David as Bishop

"Shall we hide in a classroom and then all march into the chapel together when Grandpa is announced as the new bishop?  Shall we cheer?"  It was big news to our children and grandchildren when Dave was chosen as the new bishop of the Hilltop Ward.  I assured them that understated was best--no cheering, no marching, just humble and surprised murmurs.  

The two existing wards in the Upper Avenues of Salt Lake City were dissolved on February 24, 2019, and a large, 550-person ward was created.  We will be the only congregation meeting in the chapel which Dave and I have attended since 1978.  Most of our family was with us when Dave was sustained as bishop--Camille and Steve with all their children but Jono, who is in Japan; Lisa with Michael, Rebecca, Spencer, Naomi, and Grant; Mike and Heidi; Jonny. Typically, bishops remain on the job for five years, so Dave may not be released until he is 77.  "But what will Dad do about the snow camps and 50 mile hikes that bishops go on with the youth?" our children asked.  Dave is probably wondering that himself!

When I heard that Lisa was coming to Salt Lake for Dave's big event, I decided to stage both of my late winter parties that Lisa doesn't usually get to attend while she is here--Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras.  On Saturday night, February 23, I set out the red brocade table runners decorated with dragons, and the red goodie bags, filled with chopsticks, fortune cookies, fans, and gold foil-covered, chocolate "money".

We gorged ourselves on chicken cashew, beef with broccoli, fried rice with barbecued pork, and almond float with fresh fruit for dessert.  After dinner, we took turns naming prominent Chinese and Chinese Americans, from Confucius and Jian Min to Elder Gong, a new Church of Jesus Christ apostle.  We then each said something flattering and inspiring about Dave, the patriarch and honored man of the weekend.

 Spencer and Naomi invited their close friends Colton and Christina.

 There was also time, after dinner, for games.

Sunday morning, I switched out the dragons for green/purple/gold runners to celebrate Mardi Gras.  After Church, we feasted on shrimp and grits, chicken gumbo, red beans and rice, cornbread, and fresh fruit, with pecan pie for dessert.  Jonny is the fine cook who seasoned the gumbo just right.  He is on a work trip to Arizona, but made a detour to see Dave sustained as bishop.

It was a special treat to have Lisa's son, Michael, and his wife, Rebecca, join us from BYU-I in Rexburg, Idaho.  Rebecca is from Georgia and pronounced herself "Queen of Grits" as she made the
smoothest, best seasoned grits we had ever tasted (although, in truth, we hadn't tasted many).

Being bishop is a big, big job.  David plans to relax, physically and emotionally, by keeping his tradition of walking five miles at 5:30 a.m. every morning.

"I never thought I'd have friends this old," Dave says of his running (and now walking) buddies.  Both Daryl and Richard are pushing 80.  Dave has spent time with them nearly every morning for 35 years.  Old friends are truly golden.