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George, That’s a bummer that you may lose your calling. That sounds funny. You won’t ever completely lose your calling…because it come from within, right?
Silentstruggle,
It’s good to know that I’m not the only one struggling with this.
Ray,
I like your idea of focusing on what resonates most. When I taught recently, I left out some “standard” teachings, by focusing on what I felt strongest about. Others brought up what I didn’t – so if it must be brought up, I guess it will be.
I have had many teaching callings in the church in my life time and really enjoyed them. I grew so much and developed many wonderful friendships because of them. One of the reasons, members loved my classes was because I was not a typical teacher because I really tried to relate the lessons to their everyday lives instead of just reading the manual. I used outside sourses at times (like the 13th article of faith implies-anything praise worthy or of good report) to make the lessons more interesting. I figured if the prophet can quote Mother Teresa or Billy Graham, so could I. Most of my bishops loved my classes too because I brought humor and intellectual thinking to the classes. Unfortunately, some leaders did not like my style of teaching and made me go to a teacher development class (which I used to teach and did not feel I needed). There, I was told that you could no longer use any material outside of the manual or the 4 standard works. I told them that I have heard the prophet and GA’s do it in general conference regularly. They then told me that they could do it because they are special and inspiried. Well, that did it for me and I said I could not teach then. They asked me to obey the stake president on this and that I could find plenty of material to teach from the manual alone. This was not always true if you wanted to make the lesson interesting and something they have not heard a million times. I just felt that members were being reigned in and muzzled more, which I can actually understand as some teachers can go off the deep end with survivalist stuff etc. 6 years ago, I taught gospel essentials for 4 years to new members and investigators in my last calling. Our ward mission leader apparently did not like what I taught on ocassion and reported me to the bishop. The bishop never came and told me they were concerned about my teaching and what they thought was wrong. He just released me. I only found this out recently and it really hurt. They have never given me a calling since . Anyway, be prepared to have some problems if you do anything out of the norm in the church. Quote:Anyway, be prepared to have some problems if you do anything out of the norm in the church.
bridget, while your example is sad and not rare, the statement above is much too broad, imo. I do and say lots of stuff outside the Chruch norm – and so do lots of people I know. It’s the personality of the person doing the abnormal, what that person does, how they do it
and, unfortunately, who sees and/or hears it and gives a damnthat account for whether or not someone can do or say something without worry or concern or fear. Ok, I’ll give you that one. You are right. I cringed reading your story Bridget. It is certainly the kind of “experience” that has kept me locked up in Fowlers Stage 4 for over a decade. When I have more time I will share — you will think I’m joking when you hear how preposterous this story is – but it is 100% absolutely true – just you wait. Not to be trite about your experience, but if this was to happen to me, I would dance naked in the street!
bridget_night wrote:The bishop never came and told me they were concerned about my teaching and what they thought was wrong. He just released me. They have never given me a calling since .
Hey, maybe you need to move to Oregon. We’re a little more “liberal” here, and you can certainly have one of my five callings. It won’t hurt my feelings a bit.
cwald, Please do share with me your experience. Sometimes, I feel like we are 10 people all looking at the same car accident from different angles. All of us are correct from the angle we are watching from. I think we can learn from seeing others perspectives.
Quote:Not to be trite about your experience, but if this was to happen to me, I would dance naked in the street!
Let us pray:
“Please, God, never, ever, ever let this happen to cwald.”
😮 😯 😥 Because I don’t do priesthood anymore, and am a “back row worshiper” in Sacrament (if there at all), my church activity evolves around my calling. I am the doorkeeper at family history class midweek, and in the family history room each Sunday, during second and third hour. Occasionally a member catches sight of me and really appears shocked. “Why Brother George, it is so good to see you here.” I always smile and indicate they will always find me at my appointed station (it is my calling). It has become a place to interface with leadership. The bishop came in and sat in class for a couple of Sundays. Last week a special invitation was delivered for a high priests summer social. I am probably an “x” by attendance bean counters, or maybe a little love bombing is going on. I don’t mind either, as long as I am allowed to participate on my level. If I were dragged to priesthood, I would simply continue beyond that door to the outside exit. Callings are important as a social mixer. I get it. Bridget, I thought similarly to cwald.
Yet, George,
I also agree with you. Someone was appalled that our church is too cheap to pay for professional speakers & clergy & that it uses its members to fill callings. But I think callings CAN help us grow, socialize & feel purposeful – but I’d say sometimes they can also be suffocating & overwhelming.
Old-Timer wrote:Quote:Not to be trite about your experience, but if this was to happen to me, I would dance naked in the street!
Let us pray:
“Please, God, never, ever, ever let this happen to cwald.”
😮 😯 😥
😆 Thanks for the laughs!Old-Timer wrote:Quote:Not to be trite about your experience, but if this was to happen to me, I would dance naked in the street!
Let us pray:
“Please, God, never, ever, ever let this happen to cwald.”
😮 😯 😥 Oh, it wouldn’t be so bad.
I do think it is interesting. One person on this thread is “upset” about not getting the calling – and one is “upset” because they have a calling. Just one of those ironies of life.
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