Windy City before coming home to the quiet.
The Professor has been busy planning, grading, instructing, and more.
Tall Man, Ehl-Bo, and Lego are growing together, juggling all that life throws at them and doing pretty good at it.
Puddin, Lady Hawkins, and Rio are doing the same. Just as they feel like they are getting used to their routine, Puddin applied for a different career path. We look forward to hearing how it goes.
SnackPack is livin' the dream as best he can. He has so many thoughts, activities, friends, and job duties that he is going, going, going. I am excited to hear how the hard work pays off.
I love you all.
I am sorry that I did not wake up this morning and do my normal Sunday post. It has been kind of crazy around our household this week. I have done a great deal of pondering this week. However, I am not sure that I have pondered much around my scheduled pondering list. So, I am going to go with another verse that came up in personal study that has been rolling around in my head over and over again this week.
For history and journal purposes, I am going to start with a little background and explanation.
It all started last Saturday morning I received a text from our Stake Executive Secretary. He asked if the Queen and I could meet with our Stake President the following afternoon. I responded as soon as I received the message and let him know we could even meet earlier as me meet each Sunday in the same building as the stake offices. He informed me that we would have to meet at the designated time as the President was previously engaged. After that, I really didn't give it much thought.
Sunday morning, as we walked into our church building, I had a odd feeling that something was not right as we walked pasted our Bishop's office. I am not sure what was going on inside, but the noise level was a little louder than one would expect. At 10:30, there was only one counselor on the stand and our meetings were not starting. At 10:35, our Bishop walked into the chapel and took his seat on the stand. It was clear to me that his burdens that day were heavy and weighing on him. I felt impressed to send him a short text message letting him know that I supported him, loved him, and was willing to help in any way I could.
The message came through on his watch during the opening hymn. He smiled and replied with a "Bless You".
And the meeting went on from there.
After church, the Bishop's wife was sitting outside his office. We jokingly stopped to visit and commented that it looked like she was enjoying the quiet of the moment. She informed us that she was and that she had just sent her children home alone while she waited for the Bishop. It was not a normal Sunday event, but she was doing her best to enjoy the moment. We let her know we loved her and proceeded to leave the building.
In the parking lot, we found all of their children sitting in hot vehicle waiting patiently for "Mom". Their young 17 year old son was sitting in the drivers seat. We commented that we had just seen their Mother and she had indicated she had sent them all home. They rolled their eyes and drove away shaking their heads as they had not understood the communication chain completely.
An hour later, we returned to the building for our scheduled appointment. When we arrived in the stake offices, our Stake President asked me to join him in his office while one of the counselors invited the Queen to join him in the high council room.
"This is a little odd", I thought, but I was going to roll with it.
His leading question was, "Are you a current temple recommend holder?"
I indicated that I was and that I had recently started serving in the temple in our district.
Then, after remembering that I was serving ask, "Brother, is there anything in your past that would de-fame myself or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if it were to become public knowledge?"
Boy, that was a loaded question. I am sure that in my adolescence, I made some questionable choices, but, "No, there was nothing in my conduct that would reflect poorly upon myself or the church to which I belonged."
This question has given me much to think about the past few days. In my personal study of Come Follow Me, 2 Corinthians 2:4 has stood out in my mind and I have reflected upon Paul and his situation.
"For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you."
In my adolescence, I did make poor choices at times. As I have increased in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man, I have learned to repent of many of those choices. Heck, I still find myself making poor choices at times that could have been avoided if I had been a little more in tune with the promptings if the Holy Ghost, but like those of the past, I learn from them, repent and to my best to move forward.
Paul had made some poor choices. Even in his role as Apostle of the Lord, he had been a little too brash in his wording. I know that I have done that as well. This morning as I spoke in Sacrament Meeting, I talked about my own personal experiences of hearing the counsel and whispering of the Spirit, which made so much sense in my head, but when I attempted to articulate, they came out jumbled and flawed, yet they were the words that needed to be heard.
You see, after I was able to answer that question, our President asked how things were at home and if there was anything in my conduct with my family that would be concerning.
I informed him that there was not.
He proceeded to invite the Queen into the office, with his presidency, and extend a call to serve as Bishop of our ward. I was completely blindsided. I had no idea that it would be happening and it really was not what I meant when I told our Bishop I was willing to do anything to help him.
But here I am.
As I have reflected upon Paul, his heartache and desires for the people he loved, I have thought of those within my family and ward. I have found myself with many tears. I am sure there will be many more, but as I strive to serve and do as my Heavenly Father desires of me, I can only hope that he and others will overlook my imperfections and feel of my abundant love towards them.
There is just a small sample of my pondering this week.
The Queen has been training, locally, but in person. The house has been quiet.
I spent the few couple days of the week in the Windy City before coming home to the quiet.
The Professor has been busy planning, grading, instructing, and more.
Tall Man, Ehl-Bo, and Lego are growing together, juggling all that life throws at them and doing pretty good at it.
Puddin, Lady Hawkins, and Rio are doing the same. Just as they feel like they are getting used to their routine, Puddin applied for a different career path. We look forward to hearing how it goes.
SnackPack is livin' the dream as best he can. He has so many thoughts, activities, friends, and job duties that he is going, going, going. I am excited to hear how the hard work pays off.
I love you all.
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