Bishop Rogers

Busy as a man can be...he's our Bishop!  He finds time to talk with me...he's our Bishop!  And so the song goes.  Today Eric Rogers was released as Bishop in the Hamilton Ward after serving for nearly five years!  I had the unique privilege to serve as Relief Society President with him and have grown to love him even more than I already did!  He has been a dear friend before he ever was Bishop.  He and Joe have had fun researching the history of Pinesdale together.  He even came to Idaho to visit when we moved there.  I know he was there for his daughter but he came to our ward!  As the announcement was made today, I couldn't help the tears in my eyes!  This man has served diligently and faithfully and is an example to me of what a true disciple of Christ is!  Bishop Rogers taught me more about the principle of Grace and has helped me understand the atonement at a whole different level.  Because of him, I was able to magnify my calling to the best of my ability.  Because of him, I was able to let go of my calling when the time came due to health issues.  And because of him, I know I am a better person than I was!

My kids called my stewardship interviews secret agent meetings.  I always looked forward to our secret agent meetings.  I felt like I was in the presence of Super Man each time.  I still joke about our hidden capes;)  This Super Man made me feel like Wonder Woman!  He always respected my opinions and even sought counsel with me at times regarding the sisters in our ward.  I always felt like he had my back.  I remember talking to him about the ward boundary changes and feeling the weight of the change with Him before anyone else really knew what was happening.  He wanted to make sure I knew I would be losing one of my counselors before it was announced from the pulpit.  I am forever grateful that he gave me a heads up!  We were able to make a smooth transition with the new ward boundaries but it took time.  Our main goal was unity.  I am happy to say, that our goal has finally been realized after all these years.  I was sad being released from my calling because I knew we could no longer have secret agent meetings! 

He has seen me at my best and certainly at my worst.  I fondly recall the day I was called to be Relief Society President.  I was teaching a lesson on marriage in Relief Society which he had sat in on.  All he said was, "It's you!" And I knew exactly what he meant and I said, "Here am I!"  Then after a year and a half of serving to the best of my ability, he came over to tell me I would be released as Relief Society President.  He found me sitting on the couch in my flannel jammies (in the middle of the day), hair thrown in a pony tail, and looking like a train wreck.  He loved me anyways, the way I imagine the Savior would look upon one of his lambs who was deeply suffering.  I knew why he had come over that day and although I was in denial and wanted to hang onto the calling, I knew that the sisters needed someone who was physically, emotionally, and spiritually able to lead them.  How thankful I am to Jani Meuchel who has served so tirelessly!

Eric (can I call him that now?) has helped me through some of the most intense pain I have ever experienced.  On the day I couldn't find "happy", he drove to my house and gave me the sweetest priesthood blessing while Joe was out of town.  He blessed me to have new eyes to see and new ears to hear.  Although I still suffer tinnitus and think I have finally gotten the right prescription of eye glasses, I know he was talking about much more!  When people suffer with anxiety, they tend to appoint people who are "safe".  Eric is one of my "safe" people.  I can just be me in his presence.  I hope this doesn't sound like hero worship, I just really admire, respect, and appreciate my friend!  I am happy that he can spend more time with his wife and kids now.  As Brian Hawke's name was read as our new Bishop, I could almost visibly see the mantle shift.  Eric looked relaxed and happy while Brian all of the sudden looked like a huge weight was set upon his shoulders.  What a sacred moment to be a part of!  Brian and I have quite a history too...but we'll save that for another post;)  Needless to say I was thrilled to sustain our new Bishop!  There are certain moments in time that get frozen in our memories forever.  Serving with Bishop Rogers will always remain one of my most cherished and blessed time I have had in this mortal existence! In short, Bishop Rogers is definitely "blog-worthy"!  Thank you Bishop for all your years, months, weeks, days, and hours of service!