And Then Stephen Was An Elder

The church is a rather incredible organization, I daresay. Once a wheel starts turning, it eventually follows to completion every single time, no matter how desperate the situation looks. I met with my bishop a couple of weeks ago; it was the usual: "how's your testimony, what's going on in your life, are you ready to become an elder?" series of a conversation. The difference is that this time I told him "yes, I am." Nothing happened for a while, and then last night I got a call from the Stake executive secretary... or whatever his title is. This morning, I met with the stake president. When he found out that I was leaving town for eight weeks, he said, "let me see if I can do something." He was on the phone like lightening, and in about five minutes he arranged for a stake high councilman to be at my ward to present me, and said that they would do a ratification next Sunday with the rest of the stake.

And then I went to church. And everybody sustained me. And nobody opposed. And then I helped out in the nursery during Sunday School. And then Elders Quorum time came. And the bishop was there, and my parents were there, and the councilman was there, and everybody was there. It was exciting and electrifying. I filled my circle with the missionaries and the EQP, in addition to the aforementioned persons. And then I felt something I had never felt before. Usually when I feel the spirit, it's a steady flow over a span of time with a build up and down. This time it was different. It was more like a surge, no build up, no wear down, just an instant surge, followed by another instant surge, and another. I think I counted seven in all. And then I was an elder.

The bishop gave me a cool book with instructions on how to do things like consecrate oil, give blessings of comfort, and dedicate graves. Now I just need to get one of those oil-thingies for my key chain and I'll really be all set. Seriously though, I'm just feeling really charged right now, and I hope that this step forward I've taken is going to increase my understanding, and bring me that much closer to the mind and spirit of God. Every small step in its own proper order. Every larger step the same way. True understanding lies at the end, but in the mean time, I am infinitely grateful that I am in the position I am in, where I can now be that much more of a blessing in the lives of those around me and those that are important to me.

-Stephen