We’ve all had it happen. The phone rings and it is the secretary of either the Bishop or the Stake President asking if they can meet with you. You know a calling is going to to be extended to serve in the church. We may hope for either a lowly station (my dream calling is in Nursery, Nap time, singing time, and snack time? YES PLEASE!) or we make hope or fear for a calling into leadership. At the end of the day, everyone in the church will have opportunities to serve. But the way we think about and approach callings in many wards needs to have a paradigm shift. Here are three paradigm shifts we need to have about callings in the church.
1st. Always Accept Callings.
Growing up I was under the impression this was just standard practice in the church, but I have learned it is not. In my sisters’ ward it was so bad that the Bishop stood up and declared: “Brothers and Sisters, we have had 20 people turn down the call to serve in the nursery. If we do not have people to accept this calling, we will simply dissolve the nursery and send the kids to Sunday school with their parents.”
No calling is beneath us, or over us. Every calling should be accepted as if it was extended by the Lord himself, after-all, He has declared “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:38). It should also be recognized that we covenanted to serve the Lord and build up His kingdom when we were baptized and when the Bishop extends a call it is not asking “Do you want to do this.” He is asking “Are you going to keep your covenants?” That being said, there is nothing wrong with letting your Bishop/Stake President know of information that might be helpful. IE Past callings/if you are feeling burnned out. At a minimum he will be able to sustain you better in your calling by knowing your concerns.
“No calling is beneath us. Every calling provides an opportunity to serve and to grow.”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
