Leadership

Leadership

This week hit home in a very big way. Two weeks ago as I was set apart as Bishop and many feelings, questions, and thoughts have come to my mind in the intervening days. I have thought about how the Lord has prepared me to lead our ward and yet to serve the ward and serve the Lord. As I read again, for maybe the fourth or fifth time, President Clark’s 2007 BYU-Idaho commencement address, it took on a very new and clear meaning for me this time. As I read, “The call to be a disciple-leader is a call to minister and to serve.  It is a call to lead as Christ leads.  It is leadership with a small “L”—the kind of leadership that builds and lifts and inspires through kindness and love and unselfish devotion to the Lord and His work.  It is the kind of leadership that we need at every level of every kind of organization in the world and in every ward and stake in the Church.” the words seemed to be directed to me and pertained to me in my new calling. As I’ve met with the auxiliary leaders I have a new-found sense of gratitude for their level of devotion and service and look to them as examples of how I should serve. I have had a sense that a big part of my service and leadership will be in following the example of the Savior and reaching out to the one. Over and over I have had the vision of finding one who is lost and bringing them back into the fold rejoicing just as in the parable of the ninety and nine. This week has brought me the blessing of a renewed desire to be a leader with a small “L” as described by President Clark.