Big News!

I know several of you are anxious to hear about my meeting with the bishop, so even though I have much bigger fish to fry, I thought I would take a minute to give you all an update.

I went and met with the bishop, and it didn't go exactly as I had planned, but in retrospect, I think it was better. After we got done with the small talk, he began talking to me about the inspiration he receives as bishop, especially when he is making callings. He also told me that I am entitled to receive the same type of inspiration for issues in my own life, which I already knew, of course, but it was good that he got me thinking about it. He talked for several more minutes about inspiration, but I had a hard time paying close attention, because he had gotten the wheels in my mind turning, and I was thinking about some of the inspiration I had been receiving lately and ignoring.

We eventually got down to the reason he had called me in: to give me a new calling. Of course, I expected him to call me as the Elders Quorum President, as I mentioned the other day. Well, he didn't (yet). He called me as the Elders Quorum Secretary. He told me he felt that it was important for me to be involved in the Elders Quorum so that I could "see firsthand the inspiration that takes place among the presidency." Of course, he couldn't actually say a couple things he was thinking, but I am smart enough to figure them out: one, he feels that my influence in presidency meetings will be good to make sure that the EQP stays in line with the gospel; and two, once the timing is right, I will be called as EQP.

When I was on my mission, the mission president called me to serve as mission secretary, and I spent nearly eight months in the mission home in that capacity before being called as an Assistant to the President. From that experience, I understand completely that priesthood leaders sometimes like to ease people into callings to avoid hurting the feelings of the outgoing people, and I completely respect that. The bishop didn't say anything about meeting with me periodically so I can let him know how things are going, but I assume he will just let me know when he needs to talk, and I will make myself available.

But remember what I said earlier, how I had a hard time listening to the things the bishop was saying because I was thinking about inspiration I had been receiving? Well, when I left the bishop's office with my new calling, I went straight to Molly's house. I picked her up and we went for a drive to a park in Provo that I really like, where I used to play Ultimate Frisbee before the city built some dumb monument in the middle of our field. As we walked around the park, I turned to Molly, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry me. I apologized that I didn't have a ring yet, and I explained to her that the bishop had essentially told me the time was right for us to get engaged.

Obviously, this took Molly off guard. But even more obviously, she said yes. And then, as I looked into the eyes of the future Molly Parley, we shared our first kiss. And our second kiss. And a couple others after that.