Callings

I read a post on Segullah today – Calling Out Our Callings. The author of the post talks about how she was so excited to get her current calling as a Relief Society teacher. She talks about other callings she’s had in the past that she was a bit less than enthusiastic about. She ends by asking questions of the readers about their callings. This particular question stood out to me:

And in a religion where patience is a strand of DNA inherited from our forbearers, is utter delight over what you’re asked just frivolous? In the face of all this work is there time to enjoy what we’re doing?

I don’t believe we are a Puritan religion. We are supposed to enjoy life. Men are, that they might have joy. Delight and joy are never frivolous. If you are not finding joy in the work then it might be argued that you are doing the work wrong, not that you don’t have time for the joy of it.

I have had quite the number and variety of callings over the years. I’ve had at least four different callings in the Relief Society. I’ve served in the primary three times (once was in the nursery). I’ve been a Sunday School teacher more than once. I’ve been a ward missionary. I’ve been the ward single adult representative to the stake. I’ve been the ward chorister and the choir chorister. And there’s probably at least one more in there that I’m not remembering.

Of those, some have been absolutely wonderful. Some that should have seemed overwhelming weren’t really that bad. Others that should have been more or less easy almost broke me completely. I’ve begged not to be released from one, and was. And I’ve waited impatiently to be released from one as well.

I’ve also, oddly, had callings that the Lord felt I was capable of, that the bishopric felt I was capable of, that I felt I was capable of, that those people I served with felt I was capable of, but that everyone not involved in the calling for some reason felt that I was incapable of. Just shows how smart some people are. (The calling, in case you were wondering, was Relief Society president. There were those who weren’t in my ward who felt that as a single person I wasn’t capable of having that calling when the majority of sisters in the ward were married. At least one sister in my ward complained about my belly dancing classes, but none of them complained about my social status.)

People often speak of not saying no to a calling. I used to be 100% behind that line of thought as well. But then I realized that there might be times where the whole situation of my life might not be apparent to those issuing the call. The last time I moved and knew I was going to be getting a call, I actually had a list of callings I would’ve turned down when I met with the member of the bishopric. I wasn’t called to one of those, but I wouldn’t have had a problem explaining my reasons and asking them to go back and pray about it again.

At the same time though, I’ve learned from a few callings that there are things we are supposed to learn even from the callings we hate, but the sooner we learn those things, the quicker we can get called to something else.

It should be interesting to see what my next calling is.