Tips to avoid potential Bishopric assignment


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Sunday past was our Stake Conference and they released the Stake Presidency. Our Bishop was called to serve on the new Presidency and now we have a ward of nervous Priesthood. Our First Councilor is moving so he is out, and the second is too busy to even accept Bishop if it was extended to him.

While I don't think that I am the most likely prospect by far I'd like not to take chances. Anyone have any good ideas about how not to get called short of becoming unworthy of course.

I've considered "accidentally dropping lottery tickets out of my church bag or coffee cups but that doesn't seem good enough. For the last two years everytime the Bishop left his office door open I'd go in and reverse all his chairs to face toward the wall, but that might cause an act of revenge instead.

Good ideas would be appreciated.

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Sunday past was our Stake Conference and they released the Stake Presidency. Our Bishop was called to serve on the new Presidency and now we have a ward of nervous Priesthood. Our First Councilor is moving so he is out, and the second is too busy to even accept Bishop if it was extended to him.

While I don't think that I am the most likely prospect by far I'd like not to take chances. Anyone have any good ideas about how not to get called short of becoming unworthy of course.

I've considered "accidentally dropping lottery tickets out of my church bag or coffee cups but that doesn't seem good enough. For the last two years everytime the Bishop left his office door open I'd go in and reverse all his chairs to face toward the wall, but that might cause an act of revenge instead.

Good ideas would be appreciated.

You could say 'No' to an assignment. If you really don't want to, you could just tell them no. :P

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Right now in your Ward there is one man who already knows that he is going to be called as the Bishop of your Ward. He is feeling very nervous and maybe sickly....I am very serious about this. It will take a few weeks before he is called because, they have to be approved by First Presidency and then the Stake High Council. I assure you the man going to be called already knows its going to happen because the Spirit has told him.

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Thank you for the varied answers. Remember I don't want to become unworthy to be a Priesthood holder. And I would not say no if asked, just hopping not to be asked. It is rare for everyone to know positively that a new bishop will be called quickly so many are nervous.

Sorry Prisonchaplin Primary was my first calling I think I'd rather be Bishop then in Nursery!!

Palerider I dislike your comment the most since I'm the one who has been nervous and worried about this since back in January as soon as it was mentioned the Stake was going to be released this year. I have been finding it hard to focus on my mission leader calling for the last two months and keep having ideas about what I should do about ..... This is the same thing that happened before I was called as Mission Leader, I was able to lay out a four year plan during the interview for the calling.

I don't think this means I will be called, there are many more capable then me, but I am sure it means I am worthy of it at some point.

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I think your ward has its new bishop :lol:

Worry is one thing and knowing is another. I've had complete surprise callings while wondering if I was being called to the office for some other vacant calling... But of course I've known well in advance every time that my wife and I would be witnesses at the temple...

I wouldn't get too worked up about it... If it's worrying you to the point that you aren't fulfilling your current calling, you may need to look at where your heart is. If you're so confident that it's you, you could very well be setting yourself up for disappointment. Either by not being called or by creating super inflated expectations of grandeur.

I've always thought that if you feel adequate and "good enough" for a calling, you probably aren't. So I just keep telling myself I'm fit to be prophet :)

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If you really want to discourage the call from being extended, show up to any interview riding a motorcycle and wearing a leather jacket, chaps, and a do-rag.

But my honest advice...if the call comes, accept it gladly. As much stress and work as it will be to act as a bishop, you will find you and your family will be so richly blessed that you will someday recognize that the years you spent as a bishop were the best years your family had.

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If you really want to discourage the call from being extended, show up to any interview riding a motorcycle and wearing a leather jacket, chaps, and a do-rag.

But my honest advice...if the call comes, accept it gladly. As much stress and work as it will be to act as a bishop, you will find you and your family will be so richly blessed that you will someday recognize that the years you spent as a bishop were the best years your family had.

I can testify to the truthfulness of that .....:)
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If you really want to discourage the call from being extended, show up to any interview riding a motorcycle and wearing a leather jacket, chaps, and a do-rag.

But my honest advice...if the call comes, accept it gladly. As much stress and work as it will be to act as a bishop, you will find you and your family will be so richly blessed that you will someday recognize that the years you spent as a bishop were the best years your family had.

Won't work our Bishop 3 Bishops ago showed up that way most Sundays and the 1st C from the previous did as well.

I would not say no. And really there is small chance I'd get grabbed. I Think. There are many better Priesthood in the Ward. I'm not even a High Priest and our EQ group is down to a dozen, our poor EQ Pres. no longer has any C because there are so few EQ Priesthood available.

The Lord knows anyway that I don't have the patience required for the calling. I will spend hours helping someone out the first time. But I have no patience for someone who keeps coming back in need but refusing to change the things they need too. I'd annoy too many people.

Besides if they grabbed me then they'd have to find a new Mission Leader and they've been hard to get lately. OH wait, if they nabbed me then I'd be the one to replace myself, that would not be fair.

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Won't work our Bishop 3 Bishops ago showed up that way most Sundays and the 1st C from the previous did as well.

I would not say no. And really there is small chance I'd get grabbed. I Think. There are many better Priesthood in the Ward. I'm not even a High Priest and our EQ group is down to a dozen, our poor EQ Pres. no longer has any C because there are so few EQ Priesthood available.

The Lord knows anyway that I don't have the patience required for the calling. I will spend hours helping someone out the first time. But I have no patience for someone who keeps coming back in need but refusing to change the things they need too. I'd annoy too many people.

Besides if they grabbed me then they'd have to find a new Mission Leader and they've been hard to get lately. OH wait, if they nabbed me then I'd be the one to replace myself, that would not be fair.

The Lord qualifies who he calls......:)
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If you are asking this question, and seriously considering ways to avoid being called, you are already unworthy.

Now watch. You will NOT get called. Because God IS involved. Someone else will be, and he will have trepidation, and he will struggle, but he will say yes, and step right up.

So, now you have to do some serious soul searching, heavy prayer as to why you would step back from a call from God.

We should ALL strive to be worthy of a call at unexpected moments, strive to be worthy to die right this second and face God in judgement, strive to be worthy of a Temple Recommend.

This fear of a calling says that one has a weak testimony of God: This way: Don't truly believe that God would stand behind his chosen, and support and lead us by revelation. Don't truly believe that Heavenly Father has sent this call to you, by way of his earthly messengers and servants. Test it for yourself: What is really behind your reluctance. Really. You don't have to tell us, but for yourself, what is really wrong with you?

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If you are asking this question, and seriously considering ways to avoid being called, you are already unworthy.

Now watch. You will NOT get called. Because God IS involved. Someone else will be, and he will have trepidation, and he will struggle, but he will say yes, and step right up.

So, now you have to do some serious soul searching, heavy prayer as to why you would step back from a call from God.

We should ALL strive to be worthy of a call at unexpected moments, strive to be worthy to die right this second and face God in judgement, strive to be worthy of a Temple Recommend.

This fear of a calling says that one has a weak testimony of God: This way: Don't truly believe that God would stand behind his chosen, and support and lead us by revelation. Don't truly believe that Heavenly Father has sent this call to you, by way of his earthly messengers and servants. Test it for yourself: What is really behind your reluctance. Really. You don't have to tell us, but for yourself, what is really wrong with you?

Hey lighten up a bit. I never once said I would not accept the calling if it came my way, I have never refused a calling. If I honestly was going to avoid it if the Lord wanted me then I don't need to ask how to avoid it I'd just say NO.

I never ever wanted anything to do with Missionary Work even as a member Missionary and voiced that comment many times yet I accepted the calling as Mission Leader willingly even if I felt I was ill suited for the role.

I just posted this thread as 1) a way to have some fun over it with others since all of us Priesthood in the Ward keep telling each other that they'll be the next Bishop. 2) See what I could use on them as ways they could "avoid" the calling.

Do I want the calling not a chance, would I refuse it if the Lord requested it, not a chance.

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Since everyone knows about needing a new Bishop. Our new Stake is coming to our Ward on Sunday to interview with every Priesthood holder in the Ward. I suggested an Priesthood field trip to Windsor Branch for Sunday but the leadership declined the suggestion.

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Since everyone knows about needing a new Bishop. Our new Stake is coming to our Ward on Sunday to interview with every Priesthood holder in the Ward. I suggested an Priesthood field trip to Windsor Branch for Sunday but the leadership declined the suggestion.

how about a Pot Luck Social after church?????:D:D
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  • 1 month later...

Just an update two months later and still no new Bishop. The Stake is going from Ward to Ward visiting and this week is our turn but according to them they have not even submitted for a Bishop yet.

This is getting nuts. I feel sorry for whom does get called. We have been without an Executive Secretary for 4 months, our Bishop is only around 10% of the time due to dealing with his Stake calling for the last two months, Our first councilor is moving and only around on occasion. Our second councilor is self employed and working 60+ hours per week and this is the last Sunday for our Ward Clerk who is moving next weekend.

There is not going to be any support structure in place for the poor man who gets called to this. During Stake Conference the area 70 introduced what we call the "circle plan" for missionary work. With the Bishop gone I managed to get the auxiliaries on board and launch it. Then the Stake tossed in a new program (admittedly complementary) two weeks later. The concept is great but the timing stinks now the auxiliary leaders have to either add two new things onto their duties or pick and choose. To make it worse this Wednesday gone was supposed to be the first reporting meeting for the circle plan and the Bishop canceled Ward Council for a special one by the Stake this Sunday which is only 30min. So the importance and energy over the plan the 70's wanted and the auxiliaries were excited over just got shoved aside again.

Our Bishop said he is finding it harder to act as a Bishop and not a Stake President which makes sense after two months. I know our ward is finding it hard to continue functioning without any real Ward Leadership. The rest of the Auxiliary Leadership is trying to keep things going but we have a huge snowball of stuff just building up.

Sorry, I guess I'm getting frustrated over the effort put into the circle plan and then seeing it fall apart from lack of Ward Leadership. I don't blame our Bishop-Stake Councilor he has more then a full plate it is just hard to watch things sliding down. Not just with my calling but many of the auxiliaries are getting shaky from unfilled callings, conflicting direction etc.

I'll let you know if and when we get a new Bishop.

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Maybe it's taking so long because God is giving you time to decide that you're going to stop avoiding it :P

Stop worrying. If they call you, they call you and you accept and you do the best darn job you can. Who God calls, he qualifies. And if they don't call you, then "happy day, all is well" and back to routine.

Ensha Allah. If God wills it.

Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be.

P.S.

I would ask why you don't want to be bishop and give you a few pages of free psycho-analysis, but I spent all morning on the phone with my sister so....

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  • 1 month later...

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