The Calling Pt.2
Getting a calling in a ward takes me back to the fourth grade… On the playground getting ready to play kickball. I was waiting for one of the two team captains to pick me for their team. I knew which team I wanted to me on and every time that other captain went to pick someone I prayed it wasn’t me.
For those of you who don’t know about the LDS church, there’s basically a few different sections women can get “called” to. There’s “musical” callings, where you’ll lead people in singing, play the piano, stuff like that. “Nursery” which is kind of self explanatory… You work with the kids ages 1.5-3. “Sunday school” callings where you’ll teach different age levels of classes, “Primary” where you’ll teach and sing with kids from 3-11. “Young Women’s”, working with the teenage-aged girls from 12-18. And “Relief Society” where you’ll work with the older women of the church, 18 and up. But where I go, after all of the other younger women are picked called to help with those other things…So that usually means women approaching retirement and up are those left going to Relief Society.
I was so nervous about what my church calling would be in my new ward. This post will catch you up to speed. Well, I found out a couple of weeks ago what I’ll be doing for the next little while.
Finally, after 5 years of being stuck with the same Relief Society teacher calling time and time again I made a plan to get out of the cycle.
First, I told everyone I met who seemed nice that I did not want that calling. One of the women happened to be the bishop’s wife (that wasn’t intentional, but helpful).
Next, I avoided going to any Relief Society activities. Usually when I’d start a new ward I’d go to an enrichment night or some activities to get to know people faster. Then, within a matter of weeks I’d get the dreaded call! This time I avoided activities I thought would put me back in that predicament… At least until I got a calling other than the one I was hiding from.
Finally, I flat out told the bishop I didn’t want to be a Relief Society teacher. That I had done it at every ward I had ever been in since I started attending the group and that I would really like to try something new for a change. He was nice, and it seemed like he really understood where I was coming from.
Then whatdoyaknow… A couple of months later I’m called into a little room for that special meeting… My heart is thumping because I know FOR ONCE I’m going to be called to something new… I’m going to get to try something different. I had said I’d be excited to do anything… Really? ‘Did I say Anything? What was I thinking?’ Ok… Anything but that and Gospel Doctrine teacher.
I got really anxious to hear what I’d be doing and they asked me to be a Sunday school teacher… For the 17 and 18 year olds! Whaa?! I feel like I’m basically their age! And how am I going to make Sunday school interesting to them?
I’m really quite nervous an intimidated about it. To be honest, I was hoping for some thing in Primary. I mean it is so too much to ask to work with cute kiddos all day? Or maybe it’s the Lord’s way of protecting me from an extra dose of birth control (speaking of which I have an update on that situation coming soon). But anyway, I’m SO grateful that it’s at least something new. I think it should be fun!
I’ll teach the whole month of May but I’ll team teach every other week after that. My first Sunday teaching is next week. The lesson: Law of Consecration. Wish me luck!
Oh, and don’t forget to enter My Giveaway going on right now! I’m going to start doing a lot more pretty soon so stay tuned! 🙂
you are going to make the GREASTEST ss teacher to the teens!! They are so lucky to have you. Good luck with everything.
RS Teacher? I would love that calling! I agree its nice to be called to different callings though. I’ve been the Enrichment Counselor 3 times (and I’m only 26!) and was sercretly (or not so secretly) relieved when we recently moved because it would get me out of that calling. But oh, to be (especially) the 4th Sunday RS teacher…. maybe one day for me š
I think I would enjoy a calling in RS! I feel like I am always in the Primary, and I try to avoid callings ther! My last calling was Primary Chorister, which I actually LOVED, but we moved after I had only been doing that calling for about a month. I haven’t received a new calling yet. I can’t wait to find out what I will be called to in our new ward!
Best Wishes with your new calling. You will be great with the older teens I bet!
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Good luck with your new calling. I’m sure you’ll do well.
I’m sad that you were putting your light under a bushel in regards to the RS teaching gig. Father often wants us to do things for Him that are not terribly interesting because others need us… not because we need IT (or them). But as long as we will do it with Faith and Hope in His ability to change us no matter what we’re doing, it will happen and we’ll be richly blessed for our efforts.
You would (have been AND will be) an awesome teacher – regardless of the age of your audience! The kids will care a lot less than you think they might. Don’t you remember the fickleness of those years! I’m rather far from them and TOTALLY remember!!!
I’m happy for you, since you wanted a new calling and got it. BUT sometimes it’s not as wonderful as we think to get what we want. š
I would like to add that the previous comment CAN be generalized to parenting – in moments. There are moments when I wonder what I’m doing being a Mama… but then the lovely and wonderful days come and I think, “Oh! I LOVE being a Mama!!!!”
Oh that’s exciting!! You’ll be so great because you’re real and everything.
and I think its good to be vocal about callings. You know if you’re going to be unhappy. And you’re putting those teaching talents to great use!
I told the Bishop that “I don’t do other people’s kids.” And now it’s mostly just nursery I don’t do. {I totally love my kids, and a few select others, but really I’m not fond of other people kids}
I’m now in the RS presidency…. I’ve taught GD and totally loved it!!! And I’ve taught in RS as well and love that. But I think the best calling I had was teaching SS to teh 13-14 year olds. It was hard to get them to open up but once I did it was so fun.
Advice I would give is try to get to know them… out side of church. Getting to know the kids I taught was te best thing that I could do because then I could use that to help with the lesson.
I tried really hard to relate what they were doing with what the lesson was about… and after alot of thought, I was able to incorpreate running/track, band, travel, dad being deployed, various pets, sports, and yes even skateboarding into the lessons that I taught.
They really need a friend, someone to bring reason {with no judgment} to thier lives, without being the parent.
{I totally love your blog by the way}
I was the same as you-I had the R.S. teacher calling three wards in a row-it was fun, but I felt so much pressure too-i was alot younger than most of the other women in those Wards. I your new calling will be insightful-because you will get to enjoy Relief society and get to know the youth as well.
LOL! Gotta love the callings. I get so nervous when I hear I have a new calling too. My latest is designing the ward bulletin each week. Fun, simple and doesn’t require a lot of time. Perfect for me right now. Enjoy your new calling because you’ll always be learning something from those kids!
I like to be on committee’s so I totally get what you’re saying. There are some things I just don’t like to do, but planning activities I enjoy š As long as I’m not the one in charge.
Good luck with the new calling! That age group is probably so much better than those a few years younger. I remember being absolutely horrendous as a 14- and 15-year-old to Sunday School teachers. Sometimes I think I need to go find them to apologize.
On the note of being called to the same calling repeatedly, it’s funny how that happens. For me, it’s playing the piano in Primary. I did it for nearly four years straight in multiple wards. Although it’s an easy job, it’s so isolating. I’m shy anyway so putting me behind a piano for two hours straight just starved me socially. I got released in January and immediately called as the pianist in RS. It’s much better being around people my own age. š
LOL!!! I would be scared to teach Gospel and Doctrine too. That would be one of the most intimidating callings for me. But the 18 year olds would actually be fun, even if they are all way bigger than me. I’m sure the Lord will be with you, so it will be okay.
I’m the in the opposite situation. I have been in Primary for years and I was dying to get out. I also told everyone that I wanted out for about a year now and thankfully I was released a few weeks ago. Now I’m in Relief Society as the Compassionate Service leader and while it keeps me really busy right after work coordinating meals and other areas of help for the ladies, I really love it. I’m thrilled to be back in Relief Society. Mine isn’t full of the elderly. There are all ages and I feel like we are a close group even outside of church.