5 Things I Learned in My First Year As a Bishop’s Wife

When my husband was called as Bishop of our ward in August 2021, our Stake President told both of us to start a journal specifically for this journey. We each got our own journals and I started writing about many things as a bishop’s wife: miracles, my prayers for members of our ward, my many venting sessions, prayers for my husband, tender mercies, and some things I have learned along the way.

Now, I have been a member of the Church all my life. My dad was a Bishop and in 2 stake presidencies. My husband served as a ward clerk and on the high council. I was pretty sure I knew what to expect as a Bishop’s wife.

Nope.

You may read these five things and already know about them yourself. But it’s one thing to know about them, and another thing to know them. So, here are 5 things I have learned in my first year as a Bishop’s wife.

The Bishop loves every member of the ward in a very real way.

Let me tell you the truth: whether you are working through a serious sin, magnifying the heck out of your calling, or you have never even spoken to the bishop, he knows you and he loves you. So much. Trust me.

There is no small calling.

I know many people who crave a leadership calling, and those who hide from callings. There are busier callings, and callings that don’t take much thought. But every. single. calling. is needed! If you believe your calling is small or it’s just not the one you would choose yourself, focus less on the calling and more on the people. How can you serve them? That’s what it’s about. And when you’re not magnifying your calling (or doing it at all), other people have to fill in for you while also doing their own calling.

Relief Society and Elders Quorum Presidents are often underutilized.

Did you know that the Bishop’s primary responsibility is the youth? Of course, I know my husband would never turn away someone who wanted to meet with him, but when adults need counseling, welfare questions, etc., they should be calling their Relief Society or Elders Quorum presidents. In fact, I would say that most of the calls my husband gets could (and often does) get redirected to them. They both have priesthood authority to help in many situations.

This worldwide church ministers to “the one” VERY quickly!

On my husband’s very first day as Bishop, our area had some pretty severe flash flooding. Basements were quickly filling with water and the streets looked like rivers. The first thing my husband did was call the Relief Society and Elders Quorum Presidents and have them send a message to everyone to check on all their ministering brothers and sisters. Updates were quickly sent back to them, they updated the Bishop, he updated the Stake President, who then updated the Area Authority. I’m sure it kept going, but that was all I was aware of. But the interesting thing is this took probably about one hour. One hour until our Area Authority knew about how every one was doing. Our church is about “the one.”

The repentance process can happen fast.

My husband never tells me names or details, but one thing he has told me many times is that the repentance process can happen very fast. Think about Alma the Younger. He was the “vilest of sinners.” And do you know how long it took for him to be completely forgiven of all he had done? 3 days. 3 days!

My husband has seen it happen faster. If you are holding on to a sin because you are scared of what the repentance process might look like, it all depends on you. Where is you heart? If you are ready to repent, it can happen quickly.

What do you think about these 5 things? What would you add? I am learning more things every day and can’t wait to share more with you in a year or two.