Saturday, December 27, 1997
At the beginning of this month, Beth, her husband, and their 18-month-old baby girl moved into our basement. I love having them here!
Saturday, May 9, 1998
Beth had another baby girl 2 months ago. While they have been living here, Beth tried to tend the neighbor’s child. It didn’t last long. Beth told me that tending other people’s children was hard and asked me how I did it. I told her it was because I didn’t have a choice and wanted to get out of debt.
Sunday, May 10, 1998
I had the strangest dream! I dreamt that I was going to get called to meet with a man at a building that only the general authorities are allowed in. I dreamt that this man was a general authority, and he showed me the inside of the building.
I thought the general authority met in the Church office building. When I woke up, I asked Richard if there was a building where the general authorities met. He told me it was called the Church Administration building. He asked me why I wanted to know. I told him that I had a dream that I was going to go there and meet with one of the general authorities. The general authority was going to show me different rooms in the building. Richard laughed at me and said, “That was a dream all right!”
Thursday, June 25, 1998
I got a letter in the mail. It was a calling to serve on the Church Young Women’s Writing Committee. It said my calling was approved by the Council of the First Presidency of the Quorum of the Twelve. The letter ended by saying that one of the General Authority directors would contact me to schedule an appointment to set me apart for this new calling. It ended with: “Your spouse is invited to come with you to the appointment.”
I tried to figure out what the call was about. It looks like it will take up a lot of my time. I didn’t know if I could do it. Beth was excited for me to have this new calling and said she would help me with whatever I needed. So, I accepted the call.
Friday, July 10, 1998
I have an appointment to come to the Church Administration building to be set apart for my new calling.
I was worried I would be late, so I arrived 25 minutes early. I had planned to sit and wait in the hall till it was time for me to be set apart. When I got there, the security guard paged Elder Madsen to come to the front desk. I apologized to Elder Madsen for coming so early. Elder Madsen responded, “I was hoping you would come early so that I could show you around the building. Not many people get to come inside and look around.”
As he showed me around, he told me some interesting stories that had happened in some of the rooms. While we were walking in the hall, we ran into Elder Holland. Elder Holland came over to talk to me. He held out his hand and said, “Hi, you must be Sister Howland. I was hoping I would get a chance to meet you!” I was surprised that he knew who I was!
The last room he showed me was where all the General Authorities meet. Elder Madsen then pointed to all the different chairs. He said, “This is where the Prophet sits, this is where the twelve apostles sit, and this is where the seventies sit. This chair right here is where I sit.” Then he pointed to the prophet’s chair again and said, “This is where the Prophet sat when he held a folder in his hands containing your records. He told us about a calling that he has in mind for you. Then the prophet turned to Elder Holland and asked him to find out more information about you and to investigate if you were the right person he had in mind. Later, when we met again, Elder Holland told us what he had found out about you, and we all felt that you were the one meant for this calling.”
I was floored. I imagined the folder the prophet was holding had every sin that I had ever confessed to the Bishops over the years. But I wasn’t about to ask.
It was time to meet the Young Women’s General Presidency and the other 4 ladies who would be serving with me in this new calling. Before we got set apart, Elder Madsen asked where my husband was. I told him he had gone camping with the scouts. Then Elder Madsen asked, “Did he know that he was invited to come when you got set apart?!” I was embarrassed to say that my husband knew, but he chose to go with the scouts instead.” Elder Maddison said, “Maybe he didn’t understand how important this calling is. I hope that he will support you in the calling!” I just smiled, because I didn’t know what to say.
After we were set apart, I was given some reading to help me prepare for our next meeting. I was told the meeting would be at the church office building and that the prophet would be there to meet with us.
When I got home, I was sick to my stomach. I didn’t know if I could do this calling. I still have a hard time reading. I felt so inadequate. I thought to myself, I will do my best and see what happens.
Wednesday, July 15, 1998
Beth watched my children while I went to my first meeting.
When I got to the church office building, they took my picture and gave me a badge to use to get in while I have this calling.
I have been coughing a lot these past few days. I was so afraid I would start coughing during the opening prayer that I stuffed my mouth with cough drops before I went to the meeting.
When I got to the room where we were to meet, Elder James E. Faust was there. He apologized that the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley couldn’t be there. Gordon B. Hinckley had asked that he be there to meet us.
During the opening prayer, the President of The General Young Women’s started to cough. She tried to hold it in, but that only made it worse. During the prayer, she had to leave the room because she couldn’t stop coughing. I could hear her cough all the way down the hall. When she got back, she apologized for disturbing the prayer.
I wanted to tell her it had been my worst fear and that I was relieved it was her, and not me. But of course, I didn’t. I was glad it had happened because it helped me realize that the people I would be serving with were not perfect. They were regular people just like me!
After the prayer was said, Elder Faust talked to us. He told us we were not to tell anyone about our calling. He said we were only to say that we were doing research. I thought it was odd that we were to keep our calling a secret.
At the end of the meeting, we were sent home with boxes of magazines. They were the last 10 years of The New Era, Liahona, and Ensign. We were to go home and read them from cover to cover. And then come back next month for our next assignment. I thought there was no way I could read through all these magazines in a month. Even if I read from morning till night.
That night, as I brought the boxes of magazines into my bedroom, everyone in the house wanted to know why I had them. I told them I was not allowed to tell anyone what my calling was about. Then I laughed and said, I don’t even know what it’s about! I have been told to read all these magazines from cover to cover.
I was so overwhelmed! Beth said she would make dinners, help me watch the kids I tend, and do whatever else I needed. I am truly grateful. I thought there was still no way I was going to get through all these magazines, even if I put my life on hold. I thought this calling was unreasonable, and that’s probably why I was to keep it a secret.
If this is what I was called to do, then I’d better do it.
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