A week in the life of the Relief Society President

This time last week, I was meeting a sister who had a lovely home, a Ph. D, and no money.  And a husband with cancer.  She was out of money (she cannot work right now due to health reasons and has used up all of her unemployment) and had bills beginning to accumulate. And no food.

In swoops the handy dandy Relief Society President!  Here to hear your woes and feed you from head to toes.  (Work with me - I felt a rhyme coming on!)  We spent 2.5 hours reviewing her life and what we could do.  Then, I went and got my kids (at 9:30 pm) and tucked them into bed.  (And got that order to the Bishop.  Riddle me this - if I do the orders - arrange everything - and sit and hold folks' hands - why is it called the BISHOP'S STOREHOUSE?)

Since that day, I've done 2 more food orders.  I've picked one sister up for church (when I wasn't planning to go - my kid was sick) and another up for an Enrichment activity.  One of those food orders, I delivered to the third floor of an apartment building - to an empty home (no one could meet me.)  Ohhhhh - that was a hoot and a half hauling 2 weeks of groceries up 2 flights of stairs.  A friend helped me, so I took her some flowers for her assistance.

I've also reviewed a (really crappy) mission plan and talked folks in off the ledge about it and I worked with the VT Coordinator to rearrange some routes.  That is one never ending job.

I also went scouting for new sisters in my copious spare time.  My counselor and I went to 7 homes.  We were able to meet with one sister who is very ill and needs surgery and were able to come up with a plan of how to get her some help.  I made all the necessary phone calls to get that squared away.  All the other houses were notes left in doors - and then all the emails that need to go out to the other auxiliaries letting them know I left notes in doors all over town.

Yesterday, I got a call that someone's child is dying. Tonight, I got a call that someone's father died. Then I called the woman whose child is dying to tell her the other woman's father died and tried to be a good friend to both.  Speaking of talking to folks,  I found out this week that one person's interloper mother who has moved in smokes weed all the time and another girl's husband's jail stint is looking like it will be longer than we'd all hoped for.

This past weekend, I had all my Sunday meetings and even played the piano for 'em.  I arranged for one (starving) sister to meet with the Bishop during that time so that we could get her fed and I made sure everyone had their 2008 study guides and manuals.  Oh - and I went to a meeting this Saturday about the BISHOP'S STOREHOUSE. (Insert eye rolling face there.)

That's one week of my life.  And I left out a lot.  Like all the messages on the machine.  And the ride-arranging nightmares.  And the 6 emails I received in 20 minutes alone this morning.  

When I consecrated my time to serve, I guess I thought there'd be time left over to clean bathrooms or paint some rooms I've been wanting to for so long. Or bathe or work out. There's not.  But I think it could be worse.  I could be the Bishop.

Tomorrow I'm going on a field trip with 2.o (my middle daughter) and I'm looking forward to having a reason to not answer my cell phone and deal with anyone else's life emergencies.  I love my friends and I love my religion and I love having a day off.  Of course, I do not love spending it with First Graders, but it's better than cleaning my carpets....which is what I'll be doing when I come home...provided there's not a Relief Society emergency!