Oh No! A Church Calling! (Soapbox Post)

I was called a couple weeks ago to be a Sunday School teacher for the Gospel Doctrine class and today was my first week teaching. I have to say the class met my expectations perfectly. About 50-60 adults sitting in dead silence as I probe for some type of participation other than my lecture from the front. OK, I got 3 people to read and about another 3-4 people to make some comments. So about 50-60 people, 90% of which are sitting in dead silence for an hour and look the other way when I ask for a comment.

I'm actually not writing upset about the lack of participation; it's totally normal and church is not school where you have to participate. Just being at church is enough and whoever wants to sit and listen is welcome. What I am writing about is my frustration with people rejecting callings. Whenever I told somebody my new calling, the inevitable response was, "You're teaching adults! I could never do that!" Well, I'm pretty sure the bishopric were in fact told, "No, I can't do that" multiple times. When they extended the calling (to teach once every three weeks, mind you) they had a look of what can only be described as extreme trepidation. "So do you think you can handle that?" Huh? Can I handle it? Show up once every three weeks and lead a group (LIGHT emphasis on the word "group") discussion? Yeah I think I can handle that. It upsets me that so many people think they can't.

I'm not referring specifically to this calling. It's obviously a huge problem in the church right now. I know last year when Rachel was about to have Cannon we were told, "We're releasing you from primary so you can adjust to your newborn." Well, week after week passed and we were informed by the primary presidency that they had submitted a list of names a mile long and not a single person would accept a calling as a primary teacher. We finished out the year as Sunbeam teachers. In fact, Rachel is still a sunbeam teacher (I was released only becase I was poached to teach Gospel Doctrine) while they continue their search for a new Sunbeam teacher. She has both the kids and Cannon alone during sharing time when I teach and I come in and help during class time.

Is it that bad to accept a calling? I have to say I'll gladly accept any calling extended and I'm even happier when it's not demanding. There are plenty of people who do the heavy lifting, a la Bishoprics, presidencies, young men/women, etc. but it seems like too many reject even simple callings just because they're too worried about having the "option" to not go to church for a week if they're out of town or something.

Anyways, I probably shouldn't even be writing this because it's stupid and I have no idea what's really going on in any one person's life other than mine. I'm basically relying on rumors and that's wrong. OK, now I just made myself feel bad for basically ripping on all my fellow church members. I should repent! And the decision is . . . I'll repent right after I publish this angry post!

14 No More!

I got a sweet surprise call from my wife Valentine's morning. . . they had an opening for me to come in and get my braces off! I was so pumped I can't even explain. It was only like 2 weeks earlier than when I would've gotten them off anyways but that is of course irrelevant when I could get them off in the next 30 minutes.

So here I am now with spectacularly straight teeth! All thanks to Dr. Spurrier and the Rache-Train.

I pretty much agreed to get braces just so I could say to our kids that I had them too when they complain about getting them. It was a long, sometimes grueling experience but now that it's over I'm glad I did it (now does that sound like somebody describing their mission or what?)

When I was 15 and had my first (and second) shoulder surgeries, I LOATHED wearing my sling around for the 6 weeks or so after surgery. I felt like everyone was staring and/or laughing at me all the time, which is stupid to think because I know when I see somebody in a sling or cast or whatever, I notice it but I don't care and I don't dwell on it. I felt that same way this entire year of wearing braces. Obviously I noticed when other people wore braces, including teens since that was basically what I was reduced to, but I never dwelled on it. And why would anybody dwell on it? Who cares? I'm making my point to myself because what I'm basically saying to myself is that I'm a moron for being self-concious about wearing braces, even as an adult. Funny thing is, these past few days I still find myself not smiling a full smile because I think I still have my braces on. Funnier still, nobody noticed that I got my braces off. So why am I a loser that thought everybody noticed when I did have braces? (Answer: Because you were a loser that had braces on as an adult so people did notice but now that they're off and you look normal nobody notices you anymore.) :) I can say that because 1) I was an adult with braces so I can make fun of my own. 2) 1 guy at work did notice that my braces were off, only after he made a joke about being a geeky adult wearing braces and then looked over at me for my reaction only to have me smile back with the pearly whites.

Now if I could just get my place back at the cool kids lunch table. . .