Today I was released from my calling to work with the Young Women in our ward. For those who are not LDS - we are given "callings" or jobs to do to help out at church. These "calls" are issued by the bishop typically and are inspired of the Lord. We work in a calling until the Lord inspires the Bishop that we are needed elsewhere or that someone else needs to have the blessings of doing our job or until our life makes it not possible to continue doing our calling.
Some callings have a typical time frame. Bishops for an example generally serve for 5 years. The woman who leads the women's organization or the Relief Society generally serves for about 3 years. Other callings can be for a year or two or shorter. The time frames are all subject to inspiration and the personal circumstances of the person in the calling.
I had been serving in the Young Women's for almost 3 years. That is a long time to be in Young Women's because it is a busy calling. So I wasn't too surprised when I got home from D.C. and the bishop called me into his office to let me know I would be released today.
Today I taught my last lesson. It was a fun one. The topic was not a super spiritual one - preventing disease. So we played a game of Jeopardy with it. It was nice to have a light hearted lesson when we all had heavy hearts knowing it was our last time together like that. I hate goodbyes. I am no good at them. I don't usually feel them till after they happen. I remember saying goodbye to my best friend when he left on his mission. He was in tears saying goodbye and I was happy and normal. I felt bad that I wasn't more emotional. He left for his mission the next day. The next week I was in tears missing him and not just being able to call him. It always hits me after the fact.
I know I will miss working in Young Women's. No where else in the ward do you get to watch lives change like that. I love the young women of our ward and I will be sad to not see them as regularly. But in my heart they will always be mine. Love doesn't get "released" when you do. It survives. It survives absence and distance and time. It even survives death.
5 comments:
I understand the feeling of being released from a YW calling... I was released from a YW leader position several years ago, and while it tore my heart apart at the time, the release turned out to be a very sweet tender mercy from the Lord, and I am grateful for that.
It's so true that you are never "released" from loving those sweet young ladies! Most of "my girls" are now married, have children, served missions, etc, but I still consider them mine and I love them even more today.
Good luck with whatever the Lord has in store for you!
YW is my favorite calling. Always.
=)
you were my duaghters youngwoman leader... she loved you and you did a wonderful job.
I teach beehives in my ward and we are one week behind you cause this sunday is preventing disease. Would love to know the game you played (jeopardy and how you did it).
Been following your very inspirational blog for a while. My sister in law's neice is Tiffany (and Jackson. You are amazing. If you wouldn't mind sharing the game you can email me at LBW_DDS@yahoo.com.
thanks, Joan W
You are awesome!! I'm sure the young women will miss you even more than you miss them! (I really like your Jeopardy idea!) Where will you be serving next? Miss you all! : )
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