Today was a bitter sweet day. We went to the much anticipated stake conference to learn that our ward and stake were being dissolved. Everybody has been speculating about changes in our stake. I knew something was up about a month ago. Kelley has been kind of quiet and different...like he had something on his mind, but when I asked him about it, he wouldn't tell me anything, so I just didn't ask him anymore, thinking it must be something with church that he couldn't talk about.
Last Saturday night, the stake executive secretary called and asked that Kelley and I come in with KC Sunday morning to have him report on his mission to the high council. Then he said for Kelley and I to stay and talk with Pres. Child after that.
KC gave a great report of his mission...As he bore his testimony my heart was filled with love and gratitude for so many good things in my life. I am just so proud of him and the special man he has become. Then President Child asked Kelley and I to bear our testimony...not easy when the emotions are that close to the surface.
After Kelley and I met with the stake presidency. President Child started right out telling me that our ward was being dissolved...thus releasing everyone from their callings...including the bishopric. Then he told us they were dissolving the whole stake so they were also being released as a stake presidency. It was pretty sad. I have sure loved President Child. Our family has been blessed because of the association we have had with him and his family. I have always loved Joann and their daughter Katie was very close friends with Camille. Camille spent a lot of time at their house and Stan and Joann were like second parents to her.
I found out after that Kelley has known for about a month what was going on. The stake presidency asked our bishopric not to tell anyone....and they didn't.
We got up to the church about a half hour early and the chapel was full. I guess everybody knew they would have to get there early to get a seat. By the time it started, it was full back to the stage and that was full too.
We got there in time to get "our seat" by the back door. It was pretty awesome today because then I could say hello to everyone as they came in. It was pretty funny cause the satellite broadcast table was set up behind our seat with all the cameras on it and every time someone would come in, either Kelley or I would hop up to give them a hug or shake their hand and the guy running the camera was getting all flustered cause we kept getting in the cameras way and he would have to keep telling us to sit down.
Paul Rothe sat next to us and we had a good time thinking back and chatting about when we were part of the sixth ward some 20 odd years ago. He was the bishop then and much loved by all. I remember Katie being baptized not long after we moved into that ward...still have the Book of Mormon that Bishop Rothe wrote in for her.
We loved that ward. It was a rare and special ward where everyone truly loved each other. We made life long friends in that ward...and that friendship extended beyond our ward. We would go skiing together, vacation at Lake Powell, Newport beach, and camping trips.
Then our of the blue, it was announced that we were being split from the Blake heights area and being added to a neighborhood up the street. We were devastated. How were we supposed to mesh with all these new people we had never met and form a new ward? Everyone was pretty unhappy. But over time, we started to get to know these people. As we served with them and attended meetings with them and visited with them, we grew to love them. Over the years, the relationships and friendships with these wonderful people have grown to be a priceless treasure to me. There are many people I have grown to love and admire and feel blessed to have them for my friends. I will always treasure these sweet relationships.
When they announced they were putting our neighborhood back with the sixth ward, you could feel the excitement in the room. They said Bishop Blake would continue on as the bishop of the ward. He is a great friend and will be a wonderful bishop.
The Stake presidency all talked and were really positive about the change...encouraging us to all move forward with faith. After the meeting there were lots of hugs and tears with members of the upper part of the ward. We found out that they are not even going to be in our stake anymore, which was hard to hear...at least in the same stake you can see each other once in a while. I worry for my dear Judy as she won't have her sweet lady friends to sit with in church.
There was a great feeling as the old members of the 6th ward rallied around Diane and I and we all just had a great big group hug. It will be wonderful to be with these dear friends again! I know this will be a good change...our ward has really been struggling...and it sounds like everyone else was in the same boat. It gives me a feeling of security and peace knowing that the Lord is in control and will always lead us in the ways that are best for us.