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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Overwhelmed

We had our first YW Presidency meeting last night after mutual. Every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. is the Young Woman's and Young Men's activity night/Mutual. Kent is there as well as he has his Elder's Quorum meetings and then Cole and Tyson are there as well as they have their Scouts/YM and Cubs activity's. So Niki had Brynley for us. 

When mutual was over (usually around 8:30 p.m.) is when our meeting began. Kent and Cole were waiting for me...and let's just say they were waiting a LOOOOONNNNG time...our meeting was 2 hours long!!! What the??? I couldn't believe it. Note to self, bring my own vehicle every 3rd Tuesday of the month when I have a Presidency meeting. We didn't get home until 11:30 p.m. NOT COOL!! I felt so bad as Niki had Brynley and Tyson ended up over at Jeff and Melanie's after a Birthday party he went to instead of being dropped off at Niki's. So they were probably wondering what the heck Tyson was doing there. Not to mention how late it was when we finally picked them both up.

I AM SO, SO SORRY MELANIE AND NIKI!! THANK YOU for watching our kids.

Tuesday's are going to be tricky with Brynley as we can't pawn her off to someone every Tuesday as that just isn't fair to her or Niki. My other sister in law (Melanie) has a dance class that night so she is already busy. I talked to our YW President about Brynley as they are wanting me there every Tuesday so I can get to know the girls better and be a part of everything. She told me to bring Bryn on the activity nights we are just having fun and doing activities. Our meeting nights (which is once a month) I will need Bryn to be babysat. So, I talked to Niki about it and she said she would watch Brynley for us when I have that once a month meeting. 

THANKS NIKI for being willing to help me out with Brynley once a month so I can fully serve in my calling!!   =)

I had NO CLUE how involved the YW Secretary's calling was. It is going to be A LOT more work than I had anticipated. As my Mom said,

  "it is like you are the 3rd counselor"

I have to teach on some Sundays and go to activities every Tuesday night and do my own Personal Progress Book. They are doing a reading challenge with the YW...they want to read the Book of Mormon in 99 days....they had started this challenge a week ago. So, I sat down Monday and read and read to catch up to where they were all at. I WANT to do and be apart of all they are doing. Plus, do all my responsibilities each week as the secretary...which there are M-A-N-Y!

I slept MAYBE a total of 3 hours last night as my brain was on YW's overload and wouldn't shut off. There is A LOT of work that gets done and I am just amazed by it all. Like I said, I had NO CLUE!!
  
After our meeting I still felt clueless as to what all I had to do...as there is just SO much and I am new to it all. Our YW President challenged us all to do as President Roche does and pray for each of the girls in YW. So she assigned each of them a group of girls to pray over....Sister Hall (2nd Counselor) is to pray for the Beehives that she is over, Sister Smith (1st Counselor) is to pray for the Miamaids and Sister Berryman (YW Presidnet) is praying for the Laurels. Sister Berryman then looked at me and said you can just randomly pray for whomever. I laughed and said, 

"no, I will pray for each of us." 

They all laughed and said good idea. All joking aside I will pray for us as leaders as we definitely will need it. But, I will pray for our YW's as well. 

I know the only way I am going to be able to juggle ALL my responsibilities in my life right now which are:

*being a wife

*being a Mom

*home responsibilities

*Visiting Teacher

*YW Secretary duties

*sewing class projects

*foster parent training/licensing

*counseling


is by being organized, and having faith that I can do it all. I do know I can do it, I just need to remember what is important, and ask for help. I have found myself on my knees a lot more lately praying for strength to be able to do all that I am being asked to do. 

This past Monday was a tough one emotionally for me. I had a lot I wanted to accomplish...researching my new calling and figuring it all out and doing all the reading from the Book of Mormon to catch up on the 99 day challenge. I found that when I was reading I was fine and understanding it all and really enjoying reading the scriptures. But when I would stop and give myself a break from reading and go do some laundry or whatever that I became VERY grouchy,  negative and doubtful with all I was trying to accomplish...and I didn't understand why!

I have been quick to cry and feeling so inadequate...all I can think of is that Satan is working hard on me cause he DOES NOT want me to do this calling. I feel like a war is going on inside me. I know I can do this calling as I REALLY desire to do it...but, then a big part of me says don't do it as you will only screw up and the girls won't like you and you will only fail as you have no idea what you are doing. But, when I close my eyes I can feel that he will not fail me and I can do all this through him as he knows me and knows my heart and what I can do. So, I am going to carry take a deep breath and carry on! 

I am looking forward to the spiritual growth that I know will come from being in this calling. I am looking forward to the relationships that I will make and come to know by having this calling. Lot's to look forward to =)


6 comments:

Melanie Stanford said...

Don't stress Barb, I know you can do it! You're amazing and a great example to us all!

Barb Stanford said...

I agree with everything Melanie said. You have amazing faith in the gospel and now you just need to have faith in yourself and know that you can do it! Good luck and enjoy this new journey you are on!!

Janay

Barb Stanford said...

Thanks you guys! I had to post Janay's comment as it wouldn't let me publish what she said for some reason?? I appreciate your love and support =)

Gayla Woolf Holt said...

All you said is TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!
You will be able to do it all and get in a lovely schedule. I remember the first time I was YWs president and Terry and I had only been married a few years and here we had all you eight kids now merged as a family. I was teaching school and this calling was HUGE as at that time we were not given advisors or camp specialists....it was never even heard of. The presidency did it all. We taught every week. At that time in our ward we had 35 girls, of which 18 were my Laurel class. LOL Yup the Lord does 'qualify' whom he calls. He teaches us and helps us grow in our callings. FAITH is the key and LOVE and PATIENCE.
You will do so good Barb...you are part of the presidency and not a secretary guest. My secretary was amazing and I loved her as she would remind me and keep me on track and phone the absent girls and help us love them etc
All the best. MOM

Lynn said...

"Satan is working hard on me cause he DOES NOT want me to do this calling"

You hit the NAIL on the head when you said that. So don't let him win. ; D

You will be GREAT! And are doing exactly what you should be doing.....otherwise, why would the adversary even bother working hard on you. ah ha! {Okay...light bulb moment here for me too.}

I am excited for you and your new calling. I, as a YW's President, completely appreciated all that my secretary did for me. You really are the 3rd councilor on the team.

The Lord will help you, and ease your burdens, and relieve some of the stress you are feeling right now...just keep praying....reading your scriptures.....and pretty soon it will all fall into place and run like a smooth wheel.

And then you will suddenly be released and called to something new. HA ha. Isn't that how it always goes?

P.S. And I will keep YOU on my prayer list. ; )

Laura G said...

I think Heavenly Father knows that those girls need you as their leader, of course Satan doesn't want you there because he knows you are going to do an awesome job! Those girls are lucky!!! Good luck!