When Your Leaders Fall.

When your leaders fall you treat them as anyone one else who has fallen. You remember they, just like you, are human. You remind yourself that just as Jesus Christ has accounted for and paid for you, he has paid for them also and through his Atonement and his blood that was shed for each of us, they too will be justified.
You leave all unrighteous judgements to God the Father once again remembering that His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ is our mediator, our Savior. You ask for peace and comfort, give peace and comfort and continue to serve: AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, LOVE ONE ANOTHER.


I say these things today because I'm just getting home from church. If you were to read our ward bulletin today, it would look a little odd to you.

In the section where it says ward contacts you would see information about all the ward leadership starting with the 1st counselor of the bishopric. You would not see my bishop's name in that listing.
You would find his name on a different page announcing the times of his viewing and funeral.

On Thursday July 31, 2008, my bishop, using a gun, took his own life.

That's all I will say, without speculation, regarding his death.

I haven't been in this ward very long, just about 4 months. In that time, I've only met with the bishop 1 time. I've only talked to him twice.

Let me tell you what I know of him.

Saturday June 21, 2008. I'm sitting in a chapel in Midvale sobbing uncontrollably. My head is in some one's lap, I don't remember whose lap it was. There were arms around me, 2 people kneeling in front of me telling me to breath. I faintly hear... someone call the bishop. It may have been me, I'm not sure, that day is still foggy to me. All I know is I need help!
Within an hour I'm in a car headed to LDS Family Services...as an emergency trauma/crisis victim.
My bishop has just made an appointment for me on emergency status, and is paying for the charges from the ward fund for however long I need it.

Void of knowing who I am he is concerned for my welfare. I find out later that he was on the phone several times that day with my sister, and my other friends who were with me, making sure I was where I needed to be, comforted and safe. He would contact me in a couple days to follow up. The next 2 weeks for me were a blur. I would find out later, he called the Doctor I had seen several times, to be filled in on my treatments and how I was doing. He called my home as well, spoke to my sister to make sure I was progressing and doing well. He didn't want to interrupt my rest and would wait another week before actually speaking with me.
When I did meet with him, he showed so much kindness, support and love, for me, a member of his flock. Although he only knew me by name, He, my Shepherd tended me, his sheep as if he had known me since a little lamb of his own.

I think of the words from the hymn:
I stand All Amazed, 2ND vs:

" I marvel to that he would descend from his throne divine
to rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine.
That he should extend his great love unto such as I
sufficient to own, to redeem and to justify."


Although his was not our savior Jesus Christ. He took on that roll as mediator, Shepherd and caretaker for me and hundreds of my ward brothers and sisters.
For this I am eternally grateful. Each time I step into my therapist office I give thanks to Bishop Williams for being one of my Shepherds at this time in my life when I need it.

God bless him and his family and Daybreak First Ward.