Getting Released

Two Sunday’s ago Adam and I were released from our Singles ward after serving in it for the past two years. Below is a journal entry I wrote later that evening with some of my thoughts.

“Today has been such an emotional day. Adam and I have known that this day was coming for sometime now, but that didn’t make it any easier. Saying goodbye to the friends we have made in our singles ward was just as hard as saying goodbye to the members and investigators I came to love on my mission. What a wonderful blessing it has been for us to have this calling and to have worked with such amazing individuals. I just have felt so many tender mercies poured out upon us over the past two years of our lives.

Adam mentioned this morning that he is really worried about being released because serving and being apart of this bishopric and the blessings that come with it have been a constant in his life. Something he could always count on. Its kind of been the thing that when life gets hard he can count on his service there to help him feel better. Service recharges him and he loves being so involved. I remember feeling the same way when I was released as the RS President in our Married Student ward. It was one of the hardest days of my life. You just really come to love the people you serve and know you will miss that special closeness to the Lord and the blessings that come with being in such a high demand calling.

This morning I had a little scare that left me bawling because I thought I wasn’t going to be able to go to the singles ward for our last Sunday Farewell. As I was getting the kids dressed for church after I gave them all baths at about 10:00 am Branson told me as he needed to go to the bathroom. So he left for a few minutes to go “poop.” However a few minutes later he came out of the bathroom and said he felt sick. Just as he said the words he started puking all over the tile floor in the hallway next to our bedroom door. Eck! Poor guy. I knew if he was sick and throwing up that I would need to stay home and wouldn’t be able to go and say my final goodbye to the ward. The thought just left me completely depressed and my eyes were leaking all morning.

Even before this though I had been crying just trying to put down a few of the thoughts that I had for these great people. I based most of my goodbye testimony on thanking the ward for the many ways they have blessed our lives. I made a list just of some of the things that had come to mind and it ended up being such a long list. I just felt so humbled and grateful for these amazing people that the Lord had blessed us to know and realized that we hadn’t been called to be in the singles ward because the kids needed us. We were called because we needed these kids! (Not that they are kids, most of them are like 3-5 years younger than us). But you understand what I mean! 🙂

Luckily though Branson’s illness was fleeting. I ended up discovering that our milk had gone sour and think that that is what contributed to his vomiting. He was absolutely fine afterwards and bouncing around like normal. Still I kept him home from Primary just to be safe and then we went to church just before Sacrament meeting started.

As I entered the Sacrament meeting room though I instantly turned into Niagra Falls. I saw Sister Broadhead the Bishop’s wife sitting there and the two of us just hugged and got all emotional-like. Then every friend I passed in the ward made me start crying harder and before long I just couldn’t control the tears from dropping and running down my face. I had two people pass me little packets of tissues even before the meeting started.

President Baker had Adam conduct which I thought was really neat for him to do on his last meeting with the singles, but as soon as he stood up I could tell he was done for. He too already had diamonds in his eyes as well. After the Sacrament Ad turned the time over to President Baker who was so kind and sensitive to us all. He quoted out of D&C 126 and inserted Bishop Broadhead and the rest of the bishoprics names into a few verses of scripture which said, “Dear and well-beloved brother, verily thus sayeth the Lord unto you; My servant (Bishop Broadhead, Brother Bezzant, and Brother Egbert) it is no more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for your offering is acceptable to me. I have seen your labor and toil in journeying in my name. I therefore command you to send my word abroad and take especial care of your family from this time, henceforth and forever. Amen.”

It was really powerful and left all the brethren and their wives in tears. President then spoke of how Bishop Broadhead was the first Bishop he called as a new Stake President and how wonderful he thought he was. He then thanked all the wives and families of the Bishopric and talked about how big of a support and strength they are to their husbands and fathers. It was a really great tribute to us all. Then the time came and with our arms in the square he asked us to release the bishopric with a vote of thanks. All three brethren were very emotional. Then President Baker introduced the new bishopric for our sustaining vote. We were all shocked and pleased to see that it would be our own Brother Seawright from the High Counsel.

After Stake business was done, President Baker asked all of the bishopric and their wives to come up and briefly share a few thoughts and our testimonies. He asked me to be first. Adam spoke next and really did a wonderful job. He was able to express himself and his feelings so well. And then we heard from the Bezzants and Broadheads, and finally from the Seawrights. We ended the meeting by singing “God Be With You Till We Meet Again,” which had been a request both of myself and the Bishop. It was a perfect ending.

Afterwards we had so many of our friends come up to us and give us big hugs and then we got a bunch of pictures of the bishopric and our single friends. It truly was a wonderful meeting! But we will certainly miss this opportunity, these wonderful kids, and the blessings that have come from serving.

its time to open a new chapter now though and we are excited for it. I have been attending RS Enrichment meetings and we’ve been going to all the ward parties here in our Payson ward for the past year, and we truly are feeling at home here as well and ready to put down some roots. We’ve even been invited to several families homes for dinner and games which has been so fun (The Cox’s, Muirs, and Thaynes).

This will be a fun new adventure though and the kids are excited to be in a REAL primary with kids their own age, and I’m excited to sit with Adam in Sacrament meeting again and to only have a 1 minute drive (or 5 minute walk) to church! BooYaa! 🙂 We welcome this new chapter in our lives but feel complete gratitude for the opportunity we had to serve in the singles ward. That ward is made of of some of the finest people I know!

Brother Bezzant (1st Counselor), Bishop Broadhead, and Adam (2nd Counselor)

Bishop and Sister Broadhead! We LOVE them!

Some of our favorite friends in the singles ward!
Back Row: Sister Broadead, Bishop Broadhead, Adam, and Mike.
2nd Row: Katy, Mish, Brother Bezzant, Emily Polig, Maryanne Morley,
Carrie Drake, Annette, Jacqueline Taylor, Lindsay Smith, Nancy, and Jed.
3rd Row: Me, Amy Walton, Amy McNeil, Megan Reece, and Chris Silva