Callings

This was my first week as the ward Primary pianist (Primary is my church’s organization for children).  I’ve been practicing for almost a month.  The tricky part is that there are probably 50 songs in the songbook that I could be asked to play in any given Sunday – songs that the children are learning, favorites that they always request, songs for birthdays, songs for visitors, activity songs … it’s far beyond intimidating!!  Fortunately, most of the music isn’t complicated (though, of course we are learning a couple of challenging songs this year…).  While I had a good three or four years of piano lessons, due to my short-sightedness all lessons ended after my sixth grade year (that would be at the age of 12).  All playing I’ve done since then has been for purely enjoyment purposes and fairly infrequent.

The preceding paragraph illustrates just how intimidating this calling is right now.  I firmly believe that God doesn’t always call the most qualified, but accepts one who is willing and does her best – but putting that to the test when I genuinely feel that I’m lacking …

Previously, I had been serving as the Activity Days Leader (leader of a girls activity group) and teaching once a month in Relief Society (the woman’s organization).  Both of these callings were enjoyable but definitely in my comfort zone.  While I dislike teaching in school (did the substitute thing and found it NOT rewarding), I really love teaching in a church situation.  I’m not sure exactly why, but teaching the gospel come fairly easily and I love those occasions (never on demand, but only by grace) when the words just come to me and I know exactly the right thing to say.  It’s infrequent, but such a wonderful feeling when it happens.  So, coming up with a short gospel lesson and an activity to go along with the principle wasn’t such a stretch, and it’s always a joy to have a great discussion with my fellow sisters about a recent talk by an apostle.

Calling changes always include some sadness and some anxiety and some excitement for me.  Sometimes I’m relieved for the change to come.  When my mission ended I remember how tired I was and how ready I was to come home.  When I was released from Young Women in Wichita after three years, I was ready for something new.  Sometimes I’ve been really sad and not ready to move on.  When I was released as Primary president after a year and a half I was mournful.  I felt like I was just getting to know all my children and really loving them and loving the job – and then I went off to be the Young Women’s basketball coach!!  But I’ve learned that Heavenly Father is always teaching me something and giving me opportunities to serve in different ways and I think that is something excellent about a lay ministry church.

So, I will miss my girls and my sisters (because I will be hidden – literally – behind the piano) but I’m grateful to be getting a chance to finally put my slim piano skills to some good use.  And who knows what blessings the Lord will have in store for me?  That is the exciting part about every new calling!