A couple of weeks ago, our Bishop spoke to us in Relief Society. He told us that there would be a big announcement coming soon in the Cactus View Ward. He said it would change the Ward and probably even change our lives. Oooh, I wondered what it could be...
Fast forward to yesterday morning at around 9:45. The Bishop was on the Ward bulletin as the 2nd speaker to take up the whole latter half of Sacrament meeting. I really didn't think anything of it until he started to talk and mentioned about giving us a heads up to his big announcement a couple of weeks earlier.
He started out by telling us that there are about 530 members on the roles of the Cactus View Ward, but that we regularly only have about 185 people in attendance every week. So that means that while 35% of our Ward members are attending, 65% are not. The Bishop informed us that he has been fasting and praying about what to do for the 65% for about four weeks. When he came up with an answer, it was so big that he had to take it to the Stake President for approval...
All of our active Ward members 16 and older will be called to serve a 2-year mission in the Cactus View Ward. We will be given a companion (our spouse if we are married) and assigned two less active families in our Ward to work with. Our mission is not complete until either the two years are up or both of our less active families are regularly coming back to church. We are also to report to the Bishop in writing every two months starting in June.
The Bishop has placed a box in the Clerk's office for anyone that feels they cannot participate for medical, personal or whatever reason. Anyone that does not notify the Bishop that they cannot take part by Saturday will be officially called and sustained on Sunday. The following Sunday, we will receive our assigned families.
Of course, this caused a lot of buzz among the members after Sacrament meeting. I heard people saying "wow", "this is so exciting" and "what a great opportunity". Honestly, I found myself wishing for a legitimate reason to opt-out. Even with Visiting Teaching, I have found over the years that I am uncomfortable contacting less-active sisters that I haven't known but are on my route. It seems to just be the initial contact and meeting that I am insecure about, because once I feel that we have established a relationship, it is much easier.
I know that serving this mission will build my testimony and probably even my self-confidence. I have no doubt that if I serve faithfully and diligently that our lives will change in ways that I probably cannot even imagine right now... but until then I am still a little nervous.
-Becca-
