Calling I am unhappy with

[kstevens67]

Has this happened to anyone else? I have been in my calling (which I have done before) about 6 months now. I absolutely love it! I am a Sunday School Teacher for the youth (16 and 17 yo). These kids are great and I just enjoy being there teaching the gospel every week. If I could stay in this calling as long as I live, I would be very happy.

My wife signed our family up to help with cleaning the Church last Saturday morning. I got up and since my wife was sick, took my son along with me to do some service.

The next day, we went to Church and I was called into the Bishops office. The Bishop told me they were releasing me from my current calling and wanted me to be the Assistant Church Cleaner on Saturday mornings (I apologize for not knowing the proper name). This week I have been very upset, yet still accepted with the knowledge that our Father in Heaven has a plan. In all honesty though, I can’t think of one thing I like about my new calling. I hate getting up early on Saturdays, I hate mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, cleaning windows, etc. I just don’t like to clean and to have this has my calling is not making me happy.

Just last night I was talking to my son. I come to find out that my son told the person who is in charge of cleaning the Church (I’ll call him Brother Smith) that I love cleaning the Church. Brother Smith goes to the Bishop and tells the Bishop he found an assistant (Apparently he has been looking for one, but could not find anyone who would like it). The Bishop then gives me this calling I absolutely hate taking me away from what I love doing.

I am just not happy with my new calling; my only consolation is I am serving the Lord. Did this calling come from the Lord or was it just handed down through the ‘grapevine’ so to speak?

Does this give someone reason to decline a calling? I don’t like declining callings and never have before in my 20 years of being a member of the LDS Church yet I can’t help thinking I was only called because someone mistakenly thought I would love it.

I have not told anyone my feelings yet. These are only my thoughts on the matter so far. I don’t know if I should voice my concern with my Bishop or just do it?

I was voicing my displeasure tonight while walking from my car to the front door and was almost struck my lightning! No Joke! Dang that was a close one!

[Vort]

Why don't you talk with your bishop? Tell him how much you love your teaching calling and how much you don't want to leave it. Maybe you can hold both callings; I assume Assistant Building Janitorial Crew Member doesn't take a lot of time each week. Tell him you're happy to help out cleaning the building, but you're really loath to give up your teaching calling. Then let him make the call.

[annewandering]

If you do keep the cleaning calling then make sure your son is on the top of the register for people to call. Like for substitutes. :)

I read something a long time ago in the Ensign about this man who went to his chapel and shined and polished every single pew every week. He was asked why he did it. He said he did it for God. It was a small thing he could do to show God his love.

[HEthePrimate]

So, the 16-17 year olds lost a good teacher, you lost a calling you loved, and you got a new calling you hate. Have you grounded your son yet, for saying that you like cleaning?

There's a very simple solution if you really don't want to do the calling. Say 'No.' Your bishop might not be happy, but you're the one who's stuck with it if you don't say anything. Or the bishop might understand if you explain what happened (with your son saying what he did, and all), and restore you to your previous calling, if he hasn't already called somebody else. Wouldn't it be funny if the new Sunday School teacher for the 16-17 year olds hated that calling?

Or you could continue cleaning the church. It is a useful calling, and it definitely needs to be done. But pretty much anybody can clean buildings, while good teachers are harder to find.

I was voicing my displeasure tonight while walking from my car to the front door and was almost struck my lightning! No Joke! Dang that was a close one!

A sign that you should not have accepted the calling?

FWIW, I actually enjoy cleaning--that's what I do for my second job. But I realize it's not for everybody.

Edited June 6, 2012 by HEthePrimate

[JesusParadox]

From my limited experience, the Lord seems to make callings according to what will help stretch and grow an individual. Although a natural side effect of all callings is that we help those out who we serve. The people we serve, however, are not the Lords target in calling us.

In your case, you imply that you are a great teacher. That you have all but mastered your calling. Which also means you have mastered yourself in relation to the calling. You have done it, you have fulfilled the measure of your creation(calling)! That joy you feel from your calling is what you feel a million fold when you return to Heavenly Father.

If only, if only, Heavenly Father only wanted us to stretch a little bit. Sadly* we need to master our whole self, not just what teaching provides. That is why it is time to move on from your calling. Move on to cleaning and when you feel the same joy from that the Lord will call you again.

Instead of being disappointed your son made an error, you should be thankful. The first thing You should be thankful for is that you are able to grow more. The second thing you should be thankful for is that your son provided you an opportunity to teach him. The third thing you should be thankful for is that the Lord and your Bishop view you as humble enough to clean. That, my brother, is a lot to be thankful for.

*From the eternal perspective, in the grand scheme, it would be joyfully.

[beefche]

I've also found that sometimes callings are given to those who would actually accept and do them. Congrats on being someone the Lord can count to do even unpleasant jobs.

[applepansy]

If I was in your shoes and felt the way you have expressed, I would talk to the Bishop and ask to continue teaching in addition to the cleaning.

Most often we learn the best lessons doing the hardest things.

Best Wishes.

[pam]

I'm not in your ward but thank you for your service. Even if it's something you would prefer not to be doing.

How wonderful it is to always walk into an LDS building to find it so well kept and so clean. It would not be so without the wonderful service that you and others like you provide.

What's the saying? "Cleanliness is next to Godliness?" It for sure helps all of us feel the spirit much more easily when we are in a building that is nice and clean.

Thank you again for your service.

[Timpman]

Bishops, councils, and other groups DISCUSS callings. Usually a name does not pop up out of nowhere. This could be a situation where the idea that you would like the calling lead the bishop to feel good about it. It could be that all of that could be changed with further discussion and clarification. You would not be out of line to just mention what your boy said.

[Guest]

In our ward, we don't have that calling. We have a cleaning calendar managed by the EQ that has names of families in charge of cleaning that week. There's usually 2-3 families per week and we just meet at a specific time, go through the to-do list taped to the cleaning closet and divy up the work. We usually end up cleaning the church about twice a year.

[MarginOfError]

Our ward went to great lengths to make sure that no one was required to be at the building for cleaning every week. There was a committee of four people, and each took one week each month to be at the church to supervise the cleaning performed by the 3 assigned families. That committee was also responsible for making sure families knew when their assignments were.

My suggestion is this: if you hate you're calling, you're probably doing it wrong. That doesn't seem to be your fault, but I would suggest that you could probably come up with a better way to get it done.

I'm sorry you got released from teaching the youth. Those are the best callings in the world.

[bds4206]

So, the 16-17 year olds lost a good teacher, you lost a calling you loved, and you got a new calling you hate. Have you grounded your son yet, for saying that you like cleaning?

There's a very simple solution if you really don't want to do the calling. Say 'No.' Your bishop might not be happy, but you're the one who's stuck with it if you don't say anything. Or the bishop might understand if you explain what happened (with your son saying what he did, and all), and restore you to your previous calling, if he hasn't already called somebody else. Wouldn't it be funny if the new Sunday School teacher for the 16-17 year olds hated that calling?

Or you could continue cleaning the church. It is a useful calling, and it definitely needs to be done. But pretty much anybody can clean buildings, while good teachers are harder to find.

A sign that you should not have accepted the calling?

FWIW, I actually enjoy cleaning--that's what I do for my second job. But I realize it's not for everybody.

This makes all the sense in the world. I couldn't agree more...and from the sounds of the original story, this certainly doesn't seem like a divine calling..it seems like they were /are struggling to find someone willing to clean the church and got the op.

My child would be doing dishes for a month for this mis step lol..just saying.

[kstevens67]

I wanted to thank everyone for your comments and let everyone know that I have accepted the calling. After some prayer, I feel like this is just what our Heavenly Father wants me to do at this time. Perhaps I need lessons in humility or some other lesson I will learn over time. I can also use this as an opportunity to teach my son about service. Whatever the reason, I believe this is what I should be doing. I’ll miss my previous calling and I have one more week to teach. I only wish I could have taught the entire Book of Mormon and received a new calling at the end of the year, but this was just not meant to be at this time. I may not like cleaning, but that does not take away the importance of keeping the Church clean. Over time, I will learn to treasure my new calling just as I have treasured teaching the gospel.

I have struggled this week, but I also feel I have already learned something, before I even started my new calling.

[Vort]

Good for you.

[skippy740]

Buy a new small diaper trash can with a lid on it for the Mother's Lounge.

Then stop by on Mondays to take it out. It'll be more bearable for the mothers and for you on Saturday mornings.

Fabreeze is your friend!