@Involute

I'm hoping this will help. These pages explain it, with graphics. You need to let go of your preconceived expectation of how it works. If you keep expecting to learn one thing, but we keep telling you something different, you won't get it. You have to forget what you think you know, and actually learn. We've all gone through that while learning, at one time or another.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/hsehld.html

 

Can I just add one thing,
were assuming this is a theoretical discussion
we should note for future, that local regulations might make it illegal for an un qualified person to change the power supply to a property.

 

The ground at the breaker panel is also connected by a #4 copper wire to a ufer ground rod encased in the concrete footings and another 8ft ground rod at the pole for the meter panel and pole

That's much better for pure earth safety grounding if the panel meter ground rod is bonded to the ufer ground but if not, it leaves you with a possible GRP between the ground rod -> neutral tie at the meter and the ufer ground -> ground tie at the house resulting in a neutral to ground potential much higher than a few volts inside the house during a near strike.

 

if the panel meter ground rod is bonded to the ufer ground

Bonded with the a special bolt made for the application if that's what you mean.

 

Bonded with the a special bolt made for the application if that's what you mean.

Bonding and Bondage, it's important to know the difference.

For our critical 'Bonding' we use exothermic.