Stake Conference

 

Josh was called as our new stake president.  He and I had both been feeling for awhile that he was going to be on the short list - we knew that this stake conference there was likely going to be some changes.  Three weeks ago he got up and said he needed to go to the Temple because the Lord told him to approach him.  So we scheduled a visit for the next available day and went.  He even skipped a pear-picking mutual night to do that, which told me just how important he felt this was.  I knew for sure then that he would be getting a new calling.  The seventies that came started their interviews at 8am on Saturday.  They had a long list and scheduled 6 minute interview slots that ran for almost four hours!  Isn't that crazy!  Josh's was at 9am.  Then we waited to see if we'd get a call back, and sure enough around noon the stake president asked us both to come down.  Josh already knew who the Lord wanted as his counselors and we'd talked about it.  So they were called around an hour after us.  Our meeting today was lovely.  I was invited to bear my testimony with the other wives and I really had been mulling that over for the past week or so - what specific things I wanted to witness of.  I think honestly that it was helped by Heaven.  I felt like my wording was the most coherent and best described my personal testimony and feelings as any I've borne publicly.  I'm grateful for that little blessing.  Josh did fine in his testimony   He didn’t seem nervous to me but I could tell he felt a lot of humility.

We enjoyed getting to know Elder Ringwood and Elder Slaughter.  They both taught us so much both in private conversations and in their talks to our stake   It is always a blessing to be spiritually fed.

Josh’s first counselor is Jeff Elseth   He has been our ministering brother for a long time, Bishop twice, and just retired from his engineering job   He went to school in Corvallis and that’s where he joined the Church   He and his wife are really sweet   The second counselor is one of Josh’s good friends Joe Dunn   He was the one I was sure would be a counselor.   He recently moved into the neighborhood across the street although not in our ward   He, Jeff, and Josh said that they all three kept thinking of each other the last week or so as the time came closer for stake conference changes   Elder Ringwood said something quite funny in our interview.   He said they are asked to keep these interviews and callings confidential but the the Holy Ghost goes around telling everyone!  😂

Josh gets right to work selecting a new Bishop for our ward.  I suspect I know who he will choose - sometimes the choice is obvious and we actually talked several months ago about who we thought might make a good replacement when he was released next spring- not thinking that it might be his task to receive that revelation.  So that will be fun and I'll be excited to see if I guessed correctly!

So that was our day.  After church he was set apart and then the seventies did some training for us as couples, which was cool to be a part of.  I love that the Church has gotten more inclusive in their training than they used to be.  From here on out I really won't be part of his work other than accompanying him when he sets apart and releases missionaries (so excited for that) and my life will continue as normal in our ward.   Josh worked very hard for the rest of Sunday and I am sure that will be the case for awhile.  It’s a challenge to be sure.