A New Calling

April 25th, 2016
The phone rang on Sunday morning. It was Brother Brown, our ward's executive secretary, who actually reminds me a lot of my dad.

"The bishop would like to meet with you and your husband today. Can you meet with him after church?"

"Okay." I told him.

"Great. He has some setting aparts to do but then you'll be his first appointment. It'll probable be around 4:30. And he wants to talk with both of you."

"Okay. We'll be there." I assured him.

What did the bishop want to talk to us about? Of course my first thought was that he wanted to give one of us a new calling. And since Steven currently has a stake calling, that probably means that I'm the one with the new calling. And since he wants to talk to both of us, it's probably something big.

I let Steven know about the appointment, then pushed it out of my head. I didn't want to think about it. I managed not to think about it until I was in Relief Society playing prelude, when the thought surfaced again. Would I be put back in Primary? Or maybe the Young Women? I've never worked with the young women, so that might be fun. For about half a second I thought about the Relief Society presidency, but quickly banished the thought. That was way out of my depth. Maybe I'd be called to teach Sunday School.

After church, we gathered the kids. Among those who needed to be set apart for callings were Hannah, and John who were recently called as Family History Consultants, and Joshua, who was called as an Indexing Specialist. They were set apart, and then Steven was set apart as a scout committee member. And then we waited a few more minutes for the bishop to be available.

Bishop Gailey started by asking to speak with Steven individually. I waited in the hall with the kids, looking at the missionary plaques on the wall outside the bishop's office. After a few minutes, I was invited to join them in the office. He didn't spend a lot of time with pleasantries but got right to the point.

"Sister Hiatt, we'd like to call you to be the Relief Society President of the Savory Ponds Ward."

I'll admit, my first reaction was shock, and then denial. "Are you sure I'm the one you want?"

He assured me that several weeks in a row, my name had come to him as the right one to serve as Relief Society President.

I made the decision a long time ago that I would accept whatever call I might be given, so I accepted. Steven was asked to leave the room, and then the bishop talked to me about selecting counselors, letting me know of a few people who were available, and others who weren't, and letting me know a tiny bit of information about some of my responsibilities. And then he said a prayer, and we left.

Later that evening, I told Steven I felt like that quote, "I smile because I have no idea what is going on." I don't know everything a Relief Society president does. I'm stressed already just from the burdens of one sister I visit teach, who I don't know how to help. What will I do with the burden of all the sisters in the ward? I don't have the resources to know how to help them.

But I have faith in the quote, "Whom God calls, God qualifies." I will strive do serve in this calling, and with the Lord's help, hopefully I can serve the sisters in my ward as the Lord would have me do.

May 23, 2016
Yesterday, I was sustained and set apart in my new calling. The previous Relief Society president wasn't at church. Her mother-in-law passed away yesterday morning. The funeral will be this Saturday, and the Relief Society will be providing a luncheon before the funeral.

A lot of people came to me yesterday and said "Congratulations on your new calling!" I'm not sure that congratulations is the right sentiment for the occasion. I don't think "condolences" are quite right either - for me. "Good luck"? Maybe. "May the Lord bless you and keep you"? That's closer. I don't know what I'm doing. It'll probably be a little while before I will be able to talk with the previous president and learn from her about my responsibilities. In the mean time, I'm doing the best I can. I'm grateful for capable counselors and compassionate service coordinator. I'm grateful for all those who have offered their help. I'm going to need it.

I trust that the Lord wanted me in this calling, and that he is going to support me in it.  

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