The time has come...

Before Spencer graduated we decided we'd start going to a family ward after he graduated instead of our married student ward that we've been in for the past 5.5 (in February) years. We'd no longer be in school, and Avie would be old enough to be in Primary. We knew we needed to make that change.

Spencer didn't want to change wards until he was released from his calling, which he thought might be a couple more months, but when Bishop told us about a month ago that it was time for him to be released, I knew it was an inspired decision on his end so that we could start going to the family ward without Spencer feeling like he needed to stay.

Coming to this decision was a lot harder for Spencer than it was for me. For the past 2.5 years, he's had a very involved church calling. He's been working with our Bishop closely, made great friendships with the other guys he's served with and gotten to know so many people in the ward. He's had great examples and experiences because of this calling.

I, on the other hand, have been serving in our ward's Primary presidency (Nursery) for the past nine months or so. I do enjoy the other gals I get to be with each week in Nursery and have made wonderful friendships there, and my calling has been anything but dull, but as far as getting to know new people in the ward, it just doesn't happen so easily when you're serving in with the children each week. Needless to say, I thought this change would be no big deal for me. We aren't moving right now, and I'd still see all my friends and neighbors around.

Today, however, when Spencer got released, I lost it. We knew it was coming, and I was really hoping it was going to be today just so we could move on and get Avie into Primary. But still, when it finally happened, I was unable to hold back the tears. That was our last, final official attachment in this ward (well, I'll still need to be released, but we're still going to the new ward next week). We had no more reason to stay in the ward that we've always known with our little family. It was a lot harder on me than I thought it would be.

Today was also fast and testimony meeting in our ward. I knew I wanted to get up and bear my testimony one final time in this ward, and so I stood up immediately, knowing the longer I waited, the more of a wreck I'd be ... which is hard to imagine because I was already a wreck when I got up there.

I hate how I cry almost every time I stand up to bear my testimony. But this time was definitely the one that takes the cake. I couldn't speak for a few seconds (a few different times) because I was so choked back with tears. I don't know if anything I said made sense. I'm never too good with my words in front of a crowd, let alone when I'm full of emotion.

Being a part of this ward has truly been a blessing in our lives. We've had amazing opportunities to serve and both be able to work side-by-side with Bishop George. It has been such a testimony builder for me to be able to watch him grow as a Bishop. He got called as our Bishop when I was about five months into my calling as Relief Society president. I served there with him almost another two years, and shortly after I was released, Spencer was called as his executive secretary, and that's where he's been serving until today. It's been so neat to watch him (Bishop) grow in this calling between then and now. I have no doubt that he was called by God, and that he was put into this calling to teach and be an example of specific things that Spencer and I have needed to learn from him. I'm sure he has no idea how much of an example he's been to us over the past few years or how much we've watched him, from how he handles his church calling to how he and his dear wife treat each other. We will always hold them both dear in our hearts.

We've also met some of our closest and dearest friends in this ward, who we hope (and so far have, for those who've moved already) we always can stay in touch with. There's nothing like the college life, when you live right next door or down the street from your best friends and can walk over any time, day or night, to hang out with them. That, gratefully, will not be ending for us quite yet.

I am grateful for this church. I know that it is the same everywhere we go, and that brings me great comfort when thinking of us moving wherever we go next. I know, no matter what, I will have friends in the church and be a part of a great organization (the Relief Society). I know our family is happy because we put the Lord first and base our lives on sound principles of truth and righteousness.

I am sad to leave our old ward. It's always sad when you leave something that has made such an impact on your life, but I also am looking forward to the change - to meeting new people who will touch our lives and having new opportunities to serve.

This was the new member sheet we filled out when we first moved into the 75th ward, Aug. 17, 2006. Nate (the ward clerk) gave it to Spencer today. We've had three different ward boundaries, went from going to church on campus in the Hinckley building to in our beautiful new stake center and even went from being the BYU-I 75th student-married ward to the Rexburg Married Student 13th ward... which I never got used to saying.