The Bishop

Yes, that would be Del.
Del was called and ordained as the new Aubrey Ward Bishop today.
It has been an overwhelming past three weeks, when Del received the call.  So many emotions, thoughts and blessings have been ours to enjoy and cherish.  We are so blessed.
I do not have time right now to write everything about the past week...so I am going to end this now and write more later tonight...so this post will be a continuation later...
Later....just got home from going over to Kylie and Mike's home.  They are getting settled into their house with little Madison and trying to adjust to their new circumstances.  We dropped by with dinner and some moral support.

And now back to our news of the day.
Yes, Del was made the new Bishop of the Aubrey Ward.  I guess we know now, ONE of the reasons we are here in Aubrey.  We keep getting told that 'we were prayed here' by the members in the Ward and by the leaders in the Stake.  Apparently, they have been needing to make this boundary change for our ward for over a year, but there has been a hesitancy in the minds of the Stake Presidency and Bishopric as to who could or should be the new Bishop.  They felt the new Bishop just wasn't here yet, and so they decided to make it a matter of prayer.
I can't remember if I shared the circumstances of us finding and finally buying this home, but the process and results were completely and divinely governed by our Heavenly Father.  We are here, in this home, because that's where Heavenly Father wanted us.  We just happened to love it too.
Even the very first Sunday we were here, the Bishop's wife, the Bishop, a counselor, Stake exec. secretary and two or three others all made the 'we prayed you here' comments.  We accepted their comments as 'welcome to the ward' type comments and they were glad to have us here; nothing more than that.
Then about 2 months ago, the rumors started flying in the ward that there were going to be some boundary changes.  We heard everything from we were going to be in Mike and Kylie's ward, to we were going to be in the Denton 4th Ward to a few others but mostly we heard that we were going to be losing our current Bishop and his neighborhood to another ward.  I was so disappointed, as Del and I had become, and are, good friends with Trey and Patti and their family and neighbors.  I was hoping that the much spread speculation was just that, speculation only.
Del and I noticed the Stake President and his counselors visiting our ward on several occasions.  We didn't think anything of it.  But the rumors became more frequent and started to get even more specific.  Then three weeks ago, after a Sacrament Meeting where our Stake President had attended, I was making my way to the Primary room where I would be teaching my class when the Stake President caught me in the pew and asked if Del and I could meet with him in his stake office.  I told him we would be right there.
I tracked down Del and told him we were wanted in the Stake Presidents office.  'The Look' passed between us.
I had been feeling , the previous week, that there was the possibility Del was going to be called as the new Bishop.  So much so, that one night, while we were laying in bed, I told him my feelings.  I tried to strongly impress upon him that I didn't feel I was receiving any revelation or anything, and I didn't want to appear that I was presuming ANYTHING unrighteous, I just had a calm feeling that Del would probably be the Bishop. He, of course, prayed I was 'out in left field' and said 'he hadn't been having any of those kind of feelings'.  I was relieved and said 'Good, I'm probably just crazy'.
The Stake President spoke with me first, asking me to tell him about myself and my family.  He asked me to share with him information about Del's MS, his work, my feelings about him and our family.  Then he informed me they were calling Del to be the Bishop.  I cried.  Our conversation lasted about 20 minutes.  When I left the office, Del was called to come in and when he passed me, he gave a questioning look of 'why are you crying'...I whispered, 'You'll understand in a few minutes.'
Pres. Peterson came out about 20 minutes later and asked me to join him and Del in his office.  Del and I hugged and Del said, 'You forgot to tell me to run..'  The call was extended, counsel was given and then we left.  We told our children that evening and have remained in a state of humbleness ever since.
Last Thursday evening, after we had finished watching a BYU basketball game, it was late and we were getting into bed, when the phone rang.  It was Brian Holdman from our ward...the Stake exec. secretary. (BTW, he's the one that suggested Del's name to the stake presidency - BUT, as Karma has it, HE was called as the new Bishop of the Denton 4th Ward today too) Del and I had just finished our evening prayers and we were talking about the excitement of the next day when our sweet Madison was going to be born.  Brian's phone call would dampen our spirits significantly.
Apparently, one of the new families moving from the Denton 4th Ward into OUR ward were preparing to leave on vacation to Arkansas, and went in to awaken their 20 month old son, only to find that he had passed away from SIDS during his afternoon nap.  The funeral was going to be held this next week, and Del, as their new Bishop, would be conducting the meeting.
I was heart broken for the family.  And I was heart broken for Del.  No Bishop should have to conduct the funeral of a baby as his first assignment after his ordination.  But then such comfort came to me knowing, that if ANYONE could comfort this sweet family, it would be Bishop Lott.  WHY???  Because Bishop Lott has been through the same exact experience, having lost his own baby son 27 years ago during the Christmas Holidays.  Bishop Lott knew EXACTLY how they felt and would be able to not only have compassion, but empathy for this sweet couple.  I was so comforted knowing Del would be able to help them...and I would too.
More phone calls were made over the weekend, back and forth to the new Bishop, old Bishop, Stake President and so forth, as to who would officiate, conduct and all funeral arrangements.  In today's meeting, previous Bishoprics were released and new Bishopric's were called.  Both Del and I were asked to share our testimonies as were several others.  Then after Sacrament meeting, as we were making our way to the Stake offices for Del's ordination, I was stopped by Del in the hallway, who introduced me to the parents of the deceased baby boy.  I was humbled to meet them as they took me into their arms and thanked me for my testimony and words of comfort.  I told them how much I loved them and looked forward to many years of friendship with them in our ward before Del and I were rushed off down the hall.  I really wish I could have spent more time with them, but I know there will much time in the future.
Tonight, while over at Mike and Kylie's, Del left for a few hours and went to the home of the family to help them plan and organize the funeral.  I almost wish I could have gone also, but instead, Del had the whole Bishopric go.  It was probably better that way.
This whole experience has been sweet for us.  From the calling, to the recognizing of the anniversary of Michael's passing, to the death of a baby to the birth of a new baby...The Lord knows it all and his plan is perfect.  And I have found each and every moment sweet.  I'm so grateful for our Saviors love.
The first thing I told our Ward members was...I love Bishop Lott, with all my heart.  And they will love him too.  And I know the Lord loves him too.
Of this, I have no doubts.