Craig Called To The Bishopric September 24th, 2017

This past Thursday we received a call from the stake secretary to meet with the Stake Presidency Friday night.  We had to wait 24 hours in order to know what calling they were extending to us.  The anticipation left us in an anxious state of mind.  We knew the Bishopric was going to be changed soon.  Many rumors were going around that the saints in the ward felt Craig was going to be called as our new Bishop.  That was a heavy feeling looming as a possibility.  Craig and I felt brother England that served in the stake high council would be the next Bishop and very well qualified to serve in this area.  We felt that the Lord has been preparing him.  I did know in my heart that Craig would be called as a counselor to serve.  I had no doubt he would be called when the change was made.  The saints here have loved Craig.  He is so warm and friendly to all.  I was called to serve as the Young Women’s President a month earlier and felt they would not have me as a president and call Craig as Bishop, but could as be called to serve as counselor.  They have needed good strong leadership to serve in the Garden City 1st Ward.  When we moved here we felt living in this area would be our mission to help build the saints here in any way we could serve.  I was so surprised to be called as the President for young women’s.  I prayed that the Lord would extend a call to Craig in a leadership calling, at our season in life, I did not want to leave him at home with me gone serving in the young women’s.  Craig needed a calling that would keep him busy with us retired.   Craig and I attended the temple Friday afternoon in our preparation of meeting with the Stake Presidency.  It could possibly be a calling as a High council, but felt they would want to keep Craig in the ward.  The saints need his love and fellowship.  We had a ward camp out planned for Friday night, yet the weather turned very cold so the camp out was canceled and we moved to the church for a dinner,  The dinner started at 6pm at the church.  Craig and I were meeting with the Stake presidency at 8pm.  We had a very nice time visiting with the saint in the ward and getting to know some new members that I have not meet yet.  We are still meeting new people.  We have only lived in the area full-time for 10 months.  It is starting to feel like we belong here in serving the saints and getting to know them.  Having a church calling has greatly helped to make the change in our lives as a retired couple.  Crazy that we are at this season in our lives.  We had to leave the party to go home and change in our church clothes to meet with the Stake Presidency, when we returned back to the church there were several ward members still hanging around in the halls.  We felt so awkward walking into the church all dress up and having the stake presidency standing in the hall,  that made it very obvious to those there that change in the bishopric is coming.   Thank goodness they moved us quickly into a room and shut the door.   Sister Peterson the Bishop’s wife saw us walking in and she gave us a laugh, she knew what was coming.  The Stake presidency extended the calling to Craig to serve as the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric.  They interviewed both of us and asked if I was willing to support my Husband in this calling.  I'm more than thrilled.  I have strongly felt this is what Craig needed for his growth in the gospel at this season in his life.  It says in his blessing that in his older years he would served where many would come to him for advice and he would be a great influence to many because of his nearness to the Lord in serving.  I felt he needed a calling of leadership and I have all confidence in him that he will do a great job.  It was a sigh of relief, knots in our stomachs as we both felt the responsibility.  We had a great interview with the Stake Presidency.  They visited with us after extending the calling and asked us to share things about our lives in order to get to know us better.  They told us that it had been confirmed through Pray that the Lord is extending this call to Craig at this season and that the new Bishop felt strongly that Craig was going to be a great support to him as a Bishop.  We have grown to love our new Stake presidency so very much.  After the interview they told us that they would be releasing the previous Bishopric and sustaining the new Bishopric this Sunday.  We could invite what family members we would like to attend.  Wow our heads were spinning as we left.  I texted and called our family to let them know the news.  It was very short notice and knew most would not be able to attend with the long distance of driving.  Shar text back to let us know she would be here with the kids, Dave had to work and they had to make a few adjustments with their schedule.  Come to find out Aubrey was suppose to give a talk in sacrament and Shar leads the music in Primary.  Dave was her substitute and Aubrey was able to re-reschedule for another time.  Natasha said they would drive up from Salt Lake Sunday morning.  Trisha and Buck are in St George which is 7 hours away.  So we did not expect them to be here.  Ryan and Shan  could not come, Ryan’s brother was flying in town for just the weekend to see their family.  Our Stacy and her family living in California could not attend, which we greatly miss having them closer to us.  I did invite Craig’s brother Scott and Jan, Craig’s sister Shelly & Dennis to attend also.  They both said they would be here to support Craig in his new calling.  To our surprise Saturday night the Burbidge family arrived.  It was such a joy to have what family could come share in this great event in our lives.  The knew Bishop and his family were camping at Island Park about a four hr drive home and the 2nd counselor Brother Menlove and his family were in Las Vegas, they had to drive home in the wee morning hours in order to make it back, a 9 hour drive home.  Sunday was a blessed day for our families as we gathered for the very special day in our lives.  It is mixed emotions,we have grown to love the previous Bishopric so very much.  Change is hard.  But this is the plan, Bishop’s traditionally only serve about five years and the time had arrived for change.  Bishop Peterson has served 10 years, 5 as a counselor and 5 as Bishop. His wife is darling we have just loved her.  She is from Russia, she was pregnant with their last daughter when brother Peterson was called.  He was very emotional on Sunday.  At the ward party, Friday night he knew what was going to be happening on Sunday,  He had asked Craig to give the opening pray at our ward dinner.  Craig taught gospel doctrine class for the last time.  He has really enjoyed teaching this years.  He did such a great job in teaching.  We had a full meeting.   The new Bishopric was set apart after all our meetings.  We filled the entire middle section with family that could attend and support them in this new calling, what a great blessing in our lives.  Shelly’s husband Dennis was able to stand in the circle along with Buck our son-in-law to participate in the setting apart of Craig for his calling as the 2nd counselor in the Garden City 1st ward.  I”m so happy for my dear husband, for him to have this opportunity to serve in a leadership calling.  We are striving to serve the Lord with all our hearts and are greatly blessed for the service given.  I shook the President Roberts hand and Thank him after the setting apart.  I was just beaming with joy for my dear husband.  President Roberts, asked me if I was always so happy,  I told him I try to be!!  This is a blessed day for us as a couple and feel it is needed for our growth in serving in the kingdom of God.  It will be a learning time of growth for both of us.   We love the gospel of Jesus Christ and so honored to serve.  Craig does feel a heavy weight of responsibility, yet I know that he will be supported and strengthen by the Lord in the service he gives as we draw closer to him.  What a blessed day in our lives.   Afterwards we came back to the cabin for a family dinner, with it fast Sunday we were all very hungry!!  I had fasted 24 hours and I had a booming headache, I needed some physical nourishment.   
Dennis, Shelly, Craig, Debbie, Scott, Jan