I hate goodbyes!

I just wanted to write down a few things that I have been feeling about my ward and my stake. Getting married and moving out of this ward has been a bittersweet sort of feeling for me. In fact thinking about what I want to write makes me emotional. I really feel like I was meant to come to this ward and stake. The people here have been so amazing! When I first moved here I remember thinking how hard it was going to be to come to church by myself with 2 toddlers every week. The first Sunday was so hard with my kids in Sacrament meeting. As a matter of fact we left early. I thought that I was safe leaving early. No one knew me well enough to think any thing different. Well I was wrong. Later that week the Relief Society Presidency came over to visit with me. Sis. Wald told me that she had seen me get up and leave early on Sunday. Oops! I was busted. She told me to never leave church early again. She told me that there are plenty of people in the ward who would be willing to help me. And she was right. I never left early again because my kids were out of control. There were always so many people there willing to help me out. One of the greatest joys for me was having the opportunity to serve in Young Womens as the Mia Maid advisor. The Bishop called me at the end of November. I remember thinking why would they call a single mom with 2 toddlers to Young Women? But the Bishop insisted that that is where I belonged. So I accepted the call. I didn't have any idea what I was going to do with my kids. I brought my kids to the first activity and realized that wasn't going to work. I knew though that the Lord would provide a way if he wanted me to work with the Young Women. Later that week I went to book club with the ward where I ended up meeting Shellie Hepworth. I can't think of the Hepworth family with out tearing up. My eyes are swimming even as I write this. Shellie introduced herself and told me that she had a daughter who was 14. I told her that I just been called as the Mia Maid advisor. She asked me what I did with my kids during mutual on Tuesday nights. When I told her that I just brought them with me she insisted that I bring them to her house on Tuesday nights. A beautiful bond has been formed between our families. My kids love Ken and Shellie. They get so excited whenever they see them. They ask almost every day if they get to go to Ken and Shellie's. They also love to sit with them at church on Sunday. As a matter of fact I don't remember the last time that I've had to actually keep my kids entertained during sacrament meeting. The Hepworths just do it! I love their daughter Maggie and enjoyed having her as one of my young women. My kids love her too. They came to Anna's birthday party this year. They are some of the most loving and kind people I have ever met. I have loved serving in the Young Women. The future of our church is in good hands! I had the opportunity to go to girl's camp with them last month. It was an experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I loved being able to get to know the girls better. I also got to know the leaders better. I have absolutely loved working with the Young Women's presidency. They are some of the neatest women I have ever known. I hope I can be the kind of moms that they are. They are just so awesome! I have also been blessed to have an awesome stake president. He has been going through cancer treatments, yet has still managed to find the time to run and lead our stake. He had surgery this last week to remove more of the cancer. Following girl's camp all of girls in our ward underlined their favorite scripture and wrote their testimony in a Book of Mormon for President McQuinn. I had only met him once a few weeks before and he was just such a nice man. The one thing that he has really encouraged every member of our stake to do is read the Book of Mormon every day (which I do every night with my kids and every night with my love over the phone...I can't wait until we get to read together every night in person!!). President McQuinn actually called me on Saturday to thank me for my service in the Young Women and to thank me for the Book of Mormon. Here he was recovering from major surgery yet he took the time to call and thank me. What an amazing man! Tonight as I was driving home I passed by a few of my ward members either outside or driving by. It just felt so good to be able to wave to them and know who they are. It pulled a little at my heart strings knowing that I am leaving them. They called a new Mia Maid advisor yesterday and this week will be my last mutual activity and my last Sunday teaching. It is hard to believe that I have already lived here a year and that I am getting married in less than 3 weeks!I will always hold a special place in my heart for this ward. I have truly felt like it was a family.