Great Sunday

I have been truly edified the last few Sundays. Our new Bishop has put a focus on creating a real 'family' out of our ward family - including an emphasis on reaching out our inactive members and really growing our relationships our active members. Having a real focus on being member missionaries has been scary to most in the past, but Bishop has encouraged this in such a matter of fact way - this is what our job is as members, this is what we do, this is how we become like Christ - that it's not scary anymore. Just by starting within our own ward and then moving beyond - it seems so much more obtainable now. I have loved the refreshing change our ward has undergone under his leadership this past 2 months and it has helped bring me (at least) out of a spiritual funk so to speak. I am renewed and excited about sharing the Gospel again and am really making an effort to know more of our members and in actives.

Having Michael on the mission field has also been inspiring. His weekly emails to me are brief but I wait for them each week with excitement and devour them. I wish they were longer but I see that he writes his mother each week and he writes to his father and sister and I'm glad he's concentrating his efforts to them. He has struggled with his relationship with his father the past 5 years so I am proud of his effort in writing to him. The maturity and growth I saw in him before he left is still there and he is making that effort. The pictures he sends home to his Mom show him easily smiling - truly happy. In all the years I've known him his smile has not come easily - but now I see the glow and love in his eyes and smile. He looks peaceful, happy and content and that makes my heart leap for joy and fills my spirit.

This has been a great day.