changes galore!

So many changes!!

#1- our first meeting of the New Year with our new Zillah Ward.  The majority of Chapel seats and clear into the back was filled.  This new Ward had the Bishopric and the Elders Quorum in place from the week before....all of those men with clerks etc. were in place....the rest?...nothing was staffed! 

That was remedied when the Counselor conducting asked for a sustaining of 68 callings!  He did them in what he called groups.  Each person was asked to stand until the sustainings were noted in their group. So he called, and therefore we were organized, with Relief Society staff and Primary staff and Young Women staff and Young Men staff and Sunday School staff plus organists/pianist/choir director/choir accompanist (those sort of solo specialist callings).  68!  Also there was a new family and their records were read in. I was impressed with all they had accomplished in a few days as far as callings and realized that we are now fully staffed for our new Ward as far as auxiliaries.  How exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#2- our first meeting with our new Ward with the new 2 hour block.  My new calling?...Youth SS teacher!  Joy beyond comprehension as I have my precious class again!!  My pure delight at the calling started dimming when I was told I have to Team Teach!!  WHAT?! I'm  territorial...possessive...selfish!  Teaching twice a month and I have to share!??!  I was stunned beyond belief!  I did repent!!!

It's a whole new ball game all the way around!  for all of us! 

The other teacher and I have worked things out.  I was asked to teach the first lesson and she had been told she'd be taking the 2nd lesson.  I teach 1st Sunday and she teaches 3rd Sunday.  Did I mention that the lessons are 50 minutes long? 

With General Conference in April and October, on that first week, I won't teach those months.  My team partner will miss one month because of Stake Conference.

Technically I teach 10 lessons in 2019 and I've already taught one!  so 9 to go!  It really came home to me how the Church really will be home-based/Church supported.  SS used to be 4 hours a month per student.  Now it is shy 20 minutes of being 2 hours a month.  And my portion of that teaching time is 50 minutes, 10 times a year! (oopsie... repeating myself but really! such a limited class association!  Families stepping up to the plate is mandatory/essential in teaching their children)

I actually ended up okay with it (as if it would change if I wasn't okay with it!!)  I will teach with what works for me and my co-teacher will do what works for her.  We respect the fact that we are different women at different ages with different views of teaching plus we already know each other as friends so no getting acquainted needed.  Just figuring out how to work it all out on my turn!  The more I think about it the more blessed I feel that this is what the Lord wants us to do.  More peace just keeps coming to me.  yes!

#3 My heart has been with those that loved, and maybe lived a lifetime enjoying the Toppenish building, and had to leave to embrace the Zillah building.  I'm sorry for that leaving and am sure it's hard and painful.  its very sad to me.  I pray for those saints that have pangs of leaving that building.

The Zillah building is absolutely beautiful and still new and amazing!  I go to Church in the most beautiful building I've ever been in and I go to a Temple that resonates the same way with me.

It's a new Ward for all of us...no matter which Ward we were previously in.  It's close by Toppenish so traveling a few minutes would not be an issue.  Well, not in my book, which still runs on miles traveled in Alaska, so all things here are like next door neighbors.  We personally lived near the Homer Ward building but the boundaries and people attending weekly lived out East End and North Fork and Anchor Point (15 miles) and Diamond Ridge and Nikiski. It was a huge challenge road wise/time wise to get to Church. 

Our Stake Center was in Soldotna and that was 80 miles one way and we are not talking freeways!  (One winter we headed out in our van and a moose ran out in front of us and we smacked him.  It pushed the engine in where I was sitting but just hit my legs and no harm done.  It did shatter the front windows. Terry turned van around and we limped home)  So my point is...our new Ward is spread out a bit but very close proximity in my book.  I hope it's not a problem to anyone. 

So much more on my mind but I'll just share this for today....looking forward to going to Temple!