Gospel Message Day 273

More Random Gospel Thoughts

Another good Institute lesson. So glad my training ended early tonight so that I could make it. We only have one left, and I don't know if Sister A. will be teaching us again. I love her lessons so much. I always feel the spirit. She has a natural way of getting class members to readily participate, which I rarely see in any other religious classes I attend. Over the years I have learned to apply what I read and study, and this class has taught me to do it even more. But what I will miss the most is that she would bring up applications that she understands we're going through because she is going through them, too. And brings them up in ways that aren't whiny, complaining, sob-storying, etc. She simply tells it like it is, while helping us feel and know that we're not alone in what we're going through. I don't get that with any other teachers in my other religious classes.

Our Church is one of change, as far as what some of our callings and responsibilities are. 18 months ago, I was playing the piano in Primary (the children's organization). Now I pick the music, lead it, and lead the choir. Four years ago I helped supervise visiting teachers and their respective routes. Ten years ago, I was a Young Women leader. Twenty years ago I was a Beehive secretary. We receive different callings to help us grow in various capacities. I learned very different things from being a leader to teenage girls than from leading a volunteer choir of all skill levels. As much as we love (or might not love) the callings we have, they are not meant to last forever. Others need their chance to learn what they can in those callings, and serve the people in them.

And that's the part that we sometimes forget when we are in our own callings. The people we serve are obviously affected by who is holding and fulfilling that calling that involves them. Our Institute class has been greatly, greatly blessed to have Sister A. For me, she has been just what I need right now. And as members, we often hate to see those people move on to other callings that keep them from working so directly with us. I don't want to see her go, but maybe the Lord has someone else in mind who can touch my life now in a way that Sister A. cannot. And I'm sure He has other tasks in mind for Sister A. So though we want to hold on to the people in the callings they have, we need to get used to "letting them go" so they can continue to grow in new and varied ways that the Lord wants for them.