Does anyone have a calling that secretly appeals to you and that you would say yes to without having to ponder?


carlimac
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I think I could be a pretty darn good Bishop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments and why not bashing about women and the Priesthood starts at 3......2......1..... :P

 

It has nothing to do with gender.  I am convinced that anyone that thinks they would make a good bishop has no clue what a bishop really does.

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I quite like my calling right now, Primary teacher of the 9-10 yr olds.  I always love this calling when I have a well behaved class. But I've had years where it has been a hugely stressful calling.

 

I loved being a RS teacher and have done that a few times. 

 

The most intimidating callings would be

1) Writer and director of the Road Show

2) RS President

3) Camp Director

4) Primary President or chorister (did the chorister thing once but wasn't so good at it. I had Bell's Palsy 18 yrs ago and didn't recover all the way so part of my face is still paralyzed and I look ridiculous when I sing.)

 

I have always wanted to be included in what almost seems like a sorority of YW leaders. I don't want to be President because I don't have great ideas and I'm not cool enough. But I would love to be part of the band of women who always get chosen for those callings. Fun, upbeat, energetic, confident and creative. But I never get called. I've had daughters in YW for the last 14 yrs. with 8 more yrs to go,  but I guess I'm just not the type that would be an appealing leader to teen girls. That's OK. I just wish I were naturally that type.   I guess my place really is in Primary with little kids or with old sleepy ladies. 

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Faith crisis councilor. (yes, totally made up, but SO needed!) It would be great if there were a person specifically dedicated to offering help and support to those struggling. Someone who's "been there", and can offer more than the usual pat answers of "just pray" or "study your scriptures". I know Bishops can sort of offer this kind of assistance, but in areas where they're swamped, it'd be great to be able to delegate. It wouldn't require Priesthood authority (you wouldn't be sitting in any sort of Judgement position over the person, just offering support), so it could be done by anyone.

 

 

I think this sounds like such an awesome idea.  The only concern about a calling like this would be that if a person goes to the Bishop that conversation is to be kept private and confidential.  Of course there would have to be permissions given.   

 

 

Ya, it would certainly have to be understood upfront that the calling would require the ability to keep things confidential, and pass things up the line if they got beyond the scope of the calling. I remember during my time as a YW's leader there were plenty of times when the yw confided very personal things, usually just the usual teenage struggles, but sometimes things where I'd have to say "You know, this is probably something you should be taking to the Bishop."

 

When you are a VT, VT Supervisor, VT Coordinator - you are privy to confidential things on an on-going basis. As a VT you report to your VTS when the sister(s) need things. Then the Supervisor reports that to the Coordinator, then the Coordinator reports that to the RS President. Who then confers with either her counselors or reports to the Bishop.

 

You do not relate what your saw, heard, talked about when you visited your assigned sisters to your neighbors, bff at church, or sitting around in SS or RS. 

 

Also when called to a position in: Primary, YW, RS and Compassionate Service - there is a line you must not cross in those callings too. Confidentiality lines. 

 

The wife of the 2nd Councilor in the Bishopric in a Ward in AZ was employed by LDS Services. Her job was to take care of the unwed single mothers - from the time they first approached LDS Services to the time where they were handed off to the after-birth councilors (for lack of the proper term). She could explain her job, BUT she could not give details of who she was working with. She never helped YW from her own Stake - 

 

We have a couple in our Stake who are addiction councilors. So many of our recent new converts are addicted to not only cigarettes, but also drugs. What I find really great about their program is it is NOT limited to just LDS.  Once a week they hold classes in our branch for any in our branch boundaries who are interested. It is held in our chapel, and thus those attending need to bring an attitude of reverence with them. 

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Callings I refuse are those in Primary. I am too overweight, too stoved up (joints) to do primary. I can't even sit still for the entire Sacrament, SS and RS now- They all are 10 minutes too long for my poor joints. 

 

Right now I am Branch Librarian. I am on call 7 days a week- from 8 am to 9 pm. Except on Monday evenings (FHE). I knew this when I accepted - and I encourage the members to USE the library. For church, for home, for learning AND for entertainment. Right now I am trying to get the teachers to call me, talk over their upcoming lesson with me, to see if there is anything in the library that they could use. 

 

I would love to assist in Provident Living/ Home Storage-Preparation. When Husband and I did the 5th Sunday presentation on  Food Storage/Emergency Prep - I could have taught a years worth of Sundays on the subject. 

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Faith crisis councilor. (yes, totally made up, but SO needed!) It would be great if there were a person specifically dedicated to offering help and support to those struggling. Someone who's "been there", and can offer more than the usual pat answers of "just pray" or "study your scriptures". I know Bishops can sort of offer this kind of assistance, but in areas where they're swamped, it'd be great to be able to delegate. It wouldn't require Priesthood authority (you wouldn't be sitting in any sort of Judgement position over the person, just offering support), so it could be done by anyone.

 

I'm probably missing something but isn't this part of what home and visiting teachers role is, although it may be easier to talk to a set person in your ward/branch who is set aside for that task to be honest.

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 I am convinced that anyone that thinks they would make a good bishop has no clue what a bishop really does.

 

My dad was a Bishop for many years, I think I have a "little" clue. ;) Too bad that you seem to have missed the fact that it was meant to be humorous. lol

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For all my joking about being an RS teacher, I think it will be a good calling. It's only once a month and I enjoy teaching. It will also help me learn more about the Church, both from preparing the lessons and listening to the sisters.

 

I would also like being the 'compassionate whatever' - as long as I could delegate some of the work. I know a lot of ins and outs and how to help people in various circumstances, but you can get burned out being the only person who does that kind of work.

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Oooh. I have one. I want to be a hallway instructor. I would start lesson topics discussions with those that do not go to class and hang out in the halls. This way I could be in the halls, and get something out of it also.

 

I believe that class is called Gossip Essentials.

 

 

 

- still no groan button, huh?

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I wonder if there's a calling where you get to sit, alone, in a little room and sort things.

I like that sort of work.

 

That's known as IT specialist or ward clerk, hence why I want either calling.

 

One of my colleagues once said the following about me: "the best way to handle James is to give him a computer with full domain admin rights to the network, leave him alone in the corner of the office and let him fix everything".

 

Pretty much sums me up :)

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That's known as IT specialist or ward clerk, hence why I want either calling.

 

One of my colleagues once said the following about me: "the best way to handle James is to give him a computer with full domain admin rights to the network, leave him alone in the corner of the office and let him fix everything".

 

Pretty much sums me up :)

I can be very unsocial, and sometimes quite social, but I never really know when those feelings come about, I wake up and...the day just works around what my head is feeling that day.

So as you can imagine it is a complete toss up when I actually do go to church or how I act largely when I am there.

Sometimes I am more talkative, sometimes I move about so quickly and quietly no one knows I'm even there.

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I would say that anyone who wants to be Bishop or EQ president or even RS president are the wrong people for the job. 

 

That really depends on the circumstances of the wanting.

 

Someone who wants to be in a position of authority and so goes about building alliances or a pedigree or otherwise trying to work his way into being the "obvious choice" the next time it opens up is probably not the person you want in the job.

 

On the other hand, someone who wants to be in a position of authority because they have a rough understanding of the requirements of the job and a vision of what they can accomplish may very well be the kind of person you want for the job.

 

I honestly believe we've swung the pendulum of "don't aspire to callings" too far to one side.  I understand that we shouldn't be campaigning or setting goals to be called into positions of authority.  But that doesn't mean we shouldn't study them, learn about them, envision how we might serve in those positions, and prepare ourselves to be called.  I feel like a lot of members try to avoid contemplating how they might act if they were in those positions.  As a result, I feel like a lot of us are wholly unprepared to serve when we are called.

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That really depends on the circumstances of the wanting.

 

Someone who wants to be in a position of authority and so goes about building alliances or a pedigree or otherwise trying to work his way into being the "obvious choice" the next time it opens up is probably not the person you want in the job.

 

On the other hand, someone who wants to be in a position of authority because they have a rough understanding of the requirements of the job and a vision of what they can accomplish may very well be the kind of person you want for the job.

 

I honestly believe we've swung the pendulum of "don't aspire to callings" too far to one side.  I understand that we shouldn't be campaigning or setting goals to be called into positions of authority.  But that doesn't mean we shouldn't study them, learn about them, envision how we might serve in those positions, and prepare ourselves to be called.  I feel like a lot of members try to avoid contemplating how they might act if they were in those positions.  As a result, I feel like a lot of us are wholly unprepared to serve when we are called.

We may have swung the pendulum to far to "don't aspire to callings" and I agree we should prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually for whatever call the Lord has in mind for us. That said I work very closely with my Bishop, I understand the nature of his job and the pressures and scope of his calling. No one would aspire to that. It is one thing to know and learn and understand the position it is another to do it. God qualifies these individuals for those types of leadership positions. I do see that some people have qualities that translate well to leadership, and others do not. My experience has shown me what I have stated. Those who want to be Bishop/EQ pres are not the people you want in the position.

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We may have swung the pendulum to far to "don't aspire to callings" and I agree we should prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually for whatever call the Lord has in mind for us. That said I work very closely with my Bishop, I understand the nature of his job and the pressures and scope of his calling. No one would aspire to that. It is one thing to know and learn and understand the position it is another to do it. God qualifies these individuals for those types of leadership positions. I do see that some people have qualities that translate well to leadership, and others do not. My experience has shown me what I have stated. Those who want to be Bishop/EQ pres are not the people you want in the position.

 

I do not doubt or question your experience. But would we say the same about wanting to be a primary teacher? Or Nursery leader? I think anyone that would want a calling being good or bad would be based on that individuals heart and intentions. Although I understand those two examples are not the authority callings that were discussed, but they can be aspired to the same. A definition of aspire is to "direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something." and is not always inherently bad. 

 

My wife aspired to be a RS teacher. I saw nothing wrong with that. She loves to teach and when she received the calling she aspired to be the best she could. Now she didn't do so to show all of the other sisters how great she was. She was never upset when someone else prior to her go the calling and didn't campaign for it. She had a righteous heart in wanting that calling. She let people know she would love to do it also. 

 

Do I understand anyone wanting to be a bishop? Not really, but that is because I don't like the work that comes with leadership callings due to my selfishness. 

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On the other hand, someone who wants to be in a position of authority because they have a rough understanding of the requirements of the job and a vision of what they can accomplish may very well be the kind of person you want for the job.

 

I honestly believe we've swung the pendulum of "don't aspire to callings" too far to one side.  I understand that we shouldn't be campaigning or setting goals to be called into positions of authority.  But that doesn't mean we shouldn't study them, learn about them, envision how we might serve in those positions, and prepare ourselves to be called.  I feel like a lot of members try to avoid contemplating how they might act if they were in those positions.  As a result, I feel like a lot of us are wholly unprepared to serve when we are called.

 

I understand this position, and it's probably wholly appropriate for some personalities.  But for me personally--I have an unhealthy ego and an inordinate natural liking of public praise and respect, so I find it's better for me to just not even entertain such thoughts.  I'd rather be called to a position of authority unexpectedly and caught a little flat-footed for the first few months; than have the slow toxin of ambition canker my soul (well, more than it already is, anyways) and leave me unable to serve effectively in any capacity.

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