He's Our Bishop!

At the 2007 UCET conference David Warlick recommended that our blogs should have a purpose. I've been thinking about that for a few weeks now, knowing that this blog's purpose is just the miscellany of ideas that motivate me until I finally put fingers to the keyboard and share them. It's not that I really expect anyone to read them. Seems rather unlikely that any one does except for me. But I do like reading them myself, so I happily think I'll continue sharing. Then I had a brainstorm...what if this blog did have a specific purpose? Or what if I expanded its purpose?

Today I taught the lesson in Young Women about Appreciating the Bishop (YW manual 2, lesson #11) For some reason I become more nervous with each lesson I give. The lesson was straight forward enough. We were to discuss the responsibilities of the Bishop, who helps him with these and then why the Bishop is important in the lives of the Young Women. While preparing to give this lesson, I reflected on my days in the Young Women program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As the only member of the LDS church in my family, I often looked to my Bishop when I did not have the family support that I needed. While we lived in Garland, Texas, and I attended Seminary, the lessons often recommended that the students discuss certain things with their parents, so I often visited with the Bishop about some things. Today, I really appreciate how my Bishop always had time for these visits. He always supported the role of my parents in my life, and had good counsel about how to nurture my relationships with my parents after they divorced. He cared enough for me to want the best for me.

During the lesson today I shared a special activity that meant a lot to me at the time and even more now. For one mutual activity when I was in Young Women we were each given a paper that was past around to the others in the room, including other young women and the leaders. Each took a turn filling out blanks about different characteristics about the person whose paper we held. Then the papers were passed on. I still have my paper from that activity. My Bishop had my paper when we were supposed to put the shape that reminded me of that person. I likely put "circle" or "triangle" about the person whose paper I held, but my Bishop wrote "perfect" about me. Knowing that my Bishop felt that way about me helped me through many difficult times over the years.

There are many folks that write derogatory remarks about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some even have received great acclaim from the world. I would like to use this forum to share my growth as I learn more about the gospel and apply it to my life.

Last night President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke to the Young Women of the church. He challenged them to not let a day go by without attempting to better themselves. There were four things he wanted them to remember:

1. Pray-speak to our Heavenly Father every day
2. Study-the gospel and get a good education
3. Pay tithing-open the windows of heaven
4. Attend your meetings-partake of the Sacrament

How blessed we are to have a prophet of the Lord!