Bishop journal — My first talk as Bishop of the Grandview 19th YSA Ward
November 2003
MY FIRST TALK AS BISHOP, November 2003
Following are some of the thoughts I shared with my new ward as I spoke to them on the day I was sustained as bishop (November 23, 2003).
“I am humbled by this opportunity to serve, and very grateful for your sustaining support. I have drawn great comfort from the statement by President Francom that the stake presidency felt the inspiration of the Lord as they issued this calling. The last week has been a marvelous and yet frightening time. I have developed a great love and appreciation for my wonderful counselors already, and am anxious for you to get to know them. You are a beautiful sight, you radiate a wonderful spirit, and how I look forward to serving you.
I express heartfelt thanks to Bishop Barrett and his counselors for their years of dedicated service. Bishop Barrett’s wisdom and experience has blessed your lives and my life. He is a man upon whom the mantle of responsibility rests very comfortably. I can only imagine how much you love him and his counselors. I love them too. I would never try to fill his shoes; that is not possible. You have my promise, however, that I will do all within my power to magnify this call and serve to the fullest measure I can.
I so much appreciated your sustaining vote. I am fully aware that many of you do not know me. I plead for your prayers, your faith, and your patience. Please pray for my counselors and the other members of the bishopric as well. We will be praying for you.
Shortly after this call was issued, I was overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy and weakness. However, during the last few days and during a temple visit yesterday, the Lord has blessed me with a sweet assurance of His love and support. I know that I will not be serving alone. At my side are my wife and children, my counselors, our wonderful stake presidency, all of you, and most importantly, my Savior. The Lord has counseled us to “doubt not, fear not”. With His support, we will accomplish his purposes for us in the ward.
The greatest blessing in my life is my wonderful wife, Susan. Her faith never wavers, her commitment to the church and to the Savior is unflagging, and her support of me has been and continues to be a major strength in my life. I love her dearly.
I express appreciation to Brother Rail and Brother Jones and their wives, and appreciate the spiritual strength and leadership skills they bring to this assignment.
As I close, I bear my sure witness and testimony of the divinity of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior. I know that our Savior is the Redeemer of all who will accept Him. I know that salvation is only possible through Him, by Him, and of Him. I know that He stands as the leader of this church, that His relationship with His prophets and apostles is intimate and real and personal. I know that our wonderful prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, receives continual revelation to lead this church. I know him to be and sustain him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, a choice, worthy, prepared instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father. I know that the Book of Mormon is the revealed word of God, having been brought forth as a powerful testament of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that the priesthood has been restored, and that it is the greatest power for good on the earth.
I love all of you already. I commit myself to your service willingly, humbly, and gratefully. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
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Following are the actual notes I drew up in the days before I spoke:
“My dear brothers and sisters and friends, What a humbling experience this is. The last time I remember feeling this inadequate and overwhelmed was many years ago in Palmerston North, New Zealand, on my first full day as a proselyting missionary, when my companion marched us up to a house and said, “Okay Elder Taylor, this door is yours. The Lord bless you.” No one has ever knocked more softly on a door than I did on that door. Unfortunately, the lady of the house heard my feeble knock and answered the door. As I tried to introduce ourselves and tell her who we represented, I lost control of my emotions and started to cry. My companion said nothing to rescue me. He just stood there and chuckled. The woman nervously closed the door in our faces. Despite having had many years of church experience since then, I feel just as inadequate today as I did then. I know assuredly, however, that myself and my new counselors are on the Lord’s’ errand. He will sustain us.
Thank you for your sustaining vote. I desperately needed to see you raise your hands in support of these new callings. I am aware that most of don’t know me or my counselors, and your vote was a vote of support for our wonderful, inspired stake presidency, having confidence that they sought and obtained the Lord’s will in the issuing of these calls. We will need your sustaining prayers and faith so very much. I thank our wonderful stake presidency for the confidence and trust they have placed on us.
I was called one week ago today. During the intervening seven shortest days of my life, my fervent prayer has been that I can be equal to and worthy of this sacred responsibility that the Lord has entrusted me with.
You can perhaps appreciate the feelings of anxiety I have at the thought of following Bishop Barrett as bishop of this ward. He is a man of wisdom and broad church experience, a man on whom the mantle of priesthood leadership rests so naturally and comfortably. I can only imagine how much all of you love him and his wonderful counselors. I love him too. He is my neighbor and my dear friend. I have turned to him in the past when I needed counsel or a priesthood blessing. On behalf of all of us, I convey love and heartfelt appreciation to him, his counselors, their wives and families. I cannot fill Bishop Barrett’s shoes. I wouldn’t even try. But I can promise you, as I have promised my Heavenly Father and our stake presidency, that I will strive to live worthy of this trust and sacred responsibility, and I will serve you, the members of this ward, to the fullest measure of my capabilities. As a new bishopric, we will not, we cannot succeed without the constant guidance of the Lord. We will seek that guidance. I know that that guidance will come. What meager strengths I bring to this calling will be magnified and enhanced such that I can more fully serve you and love you.
Would you please pray for your new bishopric? I know that the Lord will allow us to feel the strength of your prayers and faith in our behalf. I hope you know that we will be praying for you, night and day, that your lives will be full of fulfillment and joy. The greatest blessing that will come into your lives by having me serve as your bishop is that all of you will have the opportunity of meeting and associating with my wife, Susan. She is a woman of profound faith and of devotion to our Savior. She was raised in a home of love and faith by two wonderful parents. After you get to know her, it is likely that you will ask me a question that I have been asked countless times during the last 22 years, “How in the world did you convince Susan to marry you?” Don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll tell you how I pulled it off.
I express my love and appreciation to Brother Jones and Brother Rail and their wives and families. Their calls were also calls of inspiration, and I know of a certainty that they will bless your lives and my life as they serve faithfully in this new opportunity.
As I close I would like all of you to know that I have a sure witness and testimony of the divinity of our Savior. I know that he is indeed our Redeemer, and that salvation is only possible by him, through him, and of him. I know that He guides this church by continuous revelation to our beloved prophet. I know that President Hinckley is the Lord’s anointed mouthpiece. I sustain him and the other apostles as prophets, seers, revelators. I testify that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God as well, a choice worthy vessel through whom the fullness of the gospel was restored and by whom the Book of Mormon was brought forth, a true and powerful testament of our Savior. The priesthood has been restored to the earth, and it is the greatest power for good on the earth today. I love you all already. How I look forward to getting to know each one of you personally. What a powerful uplifting spirit you radiate. I dedicate myself to your service, gratefully, willingly, humbly.”