my sister's visit and (ack!) my new calling

My sister, Denise, called last Wednesday and said she was thinking of coming up for a visit. I enthusiastically told her to come. She arrived on Saturday and left today (Wednesday). We had a wonderful visit. We played games, went to church, took walks, went to zumba, discussed Ed Week classes, went out to lunch, went to the temple, and just talked and had a wonderful time. I don't know what I'd do without having her in my life. She is such a blessing to me.

Thanks for coming, Deni! I had a fabulous time being with you.

It was also a good week for beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Here are 2 different sunrises:

18 July 2014

18 July 2014

21 July 2014

And here's a photo of the new almost-finished milk barn as seen from across a field of the new crop milo (sorghum):

So, Glen and I were called in to talk to a member of the Stake Presidency (his brother Alan). We were both thinking that the new calling would be for Glen. Nope. I was called to be an early-morning seminary teacher. I have never even attended a class like that as Denise and I had what is called home-study seminary where we had booklets to do during the week and then just had one class a week on Sundays. And I remember nothing of my classes except the time the young men were so badly behaved that they made our sweet teacher cry.

Being an early-morning seminary teacher means teaching about 20 lessons a month to high school aged kids from 7 to 7:45 am on most school days. As a counselor in the Young Women's (which is what my calling has been lately), I taught a lesson about 6 times a year and I considered it to be the hardest part of my calling as I don't feel I'm a very good teacher. I don't mind the hours that teaching seminary will take (about 2 hours of prep per lesson plus teaching time itself); I just don't want to bore the students. I want to be able to have them love and be excited about the scriptures.

This year's course of study will be the Doctrine and Covenants (which contains revelations mostly given to Joseph Smith in the 1830s and 40s). I don't know yet which grade I'll be teaching.

I'll be missing the first week of seminary as Denise and I will be at BYU's Ed Week (yea!), but Glen and Hannah will be filling in for me. My Ed Week choices now contain more classes on the D & C and classes on being a good teacher.

So, I'm adjusting to the idea. I'm sure I'll learn to do it right, but it is a bit intimidating. A lot intimidating. I will be released from Young Women's, but I should wind up having some of the girls in whatever age group I wind up teaching, so that will be nice. The change in callings will make it easier for me to travel with Glen when he needs me to go on his high council visits once a month--like in September when we go to Austin.

But I am still a bit in shock and I was called 10 days ago. Wish me luck. Better yet, pray for me and my students.