Big changes in our lives.

Our lives have taken a turn in a direction we never anticipated or saw coming.  Ken has been called to serve as a stake president for the Provo Married Student 3rd Stake.  Wow.  Talk about a bit overwhelming. He will be amazing.  But he has certainly felt a bit fearful and humbled by the call.  I'm a little unsure about how it will be for me.  We've never done one of these "out of town" sort of calls, although we have many friends who have done it.  I will be attending every week in Provo at whatever ward (out of 11) that Ken attends.  At the same time I will try to attend my own ward meetings as much as possible.  I hope to be able to keep my YW calling teaching the Beehives, but I guess time will tell if that will work or not.

Sunday as I sat in a strange (unfamiliar is a better word I guess) ward, feeling a bit lonely and aged, I had a moment where I felt like crying.  I realized how much I will miss my friends and associations in my home ward.  But by the time the block was over, I had been so spiritually fed and was so happy that I am excited and thankful for this opportunity.  These young married students really ARE a chosen generation.  I know I have always felt that way about my own children and how amazing they are.  I don't fear the future at all, because I see the amazing leaders that are rising in this generation.

This call has changed our plans.  We have been planning on retirement and a mission in March of 2014.  Since this is a 5 year calling, that won't happen now until March 2017.  That's okay.  I'm sure it's a better plan than our plan--because it is the Lord's plan for us.  (And considering that we might have been called in our own stake to serve for 9 years, we feel very blessed.  Isn't the Lord so good to us?)

Besides.  The outgoing stake president said that being the stake president of this stake is like the Disneyland of stake president callings.  Sound like we're in for a great time!

Lowell Anderson (first counselor)  Ken,  Scott Phillips (second counselor)