This blog is about my "calling" or job at Church and full of "Mormon Lingo." So, if my non-LDS friends/family don't understand all of the wording - I'm sorry about that.
While driving home from our Utah vacations, Bryan and I always have great discussions. We never know where our conversations will lead but this time it lead right into something that I needed!! I'll start to explain by saying that I am the 2nd Counselor to the Primary President. We are responsible for the teaching of over 60 children each week. Our Primary Presidency consists of 4 women other than myself, all of which are completely amazing women. I hope I can be like them when I grow up:) We also have 20 something Primary Board members that act as teachers, pianists, music directors, Scouting and Achievement Day Leaders. I won't explain all of my responsibilities but I'll mention a few. I am responsible for the teachers/children for CTR 5, CTR 6 & CTR 7 as well as the Leaders and kids involved with the Wolves, Bears and Webelos of Cub Scouting. I have been serving as a Primary Presidency member for over 3 years now.
I haven't been feeling the Spirit consistently while serving in the Primary for at least the past 6 months if not longer. I should say that occasionally while teaching a Sharing Time or in a one-on-one situation with a child I feel the promptings and peace of the Holy Ghost. But for the most part my Primary experience over the past year has not been a spiritual one. I spend much of my time just helping the whole program run. It's a ton of work each Sunday. Sundays are for resting right? I really thought - "If I am more organized and proactive in my calling it might help me not to feel too behind and always playing catchup........ then I'll feel the Spirit. After all, I know that my Heavenly Father is organized and if I am better at my organizational skills, then I'll feel the Spirit while serving in Primary." At some point I thought, "I'll pray more and prepare earlier for my lessons, then I'll feel the Spirit." or how about..."If the kids in Primary were more reverent we could all feel the Spirit."
I've been caught in this thing that Bryan and I decided to refer to as "MY CALLING AS MY GOSPEL." Yep, sad huh? Am I studying my "calling/church job" when I am at church or am I learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Sometimes I think, whether we are LDS or not, that we can get soooo caught up in all of the things we do to help at church, that we forget to find the stillness in our minds and hearts to feel and learn what God has intended for us to feel and learn each Sunday. Gathering together to worship is not about socializing or just organizing the gathering so that it runs smoothly. I know it needs to be about learning together. Spending time escaping the worries of the outside world to feed upon the words of Christ, feeling the promptings of the Holy Ghost and love of Christ, helping each other to feel uplifted and edified.
Well... I'm grateful once again to my Father in Heaven for loving me enough to teach me this lesson. I'm looking forward to going to church on Sunday to feel the Spirit and help the Primary children to feel it too.
3 comments:
Amen to that. Sometimes my spirituality suffers in a slightly different direction. I was recently called to be the primary chorister, a calling I've had before. And being ultra-prepared (sometimes to a fault), I have three filing cabinets full of music lessons already prepared and posters already made. I can almost just pull out a folder and wing it most Sundays. But, sometimes when you are overprepared, you don't offer any room for the flexibility needed to allow the Spirit to suggest or recommend something important. I really do need to work on listening better and taking some time to be inspired.
I've also discovered that while Primary is a wonderful place to feel the Spirit, I also really need to continue to follow along with the Sunday school material on my own time because Primary doesn't always offer me the opportunity to grow in my knowledge of the gospel. Those programs are designed for a reason and just because I am unable to participate doesn't mean I don't need to receive that instruction!! Sometimes I feel like such a dunce, but my main resolution this year is to read all of the Sunday school material. Hopefully, I'll be able to feel the Spirit more consistently then.
Cathy,
Thanks so much for your post. I'm so glad that you share these neat experiences with us so that we can be inspired too! It makes me think about my own calling and what I can do better.
Love You!
Amen sister. It's definitely a struggle when you're running like crazy in primary (those kids keep you hopping) but there are some sweet moments that are so wonderful being in there. But we work hard, and it's good ;) and we might not have those super edifying sunday school or RS lessons to nourish us... I guess we just have to find it in other ways. I agree with Lauren on reading the lessons yourself. That helps a ton. I am super excited about Joseph Smith for priesthood and RS. I think it's going to be a great year! :)
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