Bummed out Bridget

Bridget was released last week from her calling as the Laurel advisor in the Young Women's organization. The calling required a bit of work from her; there were the Tuesday night activities, occasional Saturday outings, and lessons almost every Sunday. When she told me I thought for an instant that she might be relieved to have that burden lifted. Then I remembered that this is Bridget and NOT me. She loved that calling. She was completely out of sorts about the whole thing. I would have to say that she was pissed. She had been in for about a year and felt like she was finally to the point where she felt trusted by the girls.

She wondered at first if it was the fact that she is pregnant. The Young Womens president who was also released is also pregnant. She was indignant about it and questioned the reasoning. At one point considered not showing up to church when they released her and announced the new people. She didn't know if she could honestly raise her hand to support those newly called. She spent some time crying occasionally too. As for myself I was mostly just torqued that my wife was offended/hurt/etc.

I write this not to poke fun at her or to disagree with what was done. No, I write this because I think it is important to note that sometimes in life we get all bummed out about things that are not meant to slight us or to punish us. Such was the case here. Sometimes what is done is to stave of some great damage or save those with greater needs.

Little did we know that there were events transpiring that would make it very difficult for the old YW president, RW, to function in her role. Simply put, her husband, CW, lost his job, was almost arrested, and they may have to move. This is a result of CW's brother getting a divorce. He worked for the brother and the brother ran a company with his soon to be ex-wife. She is doing her best to destroy his extended family in pretty much every way possible. This includes firing CW from the business owned and run by CW's brother and sister-in-law, accusing him of diverting assets away from the company for personal use of CW and CW's brother (which is not true--or at least he did nothing illegal or unethical) and try to remove them from the house which is owned by her and the CW's brother.

I am sure it will all work out for them. They are great people and they will assuredly land on their feet. Too bad it came at such an inconvenient time. RW is due to have their third child in a month or so. They seem to be handling it all very well.

It is understandable that she would be released. Bridget was just collateral damage. The new YW President would want to work with someone that she can best get along with since the Laurel advisor works very closely with the president. The new president, while a very nice person, is not someone that Bridget would relate well too probably. This is not a bad thing either. Frankly, I don't think we would ever "hang" with her and her husband. No biggie, but it makes sense that Bridget would be released under these circumstances.

Still, Bridget had a very hard time saying goodbye to her girls on Sunday. But she realized that it was for the best under the circumstances.

Lessons have been learned though. We don't always have the complete picture, well, actually we rarely do. Those with the stewardship of the calling should be entitled to the benefit of the doubt. In this case it appears that the Bishop and his counselors were guided to make their decision when they did. The timing was too perfect. although the result was not what Bridget would have liked, I think that both of us had a faith-building experience.