What if the Bishop is Your Dad?

[Readers - This comment was posted on a letter from early May, "What if the Bishop is Your Friend's Dad". I didn't want you to miss it or my response, so I'm posting it individually here as well. - Bro Jo]


Anonymous said...

What if the bishop is your dad and you just don't feel comfortable sharing your feelings with him. It's not that I've sinned, I just feel like he's constantly judging me, even when I feel I've done something right.

It's hard for me to go to the bishop about anything because I feel hell look at me in the same way when he's my dad. I feel like he expects me to have this great testimony and I don't think it's as strong as he believes, and then I feel weird talking to my bishop about it because I feel like he's disappointed I didn't talk to my dad first and that I cam to him as bishop instead.

There are things I would like to talk to my bishop about, like my patriarchal blessing among others, but I don't feel ready for my dad to know the same things. What do I do?

-Bishop's Daughter

Dear Anon,

It's tough to be the child of someone that has a "big" Church calling; Bishop's kid may be the hardest.  Your father is making a lot of sacrifices right now because the Lord has asked him to; I promise you he needs your love and support.  The Bishop-Dad thing is hard on him, too.

I think the first thing you should do is go to your dad and tell him how you feel; tell him how it's weird for you; tell him that it's difficult to draw the line between Bishop and Dad.

If that conversation doesn't bridge things to where you feel more comfortable, or if you just can't see yourself having that conversation at all (and I really think you should try), then go to your mom and tell her. You may be surprised to learn just how much insight moms have into the working of their husbands.

Still not satisfied?

You can always talk to a YW leader.

- Bro Jo