Releases

Pat and I have served as the Area Temple and Family History Consultants for the past two and a half years.  It's been a calling we weren't sure what we were supposed to do...at first.  There is no handbook for this calling.  Elder Scott is our area Seventy and he extended the call to us on December 4, 2016.  I was very unsure of how things would go.

Fast forward a few months and we began getting our legs under us.  We did our best to get our stake presidencies and high councilors trained and have them get a stake Lead in place.  By the way, the stake lead is no longer a calling.  

When we felt we could no longer move forward, we decided to go out and speak in the units.  We were quite effective at that.  We enjoyed going out and speaking in the units around the stakes.  We were as far north as Houghton, as far west as Prairie du Chien, over to Sturgeon Bay and as far south as Racine and Monroe.  We put on a lot of miles!

Elder Scott was in the area on May 10th and requested that we meet for him to extend our official release.  We invited him over for breakfast and visited about our efforts.  It was a little sad to leave this calling because we both loved it so much.  But there are things waiting in the wings in only a few weeks.

 We went to St. Paul on May 17th and 18th for our usual monthly temple trip.  I wasn't too sure about working in the temple when Pat submitted our names just prior to his release.  I didn't know if I would like it.  Again I was so wrong.  I loved it!  

As we finished our shift on Saturday afternoon, President and Sister Payne met with us in his office to extend our release.  This release was so much harder and bittersweet. We have worked with so many wonderful people over the course of our time in the temple.  I will miss them but will also miss being able to be the conduit through which sisters receive their ordinances.  I've felt the Spirit so many times.  I've had experiences where I know that God is pleased with my efforts.  I distinctly recall the first time I worked an endowment session.  As I was helping sisters, I felt that I was the Savior's hands.  It was so incredible.  I held back the tears as I was so touched.

While visiting with President,I was really thankful that he never actually said the words, "You're released."  I know I would have cried.  It was all I could do to hold them back as it was.  I look forward to the day when we can return again to be ordinance workers.  

Times and seasons in life are wonderful!