Some of my best time serving is not related to any "calling". One year as I made soup for my family I felt impressed to take a 1/2 gallon of it to someone. Then later in that same season it happened again. Every time I made soup that season I made extra and took it to other people in my neighborhood. I don't know what happened with every family, but I do know that I was the answer to prayer for two families. I call that time in my life the "soup season". It was a miraculous time for the families I shared with/served. And it was a miracle for me as I learned more in depth how the spirit speaks to me.
Family history is also something that everyone can do at any time in their lives. You don't need a calling to do family history. Family history is personal worship just like partaking of the sacrament and temple attendance. It is not all done. It can never be all done.
I really like some recent counsel from the Sunday School General President where he asked us to come more prepared every Sunday to actively participate in gospel discussions. Have we read the material? Have we prayed for the teacher? Do we comment in class? How are we helping ourselves learn?
Some other non-calling thoughts:
How can I be a better visiting teacher? Do I really "know" those I am assigned to teach? Do I actively pray for them and think of them throughout the month? Visiting teaching is about watch-care ... not just sharing a message.
How do I become a better neighbor? Do I know my neighbors - really know them? Are they my friends? This summer our family made cookies each week and identified 4-6 families we could share our cookies with. Over the course of the summer we shared with more than 60 families in our neighborhood - members and non-members alike.
How about our personal discipleship? What are we doing to show love one to another? What are we doing to bless those whose needs we can see?
We don't need official callings to serve the Lord. Oftentimes I think our best service comes when we aren't "called" to do anything.
Listen to the spiritual promptings and go bless someone's life. Don't wait for someone to ask you to do something. Ask how you can help others.
Are we really converted to the Lord and his Gospel?
Bea BartonDecember 8, 2015
My husband and I moved into our current ward 2 years ago. We have served 3 missions, 2 part-time stay at home missions and 1 full-time mission. After 3 months I was given a calling in the nursery. That lasted a year and then I was released. My husband was still serving a part-time, at home mission. After I was released I waited and waited for a calling. I might mention that 95% of the ward are 25 to 30 year olds and we are in our late 60's. My husband's part-time mission ended in September and we did not want to be without a calling, other than home/visiting teaching. So, we went to our nearest Family History Center and asked if they could use our help. We were welcomed most heartily. We filled out the paperwork and then submitted it to our Bishop who was quite surprised. He asked why we wanted to serve another mission. I informed him that I had gone a year without a calling and was not happy about the situation. He seemed annoyed by this but filled out his part of the paperwork. We then took the paperwork to our Stake President for his signature. He too asked why we wanted to serve another mission. My answer was that I wanted to serve the Lord and I also wanted to feel needed. His reply was that our ward needed us but our ward just didn't know they needed us.
We are now happily serving as missionaries and loving it. Even old people need to feel needed.
KateDecember 8, 2015
Thanks for this article--it is so important. One of the challenges for students in Provo (and, I'm guessing, other areas with a high LDS population in YSA wards) is that even brand new RMs end up with made-up jobs and of course, they are smart enough to recognize that the jobs are made up. My RM SIL's calling one year at BYU was to bring pizza for one quorum activity--there were so many other active LDS kids in his YSA ward that there were no real responsibilities to call most of them to. My son had an equally make-work job while in Provo--and the second week he was in his new ward in the midwest he was called as the Elder's Quorum president. This is a real dilemma--all these newly returned missionaries and few real callings for them to fulfill (not to mention the semi-active kids who also need to feel needed). We're losing a lot of these RMs--my (now former) SIL included.
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Amy ArchibaldDecember 9, 2015
Some of my best time serving is not related to any "calling". One year as I made soup for my family I felt impressed to take a 1/2 gallon of it to someone. Then later in that same season it happened again. Every time I made soup that season I made extra and took it to other people in my neighborhood. I don't know what happened with every family, but I do know that I was the answer to prayer for two families. I call that time in my life the "soup season". It was a miraculous time for the families I shared with/served. And it was a miracle for me as I learned more in depth how the spirit speaks to me. Family history is also something that everyone can do at any time in their lives. You don't need a calling to do family history. Family history is personal worship just like partaking of the sacrament and temple attendance. It is not all done. It can never be all done. I really like some recent counsel from the Sunday School General President where he asked us to come more prepared every Sunday to actively participate in gospel discussions. Have we read the material? Have we prayed for the teacher? Do we comment in class? How are we helping ourselves learn? Some other non-calling thoughts: How can I be a better visiting teacher? Do I really "know" those I am assigned to teach? Do I actively pray for them and think of them throughout the month? Visiting teaching is about watch-care ... not just sharing a message. How do I become a better neighbor? Do I know my neighbors - really know them? Are they my friends? This summer our family made cookies each week and identified 4-6 families we could share our cookies with. Over the course of the summer we shared with more than 60 families in our neighborhood - members and non-members alike. How about our personal discipleship? What are we doing to show love one to another? What are we doing to bless those whose needs we can see? We don't need official callings to serve the Lord. Oftentimes I think our best service comes when we aren't "called" to do anything. Listen to the spiritual promptings and go bless someone's life. Don't wait for someone to ask you to do something. Ask how you can help others. Are we really converted to the Lord and his Gospel?
Bea BartonDecember 8, 2015
My husband and I moved into our current ward 2 years ago. We have served 3 missions, 2 part-time stay at home missions and 1 full-time mission. After 3 months I was given a calling in the nursery. That lasted a year and then I was released. My husband was still serving a part-time, at home mission. After I was released I waited and waited for a calling. I might mention that 95% of the ward are 25 to 30 year olds and we are in our late 60's. My husband's part-time mission ended in September and we did not want to be without a calling, other than home/visiting teaching. So, we went to our nearest Family History Center and asked if they could use our help. We were welcomed most heartily. We filled out the paperwork and then submitted it to our Bishop who was quite surprised. He asked why we wanted to serve another mission. I informed him that I had gone a year without a calling and was not happy about the situation. He seemed annoyed by this but filled out his part of the paperwork. We then took the paperwork to our Stake President for his signature. He too asked why we wanted to serve another mission. My answer was that I wanted to serve the Lord and I also wanted to feel needed. His reply was that our ward needed us but our ward just didn't know they needed us. We are now happily serving as missionaries and loving it. Even old people need to feel needed.
KateDecember 8, 2015
Thanks for this article--it is so important. One of the challenges for students in Provo (and, I'm guessing, other areas with a high LDS population in YSA wards) is that even brand new RMs end up with made-up jobs and of course, they are smart enough to recognize that the jobs are made up. My RM SIL's calling one year at BYU was to bring pizza for one quorum activity--there were so many other active LDS kids in his YSA ward that there were no real responsibilities to call most of them to. My son had an equally make-work job while in Provo--and the second week he was in his new ward in the midwest he was called as the Elder's Quorum president. This is a real dilemma--all these newly returned missionaries and few real callings for them to fulfill (not to mention the semi-active kids who also need to feel needed). We're losing a lot of these RMs--my (now former) SIL included.
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