Fall Ride

Last year, after our bishopric changed, I found myself riding through Dimple Dell on the back of a beautiful horse!  My bishop has several horses and felt like it would be the best way to get to know my presidency... He was right.  Well, the last year has been full of fun and exciting things, including two of my presidency members getting married.  This, of course, resulted in two new members!

Now it is fall again, and Bishop has a few more presidency members to know better.  Oh how I love the perks to my calling!  Again, we took his horses to Dimple Dell and rode through the beautifully changing leaves.  There is nothing that compares to the excitement I feel when I can just ride.

Unfortunately, not all my presidency was able to make it.  Mandy's right foot has been in a cast since August following a bad wakeboarding accident and Annie got called into some last minute meetings for her job.  But for those of us that went, we had a wonderful time!

(L to R): Elizabeth, Shelisa, me, Bishop's wife

Beautiful Ride

About a month ago, we got a new bishopric in our singles ward. It didn't take long for Bishop Swenson to hear that I hadn't ridden a horse in a very long time, but that I loved it. So what awesome thing did he do? He invited me and my RS Presidency out for a ride! He only keeps 4 horses in the valley so my first counselor get left out of this ride, but she'll be on the next one because Bishop wants to go again! It was a fabulous afternoon!

I love being on the majestic horses. There is just a peace that comes from riding through the mountains on such a grand animal that you can't feel anywhere else!

It was so much fun to race the horses!

Back to the Basics

A couple weeks ago, our relief society hosted a small retreat to Midway to celebrate the birthday of relief society. I must say, we have some amazing women in our ward who planned the best retreat ever!

(Liz, sorry I stole your work off the ward blog. Thanks!)

We started out with a great dinner and some games, then we all sat down for some spiritual time. Preface: as my presidency and I prepared for 2009, we all felt inspired that the sisters in our ward need to better understand the basics of relief society. So, as we worked with the Enrichment Committee, we planned the retreat around the 6 purposes of relief society as outline in the RS Handbook. The girls were all very receptive and the spirit was very strong.

Over the last several months, the most prominent lesson I have learned is that the Lord has designed his church just the way it should be. There are many things that we think will help improve the camaraderie or the attendance, when in reality all that's needed are the basic which are outline for us. I have been impressed with how much has changed as our relief society has eliminated the unnecessary fluff and added musical moments or training meetings. It may not always sound the most appealing, but somehow it just works! I look forward to the continued changes that we will see, but even more for the lessons I am learning. I can see myself being sculpted by the Master's hands. I am grateful He trusts me enough to care for 76 of his beautiful sisters. I pray that I will not let Him down!

As I said to my mom when I was called 6 months ago, "The Lord prepares you for your callings, but they will still stretch you and you'll have to grow."

It's Official

So finally, after 3 weeks of secret relief society meetings, I can finally announce that I have a new calling... Relief Society President!

I was given the calling 3 weeks ago, but because of General Conference, and our ward conference, they decided to wait to call my counselors and secretary, and to sustain us. Well, today it became official, making it okay for me to share the exciting/daunting/almost overwhelming news with you all.

I think the very hardest thing for me to do during those 3 weeks, was keep it quiet. I had so many thoughts going through my head, but I had to keep it quiet, continue in my previous calling, all while secretly learning the ropes of my new calling. It was quite a task.

I asked the Bishop to let me know when my counselors were called so I could contact them, and I cannot explain the relief I felt when I got off the phone with my Bishop Thursday night. To know these girls were excited to work with my and ready to be by my side lightened the heaviness felt by my secretiveness. Then today after we were sustained and set apart, that same heaviness was nearly gone. Having these girls with me is so important to the success of my calling.

The organization of this church is amazing to me. Never at any point do the leaders of any and all different auxiliaries have to feel alone. The Lord intends to run His church with organization and the best way to do that is to have presidencies, bishoprics, and groups of leaders. Being in this position helps me to understand just how important it is to have others there to support you. I truly believe all things have a purpose.

As I begin to work with the sisters in my ward, I know I will more fully understand the purpose of Relief Society. I am excited for this challenge, fully knowing it will be just that, but the simplest of blessings make it so worth it. So, bring on the challenge!