Mr. President

About a month ago President Shumard invited Sam and I into his office. We chatted about family and the branch for a while and then he asked us why we were there. We had no idea, but assumed it was to receive a stake calling or something. At that point we thought that if he was asking us then we must be off the hook. Silly us. By the end of the meeting Sam had a calling...Branch President. President Shumard kept reassuring us that he knew that Heavenly Father was asking this of Sam and that if had been confirmed to him that Sam was the man for the job at this time.

At first we were in complete shock. We just kept looking at each other on the trip home and holding hands tightly, wondering if we were really just in President's office or did we dream it. Then, it all started to sink in and we got a little nervous, still we trusted that President Shumard had prayed earnestly about this calling and we prayed for confirmation as well. The answer was always there and we could both feel it.

The Sunday of the sustaining came and we just clung to each other for dear life in the pew. We knew it would be years before we would get to sit next to each other again in sacrament. Sam walked up when he was called and sat by the pulpit with Brother Douglas. There were a number of sweet and powerful testimonies that Sunday. Brother Douglas pointed out that Sam is tall in stature and is a man with great posture and that he is a man to look up to in every way ;) Rich bore his testimony and started to cry when he mentioned his love for Sam and his faith in him. That sent me over the edge. Corrie sat in between me and Nana on the pew. After Rich's testimony Nana and I were both sniffling. Corrie just shook her head and said that she should have picked a different seat.

Two weeks later, Sam has a reorganized Branch President's office that still needs a little bit of a woman's touch and he is busy with interviews. Oh yeah, and did I mention that because I live with the Branch President now I am blessed with giving more talks. This was proven last Thursday when Sam turned to me on the couch and asked if I could give a talk on Sunday because there was no one else. He's just so cute and he is the Branch President. I couldn't turn him down. I've never been able to before and I definately can't now. Liza Hunt was telling me how seeing her husband magnify his calling as the Branch President made her love him even more. Honestly, I don't know how I could love Sam anymore than I do now, but I'm looking forward to finding that out.