Shawn has been serving for 4 years as the Bishop of our Ward. (Similar to a Priest or Pastor) I was thinking earlier today about my feelings and thoughts the few months after his call. Of course there were many different ones but the experience I remember most is the following:
A few months after Shawn being called as Bishop I was sitting in our family room with Shawn and a few of the kids. I don't really recall exactly what led me to this thought but all of the sudden I let out a huge gasp. I scared everyone in the room.
Shawn asked me if everything was okay? To which I replied, "Are they really just like us?" He looked at me and said, "I'm not sure I know what you are talking about."
So I began to have him recall all the bishops he had watched as he was growing up. Recall their wonderful families and how you admired them so much. And he said, "Yeah, so?"
"So, are you telling me all those people were exactly like us?" For example- Messy houses, children that fight, forgetting to say prayers, not reading scriptures daily, family home evenings where no one wants to sit by each other, etc., etc.
Now I don't know- I can only hope that all those Bishops and their families that we looked up to and still do- are doing better than we are. But if my suspicions are correct we are all the same no matter what our calling may be at the time. We are just taking one day at a time trying to get closer to our Savior and return to live with our Heavenly Father as Eternal Families.
Am I right? What do you think?
6 comments:
When I first joined the church, I remember hanging out with a lot of young married couples including the Elder's Quorum President and his wife, and babysat for them a few times. Most of these couples were med students and were good looking. We called them the Ken and Barbie couples. It was a hard image for me to see because I knew I couldn't be like them. I remember learning that we weren't to watch rated R movies. After that, I was babysitting for the EQ President and found Rated R movies in their entertainment center. I wasn't critical of them - I was relieved to know they were human too.
So yes, I'd say you're just like them. As a family with Shawn as our Bishop, we do look to you and your family as examples. But no, we don't think you're perfect. And I for one am thankful for that. I know that your family works on things to improve upon. That encourages me to do the same. A perfect Bishop's family would be impossible to relate to, making it harder to share with the Bishop a struggle your family is having because how could he understand when his family is perfect.
So thank you for your example!
I don't know if you subscribe to the Mormon Times, but there have recently been two articles about our Bishop here in McKinney. Bishop Rogers is a boxer. A professional boxer. And an avid hunter. Last week he had a couple of dead coyotes and racoons in the bed of his truck on Sunday. He apologized to the ward about it, if anyone was offended, and talked a little bit about the "ideals" we have of what a Bishop "should" be. He said when he was called to be the Bishop he really questioned the Lord on it, because of his hobbies. He said that he has come to believe that the Lord calls the willing and able to fulfill His purposes. Yes, they're really just like you!
And, can I tell you, Shawn was my favorite Bishop ever!?
Ashley I have read the articles about your bishop in the Mormon times. I actually thought it was awesome to see a Bishop with such an interesting story. It made me think how awesome it would be to have such a story to tell.
Thanks for your kind words both of you. I just wanted to get this on "paper" to have for the future. I had already waited long enough to write it down. You are both great.
We definiately look up to you!!! But yes, we are all human. You have such a wonderful family and you're doing such a great job! It does make me feel better that sometimes family prayer or scripture study doesn't happen. Doesn't make me feel so bad that we don't always do it either! We love you guys and appreciate all the hard work and sacrifice this calling brings.
We all feel that way sometimes and yes, all those other families, probably had their own set of problems (if you want to call it that). You're human.
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