Half of me

Half of me hopes no one finds this blog. I want to say what I want to say without anyone who lives in my zip code finding out.

The other half of me hopes I have some homeys show up and can make new friends - particularly new friends I don't have to watch every word with. he he he

This calling of Relief Society President has been insane. The past President promised me I was not jumping out of the frying pan with my previous calling and into the fire, but she lied. Maybe not lied, but it certainly wasn't accurate. I feel like I broke the ward. I've had my calling less than 6 months and have already completed more food orders than the previous President did in her entire tenure. It seems like while the sisters are happy (which is huge) there is so much drama drama drama. Unhealthy people, unhealthy children, lack of money, husbands in jail, divorce on the horizon, testimony struggles, testimony struggles of spouses that affect the sisters, no place to live, unsuitable places to live...that's the bad half.

The good half - I seem to have more hours in my day. On Monday, I went to do a food order - which is usually a 2 hour process. Amazingly, I did the order, taught the sister some about nutrition, made a 2-week menu, and was back to the babysitter in a smidge over an hour. What a blessing! It's like a miracle of extra minutes. It's not in the New Testament, but it is on a blog.

More good - I have amazing counselors. Truly. Others say this - but if we were to have a competition, mine would win as the most amazing. The sisters of the ward want to help us. I have so many offers of assistance. I need to figure out how to utilize the help best, though. I struggle there.

Being Relief Society President puts a lot of things in perspective. You hear real problems and your own are put in perspective. You have so much love, you think your heart will burst. I can't believe how much I love these women. I feel very defensive about them - especially when the Bishop raises a concern with some aspect of someone's life. I've found myself more than once getting on a soapbox about how great the individual is. (Have I mentioned I think I scare the Bishop. He's a good, good guy. Best in the stake. Heaven help us both to live through this!)

While I haven't become more wise, I certainly feel more patience for others lack of wisdom. I've learned that for the most part, one size does not fit all. The same (secular) advice is not going to work for everyone. The only thing that will save folks unilaterally is the gospel. As crazy as life is right now and as stressful (I go to sleep thinking of sisters who need help and I wake up the same way!), I am already afraid for when I will not be specifically charged with worrying about them. I have such joy in their successes - I feel like a mother of 140-something grown women, most of whom are older than I am - and I am already fearful of who will care for them next! Will she love them as much as I do? Will she be patient with them? Will she be able to fill in where I failed and help those I could not reach?

I'm in a half and half world right now. But while half of me wants so desperately to become Methodist, half of me just couldn't feel more blessed! With a whole heart, I welcome ya to my blog. It won't all be drudgery about my calling - but frankly - some of it will be. In the meantime, let's have some fun!