It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Posted by Leslie | January 5, 2010 | 38 Comments

At five something tomorrow morning I will hear classical musical eminating from the Wave Radio, gradually growing louder until I realize it’s not part of my dream and fumble for the alarm remote on the top of my headboard. Exhaustedly, I will roll out of bed and trip into the bathroom, shivering and banging into the dresser along the way. With half squinted eyes, I will pull on my trusty black skirt and heavy black sweater I laid out on the side of the bathtub the night before. I will brush my teeth and my hair and tiptoe downstairs as quietly as is humanly possible. Time to set the scene. Turn up thermostat for that heat zone, turn on the outside lights, and unlock the door. Sketchbooks, pens and icy simulated -leather covered scriptures circle round the table. I will glance through the hymn CD stack for the shortest and most up tempo songs (slow or excessively high hymns never sound very good when they are the first sounds that emerge from your mouth in the morning). I hear the muffled clunk of car doors. Thirty seconds later the side door opens with a blast of 15 degree fierce New England air barging into the room, accompanied by 10 stomping feet as snow is shaken off shoes and onto the doormat.

I teach early morning seminary. (This is a 4 yr. scripture study class for high school students, taught early in the morning before school for most people this means class begins at 5:45 or 6am. You do not get paid for this position.) I’ll admit when I was called to this calling, I cried. In fact as the high councilor, one of our close friends, issued the call to me I couldn’t even say the word yes, I could only nod my head and cry. My reaction was deeply visceral for many reasons, first I am not an EARLY morning person (in fact I am known to get physically ill if I have to get up too early), second, at the time I had 3 little boys 7, 3, and a darling 8 mo (who didn’t sleep through the night) and lastly because I had been to early morning seminary myself, I knew what this calling entailed– and this time it was more than just showing up, it was running the show.

I remember all too well those cold Colorado mornings of my high school years, leaving at 5:35 sharp to make it to the stake center for seminary. I remember panicking if I wasn’t in bed by 9pm knowing I had to get up at 5am sharp, such an unearthly hour, for this seeming mix of truth and torture. Surely I had already shown my alliegance, proved myself with years of faithful attendance in my youth. I often joke that I graduated from high school a year early to get out of waking up for early morning seminary. Here 20 years later it was coming back to haunt me. I knew “calling fatigue” would take on a new literal dimension of meaning.

“It’s a stake calling”, the high councilor continued, “and typically the term is for 4 years”. FOUR YEARS! That’s longer than two of my sons have been alive! ! Eek –Now I know how those newly called bishops and stake presidents feel staring down the next decade or 5 years of their lives. Thousands of days, thousands of hours of lesson preparation, teaching, and 10:15 self enforced evening curfews.

I wanted to negotiate. Couldn’t I wait and pay my teacher dues when my own kids were in seminary? Don’t get me wrong I love teaching, I am a teacher by profession, I could teach for a few decades if it only didn’t involve the number 5 on my clock. At 5:30am volunteering to be nursery leader or even wear the yellow den mother shirt seem preferable! Of course my four year term will end before my oldest son starts, then we’ll have 10 years of shuttling our own children to early morning seminary. The birth of each child, while joyous also brings a slight sense of dread as it adds to the “years of early morning seminary ahead”. This is when I quickly shift to pondering my husband’s career trajectory and the duration of our New England stay (8 yrs and counting) . My priority becomes moving somewhere warmer and with a late high school start time (and dare I dream for release time?)

I do have good memories of my own experience like the time we were acting out a scripture mastery from Ether and well the play acting got rough and someone’s head went through the stake center window. I remember stories and scriptures, and the testimony of my teachers, and the key lime yogurt and bagels my mom would have ready for me to eat in the car on the way. This was also the place where I began a passionate love affair with donuts (the most notorious early am seminary bribe/treat).

I marvel at times at the dedication and sacrifice of it all. The world over, weary teachers and teenagers getting deep and doctrinal in the wee hours. I still remember watching the seminary filmstrips with my mom. She had this calling when I was little, she was up every morning to teach one student when we lived in Turkey. The truth is that the rewards are real, I’ve seen them. They come in many forms, very often intangible. Little moments of faith and testimony that get built into larger, more powerful things.

If nothing else I hope my students will remember those good old days playing scripture mastery bowling at Sister Graff’s house and will remember she knew it was all true.

Seminary, anyone? Hard callings? How do you find you make it through when you are asked to do downright hard things? What are the lessons and rewards that have come from your own callings, those of your family members? What have you struggled with?

Comments

38 Responses to “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Annie
January 5th, 2010 @ 6:46 am

Well, first I just have to say thank you, Leslie, for making the sacrifice you do every morning. I just got home from doing the daily seminary shuttle and I am *so* grateful my daughter is able to start every morning this way. She’s grateful, too, although I’m sure her teacher doesn’t know from her bleary eyes and semi-comatose state how much she loves this daily spiritual vitamin before heading to a school where she is the only Mormon. Early seminary teachers have a special place in heaven, imo.

I have had callings that were difficult and that stretched me (I’m young women president right now and sometimes it feels more than I can do, for example). But I think one of my hardest times was when my husband had a difficult calling, I think because I had all of the inconvenience but none of the direct spiritual blessings. I remember a sweet man in the ward walking past, patting my arm and quoting John Milton to me: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” It was meant to be a light-hearted quip but it really was what I needed to hear at the time.
jendoop
January 5th, 2010 @ 7:12 am

I also just returned from early morning seminary with my daughter. We pick up two other girls who don’t have supportive parents. This is my daughter’s first year of seminary. While my husband and I were dedicated to the idea, the time didn’t thrill me. I have been dealing with health issues and couldn’t imagine how I would get my daughter there, let alone two others, and be a good mother the rest of the day to my other children. Add to this my new stake calling, one I would be thrilled about if I had nothing else going on.

So with all these concerns we just got up and went. It has been blind faith, knowing that seminary was good for me as a teenager, I know it will be good for my daughter. My daughter has been largely uncomplaining. Her testimony is growing and she is fortified each day. My health has improved. I have developed relationships with the other seminary mothers that I needed. My own dedication to scripture reading has improved. And I have quiet study time for my college class every morning.

Stepping forward with faith also has been rewarded in my callings. The calling I thought I would die over? Being called to Primary after loving my calling as Young Women’s president. Not only was I being torn from the girls I had grown to love, but I was being isolated in Primary after moving far from family and speaking only English in a Spanish branch. My husband also received a leadership calling so he was home less. All of this resulted in loneliness and a great load for me. (Any surprise I had health issues?) I can’t say I ever grew to love the calling, but I did grow in strength. I feel that I helped others and demonstrated a broken heart and contrite spirit to my Heavenly Father. I think he blessed me for that. And now I’m rewarded with being back in Young Women’s again!

Leslie, thanks for your post and your service. I am braving the Northeast winters with you. 5am might be palatable if it weren’t for leaving the warmth of bed!

Annie, I love that Milton quote.
Jennie
January 5th, 2010 @ 7:54 am

You don’t wear A DRESS to teach seminary? (Kidding!) My husband teaches early morning seminary (6 am at the chapel) and it’s been a real blessing for us. Although he’s an early riser, it’s still a drain having to teach a lesson every single day. As soon as we’re done with dinner he in his office preparing the next day’s lesson.

I have noticed the peace that it’s brought to our family. Normally if I were seeing as little of my husband as I am now (if he were spending a lot time working late on a project or something), we’d be at each other’s throats. We have to spend time reconnecting each day or our relationship deteriorates quickly. But our relationship has been very stable and peaceful since he’s started seminary. That’s a very large blessing for us.

In our stake they issue the calling for a year and see how it goes. We have three seminary classes in our building and one of the other teachers has been doing it for seven years!
Miggy
January 5th, 2010 @ 8:43 am

I also taught early morn. Seminary when we lived in NYC. It was a real blessing and a curse at the same time. I too was sorta freaking out… fortunately I had the ultimate trump card–at least in the city–I was pregnant. So I only taught for 1 semester and was released shortly before I had my baby. It would have been hard to continue, or especially if I had 3 little ones! The great part was seeing all these tough inner city kids–some of them the only members of their family, so you know it was their own will and perseverance getting them there–making the daily trek. There was one girl who was especially challenging, but who I had bonded with earlier in the summer on the pioneer trek–I remember the bishop telling me frankly that she won’t come. Period. We were all stunned as she had a perfect attendance for almost 2 months. Unfortunately it didn’t last, but it was a great feat nonetheless.

I was also quite stunned to receive my most recent call as the RS president in our new ward. I found out I was pregnant about 2 weeks before, then I received the call the Sunday before Thanksgiving and my in-laws were coming that week for the holiday as well. This is was probably the most overwhelmed I’ve ever felt in my life. I was stressed and on the verge of crying for days. I still feel as though I’m just getting my feet under me, but so far so good. In both cases I just wanted to know that Heavenly Father wanted me in these callings. As long as I felt that reassurance I know I can do it….being set apart is and was key.
jenny
January 5th, 2010 @ 8:56 am

Leslie,
growing up in the Mormon Mecca of Mesa, AZ, I didn’t even realize until I was married and living in Denver, CO that early morning seminary teacher was a calling! The Horror! I am NOT a morning person AT ALL, so I completely sympathize with you. I also want to offer my humble gratitude for what you do. I have an early morning seminary attendee, he will graduate this year and we will have another one starting in the fall. What you do DOES make a difference. I find it especially so with kids living in areas with very few members. The youth in our ward go to at least 3 different high schools. It is a blessing for them to have the companionship, if only for an hour, of other LDS youth on a daily basis. Comatose or not. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I believe this is one of those callings where you will have no idea the difference you’ve made until the end of your life and a loving Heavenly Father shows you what miracles you’ve participated in.
xo
traci
January 5th, 2010 @ 8:57 am

As a non-Mormon, I don’t have these calls – but I have had duties in my church that have taught me much. In fact, just recently.

I was secretary of Ladies Aid, 1 year, and Treasurer 2. It was horrible! Women I have known my whole life, irritated me at sight. Our whole committe resigned this year, and last year I think we only held on one year to tick them all off. Yesterday I took in the end of the year report and most of the “stuff”, the rest will go tomorrow. The position will go back to a woman who had it for 15 years before me. She stated that things will finally get under control now. Gee, Im happy for her. I am not going to the meeting this month. But I am sure that I will be back in February. Like I said I have been with them my whole life. I love them – no, really i do…

Church’s are Holy Ghost Hospitals, everyone is sick at one time or another. – Heard this quote years ago, and it really helped me deal with some rationale.
jenny
January 5th, 2010 @ 9:22 am

re- my comment (#5)
I re-counted, it’s five different high schools.
FIVE!
Bless you, early morning seminary teachers.
Melissa Y.
January 5th, 2010 @ 9:40 am

traci, you’re awesome.

Leslie, thanks for reminding me to be thankful for release time. And bless you for your work.
The Queen
January 5th, 2010 @ 9:44 am

I had amazing seminary teachers for two of my four years. I can honestly say they taught me a majority of what I learned as a child/youth in the gospel. In fact sometimes I think I learned more then than I have before or since. The first two years were early, 5:45. The last two were 6:!5.
anonymous
January 5th, 2010 @ 10:45 am

I’m young with young kids, but my husband is in a singles ward bishopric. And the hardest part is I’m still organist in our family ward.

So the kids and I attend two wards, alternating Sundays, I always sit with the kids without help (unless they’re sitting with a neighbor while I play the organ and give death glares from the stand).

And Sundays which used to be so joyful are now really tough. I cry almost every Sunday. I am faithful, and grateful for both of our callings, and for the love we see every week when (as happened this Sunday) my 3yo is screaming and the relief society president comes and takes the 1yo so I can go to the foyer to discipline. But a tiny part of me, of which I’m ashamed, can’t wait for it to be over.
Dovie
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:10 am

Wowza. Grateful for release time humbled by your service and all the herculean feats shared. You are amazing women. My grandma taught it for years like twenty. Once a week she would even make them breakfast. I think it was when all her children were either grown or mostly grown. She was at that time like you all, an amazing woman.
Kathryn Soper
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:20 am

Leslie, bless you, again and again.

My mom taught early-morning seminary when I was a sophomore. That year she was working full-time, juggling a houseful of teenagers, and trying to keep our family from ripping apart at the seams. In fact, our household was so troubled that my siblings and I didn’t attend seminary even though it was being held in our basement! I don’t know how my mom managed to make it through that year–the added responsibility and lessened rest at such a stressful time seems beyond ridiculous. But she says the calling is what enabled her to survive the worst year of her life.

I try to remember this counterintuitive dynamic when my family’s church responsibilities defy all reason.
Terresa Wellborn
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:21 am

A few things come to mind:

I served a full-time mission. It was amazing but tough and changed me 365 degrees. Being a seminary teacher is the only other calling that I think comes close to it. Well, that and being a bishop or Stake pres.

My ward has 2 seminary teachers. I am amazed at both of them, both women, both growing spiritually in leaps and bounds each year.

My dad also taught seminary a long time ago. Imagine my surprise when we moved into our current ward and 2 ward members approached me with love in their eyes…my dad taught them both seminary decades ago! I was so surprised, and now there is that connection between us.

One more thing: I’ve heard this said about teaching seminary…you dump buckets full of the spirit on them and they may just walk away with thimbles full. But at least it’s something.

I stand all amazed at seminary teachers. Amazed.
Strollerblader
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:36 am

Anonymous #10: I’m sure that you could recruit one of your ward’s Young Women (who would be thrilled to not have to sit with her family) to sit with you and your kids each week. Choose one of the girls you feel comfortable with, ask her mom, then ask her.

I was asked to be an early morning seminary teacher 2 years ago. I have 4 children, the oldest of whom was 8, and the youngest was still a nursling. My dh is not “into” the church anymore (but still goes each week), and has to be at work at 7:30. So, it was the first calling I’ve had to say no to. And I would have really loved to do it, but without my husband taking up LOTS of slack, it just wasn’t possible. I took a seminary teaching class when I was at BYU knowing that at some point in my life, I will most likely be a seminary teacher. I am sure that I will get the opportunity again, and my kids will be older and self-sufficient.

Hard callings? I used to cry every week before church when I was primary chorister. I don’t think it would be *that* bad for me now, but at the time I was pregnant with my 1st child, and definitely didn’t have the skills to work with young children and preferred to be working with the youth (as in teens). Since then, I also realized that I grew to hate any calling I had when I was pregnant.
My current calling, while in itself is not hard, definitely stirred up my life when I got it. When I was talking the the high councillor before he set me apart he said something that immediately brought a line from my patriarchal blessing to my mind: “…help others to prepare for the Millennial reign,” which at that moment I thought was cool that this part of my PB was making sense now. But then in the days that followed, I became increasingly anxious about the future and the Last Days. In the end, no amount of self-talk and personal prayer was calming me, no matter how many times I told myself to have “faith, not fear,” so I asked for a blessing from that high councillor. The blessing did not address the fear at all. It was beautiful in other ways, but it didn’t address the reason I’d asked for it at all. But then, that following weekend, we had a special stake conference with Elder Bednar, and all 3 speakers specifically addressed fear, and the answers and peace and comfort finally came. And “Faith, not fear” has been the theme of my life for the last 8 months now, and I was both alarmed and comforted again to find that the Mutual theme for the year is “Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
jks
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:57 am

Thank you for teaching seminary. I have only 2.5 years left before I begin taking my children to early morning seminary for 14 years straight!!!!! I shudder at it, but since my oldest is now 12 and in the middle of major hormonal changes of puberty and she has all these extra negative emotions and feelings and doesn’t quite know how to deal with them , I am grateful for ANY support from others to help her because I don’t know what path she is going to end up on. I consider myself a wonderful mother and I think I am doing an awesome job with all of my children, but children are so needy and teenagers especially.
jendoop
January 5th, 2010 @ 12:56 pm

Anon, I feel your struggle. It sounds like my least favorite calling that I referred to in my previous comment. My relief came when I went in for my temple recommend interview. The stake counselor asked me if I was being renewed in sacrament meeting each week. I had a really bad day that day so I answered him very bluntly. “Not really, I go because I have faith that it is the right thing to do.”
My husband was released from the branch presidency two weeks later and a wonderful man without small children at home had the chance to serve.

Sometimes our leaders are juggling so many balls in the air that they can’t keep tabs on the stresses our callings maybe inflicting. (Sometimes they can’t fathom all the family complexities either). It is our job to let them know if our calling in inordinately difficult, and then let them decide if we should remain in the calling. IMHO anyway.
Melissa M.
January 5th, 2010 @ 1:48 pm

Leslie, I am in awe of you and all the other amazing people who teach early morning seminary. And I just found a reason to be grateful today that I live in Utah.
Sue
January 5th, 2010 @ 2:02 pm

I am a big admirer and respecter of seminary teachers. One of my best friends taught it for two years, and they called her right after she had finished her chemotherapy for breast cancer. I and others tried to get her to say “no,” but she was going to trust the Lord and be there for Him, wherever He needed her.

Her faith was well-founded. My friend’s health prospered, and she had a wonderful experience…as most seminary teachers seem to do.

And may God bless them, every one!

=)
m&m
January 5th, 2010 @ 2:09 pm

Bless you, Leslie.
Angie f
January 5th, 2010 @ 3:19 pm

I am so grateful I did NOT grow up in Utah so that I could attend early morning seminary. I am not a natural morning person, but graduating from early morning seminary was the first conscious choice I made to do something difficult on sheer faith and obedience. Two of the seminary teachers I had have remained dear friends and mentors throughout my adulthood. Their obvious dedication to the gospel and their love for the scriptures fueled the development of my testimony. I am grateful that I am not raising my family in Utah so that they will have the refining experience of early morning seminary as well.

DH is currently the bishop and we have five kids from 2-10 years in age. This calling of his requires more faith, determination and emotional energy than I can even explain. (that Milton quote made me cry. Thanks!) I’m the Gospel Doctrine teacher–a calling that I love, but I have a dear friend who every time she sees me marvels at how “mean” my husband is to make me have that calling–she’s the GD teacher in her ward and it terrifies her. It always amazes me how differently we all look at callings and how different those same callings can be in different seasons of our lives.
Patti
January 5th, 2010 @ 3:23 pm

Seminary, YES. This is my 5th year teaching. I consider it such a blessing in my life that I secretly hope people don’t discover it’s the best kept secret in the Church when it comes to callings. Also, what better evidence that ‘line upon line’ is a true principle?

My babies are grown and gone, but my husband and I both have full-time jobs. We make it work for us. In the end I think it’s more of a sacrifice for him.

Seminary is the best thing that ever happened to me. Believe it or not, I struggle through my summers.

Best wishes sent virtually.
Fairchild
January 5th, 2010 @ 4:03 pm

I credit a lot of my testimony to early morning seminary. That was the first time in my life I ever read the whole Book of Mormon. My oldest will start in 2.5 short years and luckily, he is an early riser so he should adjust okay. I survived by taking a nap every day after school for 4 years! My husband also likes to get up early so I have a feeling it will be his job to play chaffeur!

In my stake, they do not like to call pregnant or nursing women to be seminary teachers because they know how tiring an assignment it is. It is also explained that it isn’t like other callings; it is more of an assignment. Teachers are encouraged not to agree to teach unless they can fully commit to it. My friend taught a couple of years ago and loved it, but she told them she could only do one year because they planned to have one last baby afterward. It really is a special calling and one I truly appreciate. My Bishop’s wife was my teacher for 3 years and she loved it and we all loved her.
Kristin
January 5th, 2010 @ 8:46 pm

Anon–I feel for you. We went through a period where Sundays were clearly NOT the day of rest I wanted it to be. With young children, and demanding callings (with Sunday meetings) for both of us it was a tough time. I admit I had some great feelings of bitterness as I have always been fiercely protective of our Sabbaths, for worship and family time. I made it a matter of great thought and prayer, and though it was still very difficult, it did get better, mostly because my heart was softened. I admire you for sticking with it and I know the Lord appreciates your efforts. As my grandpa says, “Keep the faith.” (And don’t beat yourself up over the tiny part that looks forward to the end of this season.)

Is it strange to admit that recently I have begun secretly yearning to be called to teach seminary? I love my calling as the Primary Chorister, but it doesn’t really stretch me spiritually. I have a great deal of experience with music and children, so it is right in my comfort zone. Early mornings are not, and I would love the (forced) opportunity to delve into lesson preparation that comes with a calling to teach, especially daily. In the meantime, I am working on stretching myself more as a teacher to my children.

“How do you find you make it through when you are asked to do downright hard things?”

When my two oldest were little (they are 20 months apart), I struggled through church. Keeping them reverent through sacrament meeting was so hard, and then the kids not old enough for nursery seemed to be difficult the whole three hours. For many weeks I felt that I wasn’t being spiritually fed at church at all, but simply drained. My mantra? “Even if I didn’t get anything out of church today, I partook of the sacrament, and my children know that church is important to our family.” Interestingly enough, my younger ones learned to be reverent earlier on, and sitting through sacrament meeting with our five now is easier than it was with the two. At least most weeks.
JoLyn
January 5th, 2010 @ 9:08 pm

I live where we have release time for seminary. It is a huge blessing…and yet we are also missing some of the blessings you are seeing for your children as they make the sacrifice to go so early in the morning.
FoxyJ
January 5th, 2010 @ 10:19 pm

I grew up with early morning seminary and I have bittersweet feeling about the fact that our kids are likely to have release time since we’ve decided to settle in Utah. I loved seminary, but do confess that it is a calling that would seem daunting to me. Such a big commitment.

During the last two years or so I’ve been blessed with relatively ‘easy’ callings. On the one hand it’s been good because I have a lot of things going on my life and my husband no longer attends church. But on the other, I do miss the stretching that comes with a challenge. I shouldn’t say that out loud since I moved into a new ward and might get something big again
namakemono
January 5th, 2010 @ 10:35 pm

For us, we have ended up this year doing home study seminary. We live an hour from the chapel, plus said child needs to catch the 6am train to school every day – yes, its fun here out in the “mission field” lol! Last seminary year we had a wonderful teacher who did his best to help everyone get through the year no matter how what or how hard their circumstances. Unfortunately this seminary year he moved with his work – and with the new teacher, we are close to quitting! Hopefully things will improve in the new seminary year.
Alyssa
January 5th, 2010 @ 10:48 pm

I can remember a specific seminary lesson I attended in high school. It changed my life, anchoring me in the gospel for years to come. I just have to say amen again and again that seminary is so important for our youth. I just have an immense gratitude for you and my past early morning seminary teachers that continued to teach to the bleary eyed students in such a hard calling.
MD
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:14 pm

I have either been assigned to the nursery or given a “fake” calling in which I don’t end up doing anything. It has been utterly brutal to my self-esteem. I feel absolutely worthless and unwanted. I guess I’m not good enough to do anything other than babysit so the other parents can have interesting callings.

Maybe I need to move to one of your wards so I can be called to teach Gospel Principles or a RS counselor.
Angie f
January 5th, 2010 @ 11:50 pm

MD, I don’t know what constitutes a fake calling (unless it’s second assistant hymnbook duster), but nursery worker is an absolutely essential calling. You are little children’s first independent experience with gospel learning. You make or break how a child deals with church and consequently, how their parents deal with Sunday. It is an exhausting and completely “on” calling for those two hours and almost impossible to get a substitute if you’re gone. I have been a nursery leader and struggled mightily to keep a large nursery staffed. I have thanked the Almighty on a weekly basis for golden nursery leaders who have tenderly enfolded my timid children and bit my tongue bitterly over nursery workers who worried more about messing up their outfits than caring for any of the children in the room, mine included. Is nursery an unsung calling? Absolutely! Can it be draining when you are home with little ones all week too? Yup, that too. But it is vital and if you were my child’s nursery leader, I would thank you weekly for being so.
anon
January 6th, 2010 @ 2:08 am

Four years is too long.

Too light?

Your stake high councilman should have seen those tears and reported back to the stake presidency. Your stake presidency should have then prayerfully adjusted their plans after hearing what the prospect of four years of early morning seminary did to your tear ducts. (The Church is true, but) a four year calling to TEACH early morning seminary is one stake-level tradition that is bad enough to make me comment as anon and truly borders on BOM-style secret combinations–it’s so wicked.

Too heavy?
Kay
January 6th, 2010 @ 4:07 am

Starting again, I just typed in all I wanted to say and it disappeared!

I loved seminary. I was baptised at 16 and learned so much in the time I had in classes, it helped both my knowledge and testimony grow. I don’t know how I would have managed a mission without that background.

My oldest daughter starts next year, and I can’t wait. I am so looking forward to seeing her grow. She often asks me why all the youth love Sister Trout when she can appear stern. They all love her because they know how wonderful she is and that she is helping them eternally. I really hope she gets to teach all of my children. Early morning seminary teachers deserve direct entry into the Celestial kingdom in my book.

I have had callings that have made me cry. My hardest times though when I look back were the 8 years my husband was the Elders Quorum President. It was the first 8 years of our marriage and when I was having babies, he also worked away part time and so it seemed was never home for us. Now he is the Bishop, and it is easier than I thought it would be. I am not saying it is easy, just that I am more able to cope with it. I am not sure why, maybe my perspective has changed, as I am not a naturally patient person.

I too know the Milton quotation. It is often quoted at Bishopric wives around here.
MD
January 6th, 2010 @ 9:29 am

Angie, I loved nursery the first time I was called–I was newly married and had no children. The second time I was called I was in my new ward for two weeks and had a two year old and an 8-month-old still nursing. It really negatively affected my baby to see me hold and comfort other children on a weekly basis. I had a lot of behavioral problems from her. I also got tired of dealing with a child who was physical violent and SCREAMED, not cried, but screamed nonstop. And as I was having trouble integrating into this rather cliquish ward it created a host of problems for me because there were mothers who were admanant that their children not be in my nursery class. After six months I was released and looking forward to being back with the adults but I was called back into the nursery as the story time reader (a made-up calling). I only had to grab some books and read the last twenty minutes to the different nursery classes. The children LOVED it which made me love it. But then the Primary President, whose idea it was in the first place, went nutso and decided that I could only read LDS story books (which aren’t available in a West Texas library). Fortunately I was about to have another baby so I was released by default and we moved to a new ward.

In my new ward they called me to a new calling the bishop invented and I taught one class in the entire year. Now, I currently hold a calling invented by the ex-Stake President (we had a new Stake President called in November) and I have not done one thing. No one has any clue as to what I am supposed to do, including the biphopric, so I don’t do anything. I’ve had this fake calling since last summer, which was fine then as I was violently ill with vomiting, fatigue, vertigo, and all other kinds of good stuff while pregnant with my first son. Now that he is two months old and I feel great, I would like to do something other than my VT. Although our ward is so huge not everyone can have a calling. But it does seem to me like certain people get interesting callings over and over again.
TJ Hirst
January 6th, 2010 @ 9:34 am

While I may be the only one who can comment like this, “You are blessed!!!

I can commiserate with you. I’m in my third year of teaching early morning seminary in a nasty cold climate. It was -25 when I left for seminary two days this week. So I know its hard.

But I wrote this statement on the chalkboard for the students this morning, “To redeem is to to buy back, recover, free from captivity by paying a ransom, rescue, restore, repair.”

We read it, I read it. And then I tesfiied that yes, this is true. And I knew it like I’ve never known anything or needed to know any more turth than that. Where did that power come from? I have no idea becaseu I didn’t know that myself until I said it out loud to my students.

I couldn’t help but burst into a teary prayer after the students left. Simply by putting myself in a place to speak those doctrines every morning to the youth and myself the Lord taught me how he redeems me from hard things.

It absolutely keeps the plan of redemption in my thoughts every day and my bishop told me on Sunday that seminary is a training ground of doctrine that the chruch will call upon me to use when I’m released. He should now; I replaced him.
Angie f
January 6th, 2010 @ 10:10 am

Bless you MD Bless you. You have had difficult experiences, some of which I can relate to (I was 38 weeks pregnant when called into nursery once and served until the baby in question was nearly ready to go to nursery–while DH was EQP, so I would often see baby being walked down the hall by random elders in our ward and during that time I had some mothers insist that their child not be in the same room with my older son–oh how charming women can be!). I totally agree that there often can be a frustrating amount of recycling among leadership callings (where the RS president becomes the YW president and the Primary president becomes the RS president and so forth). It is sad and disheartening and can leave the rest of us with a bit of a “chopped liver” feeling. Have you talked to your Bishop about wanting to serve more? Sometimes bishops are so overwhelmed with large wards that they can’t see who can and would like to serve more, but are only seeing where more service needs to happen. There are so many ways in which church service can be difficult. I wish you the best.
Jenny
January 6th, 2010 @ 11:37 am

I didn’t cry when I was called to teach early morning seminary (I too, am NOT an early morning person), but was surprised after my first year, that I cried because they were releasing me. I loved the forced-study time. I loved connecting with the youth. I loved starting my day that way. It’s a HARD calling, but SO rewarding! I have deep respect for seminary teachers, and for the youth who commit to rise at unearthly hours EVERY.DAY.OF.HIGH.SCHOOL. Bless you, Leslie, for your efforts.
Laura
January 6th, 2010 @ 11:38 am

Leslie. Although it’s a HUGE sacrifice for you…the youth are SO blessed to have you teach them each morning. I’d love to attend your early morning classes
For your sake I hope the “4 year” calling is not that long…but in a selfish way I hope it is. I want McKay to enjoy your teachings each morning.
You have a talent, thank you for sharing it….even if it does require 10:15 bedtime.
teki
January 6th, 2010 @ 10:23 pm

When I first started teaching EM Seminary I was told by an older teacher, “It’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but it’s also the best calling you’ll ever have”. Truer words were never spoken! My years teaching forced me to grow and stretch in ways I didn’t think possible. I’m truly a fundamentally different person than I was when I started and I really like who I am now! The 13 years I spent with “my kids” was incredibly difficult in so many ways-husband serving as bishop, working part-time, traveling to the bldg. every morning to teach, teaching all my own children – but words really can’t describe the countless blessings and miracles that our whole family experienced during this time. Someone above said it’s the best kept secret in the Church- amen to that! Bless all you EM Seminary teachers out there and thanks, Leslie, for reminding me of this special time in my life.
Leslie
January 7th, 2010 @ 6:06 am

Thanks for much love and support of seminary. I share it with many diligent teachers and students out there. I have watched fellow friends teach through pregnancies, births, chronic health conditions, and many other difficult life experiences. Their diligence and sacrifice has only added a power to their testimonies.
I can say 1.5 yrs into the calling, there are MANY blessings. I am often surprised at the forms they come in (seemingly unrelated) but they are undeniable. I know mnay goo dthings in my life int he last year and a half are directly related. I do at times wish the calling (which seminary used to be an “assignment” but 2 yrs ago became a stk calling churchwide) came at a season of life when I had more time to devote, energy to it, but as a young mother perhaps this is the season I need it’s compensatory blessings the most.
I wish I could honestly say it was easy to get up but that wouldn’t be true. It gives me such respect for the youth especially those who are struggling.