As many of you know, the main reason why we went to Texas when we did was that we were trying to secure employment. We feel extremely watched over and blessed when we tell you the story of getting a job (especially considering the current economic situation). We really felt the hand of God watching over us (in especially the little details) while interviewing and driving around the different areas of Houston. I can tell you that I was the most surprised at how things happened. Just ask Christy... I had a huge list of "to do's" as far as getting a job was concerned, and my getting a job on the first day in a district that I didn't plan on having much interest in me came as a total surprise. I really feel that Heavenly Father had a hand in the things that happened that week.
Without going into too much detail retelling the story that Christy already told in an earlier post, I wanted to describe a little more some of the "spiritual promptings" that Christy talked about:
Going down to Texas, I had done a TON of research of school districts (we've been looking forward to this move for almost a year). I had narrowed my list of districts that I liked (based on location, pay, benefits, possibility for openings, etc.) down to 8. A lot of my research and narrowing had been done with fasting and prayer. I knew that these were hugely critical life-changing decisions Christy and I were going to be making, and I wanted to make sure that I included (more accurately I wanted to make sure I was directed and counseled by) the Lord in what happened.
What initially made me decide (a final decision type of decide) that I wanted to go to Houston in the first place (and I haven't really even mentioned this to Christy until now (as it hadn't really occurred to me until now)) was a meeting that I had with a recruiter from the Cypress-Fairbanks school district last year at the BYU teacher fair. I was simply very impressed by what he told me about the district. For the first three or four months (the months that were still very far away) I remember praying (in my personal prayers) very fervently for Heavenly Father to open up an opportunity for me to teach there.
Months went by. I did more research. I got more caught up in school and other things. I fell more in love with what I was finding on-line about the Houston area in general and I forgot those initial feelings a little bit. Somewhere along the line, I decided that it would be okay if I just got a job somewhere in Houston I didn't care so much if it was in the Cy-Fair district.
As I started to go through the research process, I realized that, in the case of the Cy-Fair district there wasn't much I could do from Utah. They were one of the only districts that didn't post any job openings online. I went ahead and did what I could (fulfilled the application process, etc.) but I didn't put much stock in getting anything there (especially since I realized that Cy-Fair wasn't coming back to the BYU teacher fair again this year). I started getting really interested in other places (mainly because they were showing interest in me and I was worried that getting a job in this economy would be terribly difficult).
Abo0ut 3 weeks before we were supposed to leave for Texas, BYU had their teacher fair. A new district (Galena Park) was introduced to us. They were one of the only districts that actually came from the Houston area, and they treated Christy and I a little bit like kings. They really courted us to come to their district. When they found out that we had planned on coming down to Texas, the courting came on even stronger. We really felt like we were going to get a job there.
Then, we left on our trip. A few weeks before the BYU teacher fair, I had set up an interview with the personel office of the Cy-Fair district. I really didn't think anything would come of it, but I needed a job, so I went there anyway. I was hoping that it would be quick so that we could get over to Galena Park. I wanted to do well, however.
When I've been in previous job interviews in the past (especially the ones that have been for jobs that have been important ones to me) I've felt promptings directing me as to what to say/do. Going into this interview, I said a little prayer asking for the same kind of guidance. For the first 5-6 minutes of the interview I kept looking for that guidance... it wasn't there. Inside I kept praying, constantly saying ... where are you... aren't you supposed to guide me. All of a sudden I got this feeling... "you needed to be guided in those interviews.. you don't need that kind of guidance now... I'm here for you, but you have the capability to do it on your own trust yourself and have faith."
It was pretty incredible what happened after that. I just said what I knew, what I had been trained in in my schooling. The interviewer was a former English teacher and he was both thorough and intense and expected a lot out of me in my answers. I nailed it. I knew what to say, and I think I impressed him at my depth of knowledge (thanks to my incredible teachers and mentors in my teaching program at BYU). At the end of the interview, I had this overwhelming feeling of "wow" (I can't think of a better word). There was a spiritual feeling of.. "see I knew you could do it... all I did was get you here."
I've never seen anyone more eager than that recruiter to recommend me to the other people in his office. I think he wanted to get me a job on the spot.
Well, we left from there, and went to Galena Park. It was fascinating what happened as we drove. It was almost as if, as we were driving, the farther away from Cy-Fair we got, and the closer we got to Galena Park, the mood became very... scary (again, I don't know a better word). I kept getting this feeling like... "you shouldn't be here, you're going the wrong way."
I dismissed the feelings. As I found out later, Christy dismissed some of the same feelings.
I got ahold of the recruiter and we set up some meetings with some principals. I still had a feeling that maybe I could get a job in this district. Since there was about an hour between when we got there and when the principal was ready to meet us, the recruiter took us for a tour through the town. If the feelings that we should not be there were ever strong for Christy, it was on this trip.
I was still dead to the spirit.
While on the drive, my phone rang. It was a Texas number, but I felt (in the presence of the recruiter) it was not appropriate to answer the call. From that point on, I couldn't stop thinking about that phone call.
I went to the interview with the principal. Instead of it being an interview, it was a tour. I kept getting these feelings... promptings: "you're wasting your time... you need to check that message. You don't want to be here... trust me.. have faith." All I wanted to do was get out of there. I felt unsafe.
My phone rang again.
It was almost the same number... I couldn't miss this one. I excused myself and took the call. I think I might have offended the principal, but I didn't care. It was Principal Snokhous' secretary from Arnold Middle School. Principal Snokhous had heard great things about me from a district recruiter and really realy wanted to meet with me today. Was there any way that I could meet with them at 5:00.
Without hesitation I said yes. The feeling that had come over me when that phone call came was unparallelled. In fact, it was almost perpendicular to the feelings that I had been feeling while in that Galena Park School. It was a great feeling. It was a feeling of "this is it... the one you've been waiting for."
When I got back with the principal I asked him if he would please call the recruiter and ask him to come pick me up. I needed to leave. Surprised a little, I think, he called the recruiter. (The recruiter had taken me to the school from the district office)
Up to that point in the trip, Christy and Gabbie had come with me everywhere I went (navigating for me and taking walks while I was in my interviews). She had worked that morning, however, and Gabbie had not had a nap, so she asked me if it would be okay if I went on my own to the school. I said I would be okay (the truth was, I felt like I needed a little time on my own before this interview. Some time to get my thoughts together and ask for thanks and some guidance from the spirit while in my interview). It wasn't too far from the hotel anyway.
Showing my great navigating skills, I got lost on my way there. What was interesting, though, was that I got lost in the neighborhoods of my school's boundaries. I really can't describe the feelings that I got while driving through those neighborhoods. All I will say is that I was brought to tears. (I'm welling up as I'm writing this.)
For those of you not familiar with our church or beliefs, there is a part of the doctrine of Jesus Christ that says that we have a responsibility to look out for our neighbors. This "looking out" is more eternal than what you might think at the face value of the term. We believe that there is what is called a priesthood "stewardship" over our neighbors. I personally believe that in teaching (secularly) there is a similar stewardship to that stewardship of the priesthood. I believe that some similar privileges and blessings that are promised to worthy priesthood leaders (and in the case of families: parents), in directing them how to preside over and "look out" for their "flock," are given to teachers within their stewarship. As education is such an important thing to our Father in Heaven, I believe that he gives his teachers great direction and promptings within this stewardship.
The feeling that I got while driving that day, lost, was one that said... "You're here. This is your stewardship. Go do what you know you need to do."
Almost needless to say, the interview at Arnold went flawless. Within minutes of my leaving I got a call telling me that I got the job. I can honestly say I've never felt so lead and so blessed as I did in those moments.
All that being said, and again not trying to take away from what Christy already said, but just wanting to add to it, here are some pictures: (sorry there aren't too many of them.)
Without going into too much detail retelling the story that Christy already told in an earlier post, I wanted to describe a little more some of the "spiritual promptings" that Christy talked about:
Going down to Texas, I had done a TON of research of school districts (we've been looking forward to this move for almost a year). I had narrowed my list of districts that I liked (based on location, pay, benefits, possibility for openings, etc.) down to 8. A lot of my research and narrowing had been done with fasting and prayer. I knew that these were hugely critical life-changing decisions Christy and I were going to be making, and I wanted to make sure that I included (more accurately I wanted to make sure I was directed and counseled by) the Lord in what happened.
What initially made me decide (a final decision type of decide) that I wanted to go to Houston in the first place (and I haven't really even mentioned this to Christy until now (as it hadn't really occurred to me until now)) was a meeting that I had with a recruiter from the Cypress-Fairbanks school district last year at the BYU teacher fair. I was simply very impressed by what he told me about the district. For the first three or four months (the months that were still very far away) I remember praying (in my personal prayers) very fervently for Heavenly Father to open up an opportunity for me to teach there.
Months went by. I did more research. I got more caught up in school and other things. I fell more in love with what I was finding on-line about the Houston area in general and I forgot those initial feelings a little bit. Somewhere along the line, I decided that it would be okay if I just got a job somewhere in Houston I didn't care so much if it was in the Cy-Fair district.
As I started to go through the research process, I realized that, in the case of the Cy-Fair district there wasn't much I could do from Utah. They were one of the only districts that didn't post any job openings online. I went ahead and did what I could (fulfilled the application process, etc.) but I didn't put much stock in getting anything there (especially since I realized that Cy-Fair wasn't coming back to the BYU teacher fair again this year). I started getting really interested in other places (mainly because they were showing interest in me and I was worried that getting a job in this economy would be terribly difficult).
Abo0ut 3 weeks before we were supposed to leave for Texas, BYU had their teacher fair. A new district (Galena Park) was introduced to us. They were one of the only districts that actually came from the Houston area, and they treated Christy and I a little bit like kings. They really courted us to come to their district. When they found out that we had planned on coming down to Texas, the courting came on even stronger. We really felt like we were going to get a job there.
Then, we left on our trip. A few weeks before the BYU teacher fair, I had set up an interview with the personel office of the Cy-Fair district. I really didn't think anything would come of it, but I needed a job, so I went there anyway. I was hoping that it would be quick so that we could get over to Galena Park. I wanted to do well, however.
When I've been in previous job interviews in the past (especially the ones that have been for jobs that have been important ones to me) I've felt promptings directing me as to what to say/do. Going into this interview, I said a little prayer asking for the same kind of guidance. For the first 5-6 minutes of the interview I kept looking for that guidance... it wasn't there. Inside I kept praying, constantly saying ... where are you... aren't you supposed to guide me. All of a sudden I got this feeling... "you needed to be guided in those interviews.. you don't need that kind of guidance now... I'm here for you, but you have the capability to do it on your own trust yourself and have faith."
It was pretty incredible what happened after that. I just said what I knew, what I had been trained in in my schooling. The interviewer was a former English teacher and he was both thorough and intense and expected a lot out of me in my answers. I nailed it. I knew what to say, and I think I impressed him at my depth of knowledge (thanks to my incredible teachers and mentors in my teaching program at BYU). At the end of the interview, I had this overwhelming feeling of "wow" (I can't think of a better word). There was a spiritual feeling of.. "see I knew you could do it... all I did was get you here."
I've never seen anyone more eager than that recruiter to recommend me to the other people in his office. I think he wanted to get me a job on the spot.
Well, we left from there, and went to Galena Park. It was fascinating what happened as we drove. It was almost as if, as we were driving, the farther away from Cy-Fair we got, and the closer we got to Galena Park, the mood became very... scary (again, I don't know a better word). I kept getting this feeling like... "you shouldn't be here, you're going the wrong way."
I dismissed the feelings. As I found out later, Christy dismissed some of the same feelings.
I got ahold of the recruiter and we set up some meetings with some principals. I still had a feeling that maybe I could get a job in this district. Since there was about an hour between when we got there and when the principal was ready to meet us, the recruiter took us for a tour through the town. If the feelings that we should not be there were ever strong for Christy, it was on this trip.
I was still dead to the spirit.
While on the drive, my phone rang. It was a Texas number, but I felt (in the presence of the recruiter) it was not appropriate to answer the call. From that point on, I couldn't stop thinking about that phone call.
I went to the interview with the principal. Instead of it being an interview, it was a tour. I kept getting these feelings... promptings: "you're wasting your time... you need to check that message. You don't want to be here... trust me.. have faith." All I wanted to do was get out of there. I felt unsafe.
My phone rang again.
It was almost the same number... I couldn't miss this one. I excused myself and took the call. I think I might have offended the principal, but I didn't care. It was Principal Snokhous' secretary from Arnold Middle School. Principal Snokhous had heard great things about me from a district recruiter and really realy wanted to meet with me today. Was there any way that I could meet with them at 5:00.
Without hesitation I said yes. The feeling that had come over me when that phone call came was unparallelled. In fact, it was almost perpendicular to the feelings that I had been feeling while in that Galena Park School. It was a great feeling. It was a feeling of "this is it... the one you've been waiting for."
When I got back with the principal I asked him if he would please call the recruiter and ask him to come pick me up. I needed to leave. Surprised a little, I think, he called the recruiter. (The recruiter had taken me to the school from the district office)
Up to that point in the trip, Christy and Gabbie had come with me everywhere I went (navigating for me and taking walks while I was in my interviews). She had worked that morning, however, and Gabbie had not had a nap, so she asked me if it would be okay if I went on my own to the school. I said I would be okay (the truth was, I felt like I needed a little time on my own before this interview. Some time to get my thoughts together and ask for thanks and some guidance from the spirit while in my interview). It wasn't too far from the hotel anyway.
Showing my great navigating skills, I got lost on my way there. What was interesting, though, was that I got lost in the neighborhoods of my school's boundaries. I really can't describe the feelings that I got while driving through those neighborhoods. All I will say is that I was brought to tears. (I'm welling up as I'm writing this.)
For those of you not familiar with our church or beliefs, there is a part of the doctrine of Jesus Christ that says that we have a responsibility to look out for our neighbors. This "looking out" is more eternal than what you might think at the face value of the term. We believe that there is what is called a priesthood "stewardship" over our neighbors. I personally believe that in teaching (secularly) there is a similar stewardship to that stewardship of the priesthood. I believe that some similar privileges and blessings that are promised to worthy priesthood leaders (and in the case of families: parents), in directing them how to preside over and "look out" for their "flock," are given to teachers within their stewarship. As education is such an important thing to our Father in Heaven, I believe that he gives his teachers great direction and promptings within this stewardship.
The feeling that I got while driving that day, lost, was one that said... "You're here. This is your stewardship. Go do what you know you need to do."
Almost needless to say, the interview at Arnold went flawless. Within minutes of my leaving I got a call telling me that I got the job. I can honestly say I've never felt so lead and so blessed as I did in those moments.
All that being said, and again not trying to take away from what Christy already said, but just wanting to add to it, here are some pictures: (sorry there aren't too many of them.)
This picture is actually from the webpage. I put it on here because it shows you our mascot (Arnold the Buccaneer) and it shows the front entryway.
Here is a picture of the name. Sorry... that's all we got.
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1 comments:
Thanks for sharing that Kyle. What a special expierience.
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