Cheston and Natalie

I have been serving as the Relief Society president in my ward this school year. This is the 3rd presidency I have served in. I have loved serving and learned so many things. Earlier this week I was visiting with my bishop and among lots of things, small talk was exchanged about how there have been times that people have more experience serving don't allow others with less experince to learn and grow in their experience to serve. I did not think twice about it really until today as I was thinking about some things that have really troubled me during my serving. I never fail to get frustrated that not everyone understands the importance of going to ALL your meetings, showing up to meetings on time, and how you can easily show up to class or something your really want to do early in the morning but you can't show up to 9:00 church on time or at all. I struggle with feeling like I have to be a babysitter sometimes, and wake people up for church, remind people consistantly to do their visiting teaching, and many other things..... but it FINALLY occured to me today, that I must allow the girls that I love so much to learn for themselves and gain their own testimonies of the importance of the little things that we are asked to do. So if I call someone and ask them if they have done their visiting teaching, and they basically tell me it is not a top priority to them... it's okay. If someone chooses to sleep in on Sunday morning and not make it to Relief Society... it's okay. I was there once too, and I almost always forget that I had to learn these things too... and until I was ready to do it on my own, there was no way that I was going to do it.
I am really going to miss serving when this school year is finally over. I have been so overly stressed, and feeling overworked... but more importantly I have been overly blessed and learn something every day. I have learned that I can love people I don't even know, and be concerned for them and want them to truly succeed. We are all continually a work in progress and the most important thing to do is just to love people for who they are.

On a side note: test number 2 tomorrow. Wish me luck!!