Testimonies and Digestion

I remember one night in Florida having eaten a nice big steak - in fact, it was January of 2007, I am thinking the 2nd or 3rd week. Sorry, just associating a timeline here so I threw out some completely unnecessary details. Anyway, it was rather delicious but I ended up being sick all night. I had also completely lost my appetite for anything meat and thought for a couple of days about joining the vegetarian movement. Glad that didn't take long to get over. My point being, sometimes it takes a little time to digest certain things. I was miserable for a night and then lacked complete desire for anything meat for a few days and actually lost my appetite for steak for a few months. Disturbing I know. How can a man live without a nice juicy steak every now and again?

I mentioned two days ago that I had a surprise call for an interview with the Stake Presidency. Having served as the stake exec secretary I had a pretty good idea what to expect. Saturday evening appointment meant they were making a change the following day. That easily eliminated a few things and I quickly narrowed it down and had it right on, well almost, I didn't bother figuring on 1st or 2nd. I was called and set apart today as the first counselor in the Elders Quorum. I should probably go to work on completely useless information again and simply jot down the number of years I have served in the EQ presidency. It is probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 8. I have been the President 4 times and have made the rounds in every other position as well.

What in the world does this have to do with digestion? I have loved serving the Lord all my life but I have been less than excited about the Elders Quorum for a few years so accepting this call last night, though easy to say yes to the Stake Presidency, was something that I had to digest. That sounds bad I know. I guess I should clarify. I love the Elders Quorum and I love associating with good brethren. I don't like babysitting men when it comes to home teaching. That isn't much fun at all. Well, I have obviously not learned what I need to learn in the Elders Quorum Presidency. So we go back again. I am determined to be a fast learner this time around, and having had a day to digest this, I am feeling pretty good about it. The President is Ben Fawson who I happen to home teach. That's what I get for trying to magnify my assignment there. He is a great man and I am happy to serve with him. Cameron Brown and (I want to say) David Allen round out the presidency. Cameron is an old high school friend of Dave's, fun guy and I played church softball with David and his wife and rather enjoyed him as well.

I was pondering this call earlier today and thought of it as my proving ground. I have been blessed by the Lord a great deal all of my life but more so over the course of this year. I have had miracles take place, I have somehow made it for 6 months with virtually no income and here we are happy and healthy. I express my gratitude and love to the Lord and try to regularly. Well, do I love the Lord? Do I really? Am I willing to serve with all of my heart, might, mind and strength? I remembered shaving heads at the mental hospital on the outskirts of Queenstown. That was the most disgusting service of my mission. I thought I would die the first time I went. Then I read Mosiah 2 in my personal study and my entire outlook on that service changed. I grew to love it and it became my favorite service on my mission and not just because I shaved the mohawk into some dude's head and it took him weeks to find it. So perspective and attitude. I am going out to serve my friend whom I love and if it means I have to help manage home teaching assignments then I am going to do the very best that I can do. Mmmm, isn't digestion a wonderful thing?

Fast and Testimony Sunday today meant lots of kids getting up to share their testimonies. All three of mine managed to go up. I was a tad nervous with two of them. Natty did great and I had no nervousness with her. She is a veteran. The boys however had me a skosh on edge.

Andy lead the march for my kids. He jumped up after seeing a couple of his cousins go up. He got on the stand and sat on the second row of seats. He looked out at me with a big grin on his face and waived. When it was his turn he marched for the pulpit and the Bishop got up to set out the stool. Andy got a little confused and turned to go sit back down but they called him up. He jumped up there and actually said a little prayer. "Heavenly Father, Thank you for this day. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen". That was his first time and it was beautiful to see my baby boy up there all by himself.

Natty is the ultimate pest. I don't know that I have ever met someone that is as determined as Natalie to get her way. She wouldn't leave me alone about getting up so she finally used the old "will you go if I go" routine and I consented. She jumped up and shared a beautiful and sweet little testimony. As soon as she was done she came and pestered me some more. Well, Jack had my back and came to the rescue.

Jack stood at the pulpit with a grin on his face and waited for it to lower. He then pulled the mic down some but stood there without saying anything. I thought I was going to have to go and help him. Then he stuck his right hand up with his finger pointed and it was like the light went on and he knew what to say. "I know the Church is true. I know all about the people in the church. It has super straight rows and benches." With that he was done and came and sat down.

I couldn't have been prouder of my children. It was so Jack to recognize the super straight rows and benches and for that to be his testimony. I am learning more and more that parenthood is a lot of work. It is hard work and sometimes you feel like you are wallowing in the depths of hell. Well, you may not but I do. You don't know if anything you are struggling to do is actually making a difference. There were many a Sunday when I wondered if I should even bother attending church because I wasn't getting anything out of it and spent 3 hours wrestling with kids. I could easily do that at home. We continued to go and it was hellish sometimes but the Lord saw us through. Funny that I always managed to digest a really bad day at church pretty quickly. I am grateful for that especially today when sweet and tender testimonies were born and confirmation received that in fact something is sticking.

The pesterer did prevail and I did share my testimony. She also pestered me on another matter later and prevailed there as well. She's got my number doesn't she. That Natty Sue keeps me going sometimes and I am grateful for her.