I get my man back

Today was a happy day for me. Spenser was finally released from Young Men's after serving in there for about 6 years (minus a few that we got off in between moving from Ohio to Washington). I felt bad about being so happy when the whole thing made him so sad. I know that he really loved and cared for the boys that he served and he was able to really connect with them (maybe because he's still so young at heart himself!) We really were quite used to him being gone one night each week for mutual, but once he was called as YM President there were lots of Sunday meetings for him to be at. Some Sundays it was hard to tell the kids that daddy was still at church when they would ask where he was. Luckily though, he still gets to work with his Priests all week, just as their Sunday School teacher. 

He was really good at letting them take the lead with things so that they could learn about leadership. This was something that I struggled with during my short time in YW's. My type A personality just makes me want to do everything so that I know it gets done. We had an experience just a few months ago when the boys helped to organize a food drive and Spenser discovered that flyer and brown shopping bags still  hadn't been organized the night before. He set one of his boys to work doing the flyer and then he put on his shirt and tie on a Friday evening and went around town to the grocery stores for grocery bag donations. I just kept saying, "See, this is what happens when you leave them in charge!" Spenser just told me that's how they learn whether or not we end up picking up the pieces. I know that he's right and I'm glad that his boys had him to teach them those valuable lessons.

Spenser, I love you and am proud of the way that you have served. We are excited to have some more time with you though now, and are especially excited about being able to ride to church together again.