Remember yesterday I had a big announcement to make? Well for the next 6-8 years I will be a bishop’s widow. Mr. Ferrero Rocher was sustained and set apart to be the bishop of our ward on Sunday. For those not familiar with my LDS faith, a bishop is similar to a pastor or minister. He will be responsible for our congregation – leading, teaching, guiding, counseling. We believe in a lay ministry which means no one is paid for their work in our church. It is all done voluntarily.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, our late prophet who died earlier this year, describes the responsibility of bishops this way, “We have more than 18,000 bishops in the Church. Every one is a man who has been called by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and set apart and ordained by the laying on of hands. Every one of them holds the keys of the presidency of his ward. Each is a high priest, the presiding high priest of his ward. Each carries tremendous responsibilities of stewardship. Each stands as a father to his people.
“None receives money for his service. No ward bishop is compensated by the Church for his work as a bishop.
“The requirements of a bishop today are as they were in the days of Paul, who wrote to Timothy:
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
“Not given to wine, no striker [that is, not a bully or a violent person], … not a brawler, not covetous;
“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
“(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:2–6).
“In his letter to Titus, Paul adds that “a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; …
“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:7, 9).
“Those words aptly describe a bishop today in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Let me now speak directly to the thousands of bishops who are in attendance tonight. Let me say first that I love you for your integrity and goodness. You must be men of integrity. You must stand as examples to the congregations over which you preside. You must stand on higher ground so that you can lift others. You must be absolutely honest, for you handle the funds of the Lord, the tithes of the people, the offerings that come of their fasting, and the contributions which they make from their own strained resources. How great is your trust as the keepers of the purse of the Lord!
“Your goodness must be as an ensign to your people. Your morals must be impeccable.”
We feel a little overwhelmed by the trust the Lord has shown in calling Mr. FR to this position. I know he will do his best because he is really a very humble man who will rely wholly on the Lord to guide him.
This calling also requires sacrifice from our whole family. Mr. FR will be gone a lot because of his responsibilities. It means we have to figure out the best uses of our time with our family so the children don’t feel neglected by him in anyway. Right now I’m especially grateful for our farming, homeschooling lifestyle because we get to spend a lot of time with one another during the day, more than most families get to. I also have to figure out how to reverently sit through Sacrament Meeting with seven children. It would be my luck that Special Dark realized just this past Sunday that it’s fun to crawl under the pews. Anyone have any suggestions for keeping children little boys reverent during an hour long meeting? I’m not too worried about the girls. They are usually very well behaved but this little guy has me worried!
Wow! Your family will be so blessed for all your sacrifice while Mr. FR serves.
Wow, that’s awesome! He’ll do a great job. I have a lot of respect for Mr FR, he’s a good man.
Wow, what a big change! I am sure you will both do fabulously in your new roles. Good luck with everything … especially with containing your little guy during Sacrament meeting. I know how that goes 🙂 !!
That is quite some news. It is one of those things that you don’t know whether to say “hurray” or “oh no”. But I am sure it will bless your family. It is a whole family calling!
As for keeping little boys entertained in church. This is one I am still working on. Every week is an adventure.
Congrats…and condolances!
Your family will be SO blessed!
I don’t have any suggestions for keeping little boys quiet. If you find any that work, let me know!
Wonderful! I’m sure your family will be greatly blessed during this time.
Our little boy escaped for the very first and tried to get up on the stand a couple of Sundays ago. Thankfully he didn’t put up a fuss when I went to get him and he hasn’t tried it again since. Church meetings with little children can be an adventure!
You say your girls are well-behaved. Likely Special Dark will follow their examples as he gets older, learns a little more and sees that you have the same expectations for him as you do for his sisters.
Holy crap… Not sure if I should say congrats or not.. But really, that is great. Your family will be blessed so much while he serves.
Our bishop was called four years ago and he was only 31 at the time. They have four kids….ages 9-2. The second councelor is now, 31.. We have a super young bishopric… they do a great job, as will your hubby.
congrats or condolences? Little boys entertained, food works well, but you have to find some that last.
The only tried and true method for keeping boys reverent in sacrament is…
wait a few years till they are old enough to do it (around 4-5 years old). Sorry, but that’s all the hope I can give you. =)
I hope you will share many of the experiences, blessings, and trials that this will bring to you and your family.
Congratulations. I figured as much. It goes along with righteousness (thankfully we are too wicked for any calling like that).
If you figure out little boys in sacrament meeting let me know. We are still struggling with that almost 6 years later.
It’s an awesome responsibility for the both of you – you’ll be a great support to him.
The only thing I can thinkof as far as keeping little boys occupied are those bible quiet books (I have pattern if you’d like a copy). You’re so creative, I know you’ll come up with a great solution!
Hah, its about time you had a wiggly kid during church. 🙂 Now you can stop making the rest of us look bad, lol.
Clean out a margarine or cottage cheese container and cut a slit in the lid. Save the round lids to your milk containers. Kids his age usually like to put the lids through the slot like pennies into a bank.
There are also these toys called Tangle Jr you can get at Walmart for about $1.50. They are very good at keeping little hands busy.
If those both fail, bring a roll of scotch tape to church. Tear off 1/2 inch long strips and stick them to the ends of each of his fingers, so they look like long, sticky fingernails. That worked wonders with Taryn when she was his age, I would put them on slowly and she liked the sensation, then it would take her another 10 minutes or so to get them all off.
Wow! That’s wonderful. I feel for you having to sit alone for the next few years. I did it with 6 kids when my hubby was in the bishopric for 5 years. I think you’ve got a better deal than I had, you’ve got all those girls to help out, I had older boys who were also doing their priesthood duties so I couldn’t count on them for much, except causing more trouble if they did sit with us.
I’m sure he’ll be a wonderful bishop. All bishops need a great woman behind them, and Mr.FR has one.
Congratulations?
Seriously though, he’ll be a great bishop. My mom did it with eight kids, and six of them were boys. I think that you just expect that the rest of the ward will be understanding :).
Well that is exciting. And it confirms what I thought: your family is angelic. (Mostly just kidding – I have a friend who was recently ranting about expectations that people have of the bishop’s family.)
As for advice for keeping a little boy in the right pew – let me know what you find out since my two year old just learned the same trick. I just sit there trying to look as demure as possible while half bent over holding on to my son’s shirt tails as he strains to crawl futher away from us.
How wonderful a chance for service. If you get any good advice about the crawling under the pews thing, please pass it on.
Congrats to mr FR – I have no doubts he will be a wonderful Bishop. As for special dark… adopt a few firm fisted grandmas to sit with you 🙂 I asked my friend who had boys the same thing when the Martin was little and she laughed and me and then said, don’t give him any treats, and if he wants to draw he can have a pencil and a paper… that’s it. It worked after he was about… ummm, 12?! Just kidding, He just needs to know you have the same expectations for him as you do for the girls… and make it more fun to be in Sacrament meeting than if you have to take him out… ouch! Good Luck! I’ll be watching for all the good advice as Lemur is just heading into that really fun stage.
oh dear, my condolences. 😉
“having his children in subjection with all gravity” You guys don’t strike me as the “grave” sort. Good luck with that one.
I will say Congratulations, not condolences, we’re in this right now too. So…
Congratulations!!!
Jeepers. That’s quite an announcement. From what I can tell, just by reading your blog, your family will be a terrific support to your bishop! Plus, I hear there are some nice blessings for those involved. 🙂
Congratulations!
You will do fine.. my husband was the bishop of a ysa ward and I stayed with my family ward so my little girls could attend primary. I think having a dad on the stand you can say to little ones – your dad is watching you !!! which i couldnt as he was somewhere else.
Read my blog entry on the other end of things – when the release comes!!!!! It can be very sad… now ysa bishops only serve 3 years so it won’t be as long as your husband… but your family is very blessed while your husband is a bishop it is scarey to think what things might happen when he is realeased!!
http://comber-family.blogspot.com/2008/03/why-this-made-me-cry.html
Congratulations to Mr. FR and your family! As for little boy advice…make him participate. During Mass, we make sure the kids are singing, reciting the prayers with us and some constant redirection of their attention. Mass makes it a bit easier since we stand, sit, sing, hold hands, etc. Those Catholic Calisthenics! Our sons have always been better behaved than our daughter…which makes no sense!
You should do my parents used to do. If we ever “bad” during sacrament meeting. We took the walk of death. We had to fold our arms and go sit down next Dad on the stand.