Working

[wyarwehere]

Okay, I'm going to do my best not to confuse people, but if I don't do a very good job, I'm sorry. Right now, I'm a CNA, and I've applied for a HHC position. If I get it, there is the possibility I will have to work on the weekends, I'm not sure yet. At the same time, my folks have a store(tools mainly, but a lot of handmade items/household items). With their jobs, they go to different fairs/flea markets/craft shows most weekends from March/April until December. The majority of their shows are on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. For the time being, I've been working the store on Saturday, and then I spend Sunday with my family.(Where they live is outside of my ward's boundries, and the old branch I used to attend doesn't have anyone living in that town. So I haven't been to church since March 17th. However, now with the shows picking up, they are going to need me more(especially since my sister who usually runs the store and/or babysits the little girls works a full time job(12 hour overnight shifts). I enjoy the time with my family, and I like knowing I can be of help to them. Where do I draw the line tho. They need me the first weekend of May because that's a large show and someone has to keep my younger sisters busy(they're eleven and seven). While I would be watching the kids(and not getting paid), at the end of the show, I would be assisting in the teardown and packing of the setup on Sunday afternoon.

What makes this even more complicated is the fact that my mom's husband was diagnosed recently with Syringomyelia. He is unable to strain any of his muscles, on the account that doing so may result in paralysis. He also cannot stand or sit in any one position for more than ten minutes without pain and/or jerking movements. My mother is unable to do it on her own, this I know, and being the oldest, I feel like I have to help my family out. The money they make during the summer is what they live on thru the winter.

So what do you all think? Am I a horrible daughter for wishing I could be at church on Sundays instead of there helping them? Or does Heavenly Father understand that my family needs me now and I have to be there to help them. I'm just mixed up.

[ACommonMan]

It seems best to address your questions in reverse order.

4. Yes, Heavenly father understands your family's special needs.

3. You are not a horrible daughter for feeling torn between church and service. Are your parents not LDS? I would have presumed they would be very helpful on the topic if they were.

2. Get with a church leader in the area and take the time to talk through all the concerns about your parents. With a better knowledge of the local area, hopefully they can issue better advice on that issue.

1. Don't worry about home health care verses church attendance. Similar to the issue with you parents, your Bishop, or Branch President, can offer comfort in the fact that some occupations, like police and CNA, offer a required service that is fully accepted by G-d as being needed on Sundays. Make every attempt to schedule visits so that you can attend Sacrament Meeting as often as possible. You won't have the same emergency, on-call needs an ER nurse might, so it should be relatively easy to work something out.

[wyarwehere]

Thanks for your reply. No, my family are not members. Aside from some distant cousins, I'm one of the few members in my family. I'll see if I can schedule a meeting with my bishop. I'm not sure what my schedule is going to look like because I did get the job I interviewed for, and I'm possibly taking the CPR recert class this weekend. If that happens, then there is the possibility that I may end up working five-seven days straight shortly, because they are having trouble scheduling the case. It's a night shift job, 10pm-6am, with some weekends being 10p-10a. I know I can go to church on sunday mornings that I get off at six, because since the bus doesn't run on Sundays, I'm not available to work the normal Sunday shift. I told my mom about the job, and one of the first things she said was; oh, now you won't be around to help us. I feel like such a horrible daughter.

[viannqueen3]

Don't let the guilt get to you. There are occupations out there that require working on Sunday. My BIL is a registered nurse and having to work on holidays, sundays and weekends is just a fact of life for that type of career. And every time I've had to take a sick child into the hospital or instacare over a weekend I'm glad that there are medical personal available to help. Talk to your leaders, attend when you can and I'm sure they will understand.

[Martain]

Ultimately the important thing is not what we want or what we think is best but what the Lord wants us to do and what he knows is best for us.

If you have not done so yet, counsel with your Heavenly Father and ask him directly what he wants you to do.

If your Heavenly Father witnessed to you that you are to not work on Sunday and trust him... would you be willing?

If he doesn't but instead witnesses to you that he understands your circumstances and that he's pleased with you serving your family in this regard... would that not put you at peace?

Seek personal guidance and revelation from the Lord is my council.

-Love

Brother M