President Mattson was released today. It was a very emotional Sunday. When I first got to church I found his office open and empty. He had taken down all the art and the oversized comfy chairs were gone. The place was just dreary and it matched how I was feeling. I felt like a chunk of me was being taken away. President Mattson really feels like my bishop to me. He is definitely the one I have been with the longest and the only one I have gotten close with.

I was thinking back to the first time I really met him, when I interviewed him for my leadership class. I think it was then that I really determined to come back to church. I had been coming for a few weeks, but interviewing him is what got me hooked. I haven’t missed a week since. I think that is pretty remarkable coming from someone who hadn’t been in essentially a few years. I think I need to pull out a copy of that paper and give one to him. That was actually an interesting semester all around. I went through so much and learned so much. It was the only time I found LDS friends at Fullerton, both of them in the same class.

I remember taking the calling as Sunday School President and being worried about the time and having to go to meetings and so forth. I quickly learned that I never want a calling where I’m not in branch council. Even though I may not participate much, I love the insight from President Mattson and the others and the opportunity to serve with them. President Smith said today that this branch has never been about marriage; it has been about service.

President Mattson asked me what has been the most fun thing we’ve done in the branch. I wasn’t thinking spiritually and answered eventually that I’m just too busy taking pictures to really have fun. But taking the pictures is fun to me. The spiritual journey has been thrilling and really just taking it day to day has been fun. Are there things we could improve on, sure. Is this the best branch I know of, yes!

I’m happy that President Mattson and Brother Rigby are both being returned to their families. They are destined for greatness and while it will be hard for all of us to adjust, the Lords work is progressing under His direction. While I feel like I am loosing friends, I hope this just means our friendship can grow.

I’m looking forward to getting to know President Clegg and his counselors and families. This will in and of itself be an interesting and new challenge for me. Zach is leaving soon and I’ve been asked to carry forward with the elders quorum until they learn of a replacement. I guess it really is true: I was just getting comfortable, maybe too comfortable for comfort!

I went to the Dowden’s briefly this evening to make an appearance. I haven’t seen most of the Dowen clan for at least two weeks, so I felt we needed some time. Sister Dowden and I are going to work this week on getting some social networking going for CBC and I’m going to help her get a store running online for her pole vaulting tips. I came home and wrote cards to Stephanie and Tara. I really felt like writing more, but I don’t want to be a distraction. I figure smaller items more frequently are better. I do really miss Stephanie. Seeing pictures last night – and this morning in the clerks office – as well as having Chris back around have made me realize this. I hope she is doing well. Brother D and I need to make good on our threat (?) to go and see her soon.