A New Calling

I have received a new calling. I've been asked to be the Second Counselor in the Stake Young Women's Presidency. I will be serving with Katie Craig as the President, Beth Wilkins as the First Counselor, with Betsy Barrow as the Secretary. I don't know any of these women, but I have found in past callings that if you have a common goal and are working for the Lord, you can do amazing things. I also know that those I have served with in presidencies have become some of my dearest friends, and so I look forward to serving with Katie, Beth, and Betsy and becoming friends. 

A couple of weeks ago, Kent and I met with Todd Seamons (2nd Counselor in the Stake Presidency). While our meeting was ostensibly to ask me to serve, we had a very open, frank talk about how I'm doing at the moment. It's not great. I am sad and mad and malcontent about my current lot in life. Things are not good at home with Kent or with Blythe, I feel spiritually distant from God, and I'm largely without hope of things changing. I'm not having a crisis of faith, I'm just having emotional turmoil. It has been hard. I was surprised to be receiving a new calling as I don't feel that I have much to give spiritually. I cried with Todd and expressed my awareness of my shortcomings and struggle and asked for time to think about accepting. He then asked if I would like a blessing. I did want a blessing, but things have not been great with Kent, and I haven't wanted to ask him. 

Todd gave me an incredibly sweet, comforting blessing where I felt not only Heavenly Father's presence but the very real, palpable presence of my dad. I felt his large hands on my head along with Todd's and Kent's. Todd promised that as I turned to Jesus Christ, I would feel his love. It was so tender and reviving and I was so, so grateful.

I accepted the call and today was set apart with the other members of the presidency. Again, Todd set me apart and gave me a lovely blessing which I recorded on the sly. I wish I had done the same with the previous blessing. I am grateful for the priesthood that is used for the blessing and uplift of God's children, and for the myriad ways it blesses my life specifically. I will try and do my best to magnify my calling.

Dear Sister Katherine DeMartini Barrus, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Melchedezidek Priesthood, we lay our hands on your head and set you apart as the Second Counselor in the Stake Young Women's Presidency of the Provo, Utah Sharon East Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and bless you, Sister Barrus, with all of the rights, the powers, the authority, and privileges you need to serve in your calling in ways that will be significant, important, and effective. We bless you, Sister Barrus, to know that you have been called of the Lord to serve and that through your service, many will hear the voice of the Lord through your example, through your love, through your kindness, through your personality. Not only will they see an example of a Christlike follower, but they will hear your voice and they will understand that you love them and that they can trust you and follow you. We bless you in your own home, that as you teach your children who have been blessed to come to your home, to you and to Kent, that you will be given additional insights and inspiration in how you can guide and direct them. We bless you with peace, with confidence that the Lord knows you, that He knows you as a mother, that He knows you as a spouse, and is grateful for you. And we bless you that in these roles, you will be blessed and be magnified in ways that will help you. We bless you that as you teach and as you counsel together both with your presidency, but also with young women leaders and with the young women, that you also will be given inspiration and direction. This is part of the blessing that comes to those who are called to this position. So we bless you that you will be mindful and aware and that you will write down those things that come to your mind that will be helpful in the moment, but also in the future, and bless you to keep a record of those things that will come to you. We bless you that as you plead to the Lord and pray unto him, not only will He hear your prayers, but He will give you guidance and direction and answers, and that additional answers will come as you continue to pray and ask for additional direction. We bless you that as you serve, you will also feel comfortable in sharing your thoughts and feelings and that the relationship that you have as a presidency will grow and develop in ways that will be such a blessing to you and to your family. We bless you and through you, we bless your children and your sweetheart, that they will be blessed as you serve. You have given a life of examples of service and dedication and we bless you now that as you accept this call to serve, that there will be a great spirit in your home and in your life. We bless you with the blessings of health and strength, of happiness, and bless you now to go forward in the blessings of the Lord and bless you with all the other things you need. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.