I guess this is what I get for complaining...

Photo by Misty Alger

So, in my church we don't have paid clergy. It is all volunteer. Incredibly dedicated and selfless members donate their time, sometimes LOTS of it, to keeping my church running and moving forward. We are given "callings" to do specific tasks, to hold specific positions. We believe that these callings come from God, that our leaders (volunteer) are inspired to call us to the areas where we can help, and more importantly, where we need to grow personally. I have had people who are not members of my church tell me that we are asked to do too much, that it just isn't fair to ask us to do so much. What is sometimes hard to explain are the spiritual rewards we gain for our service. It is often hard to articulate how our families become stronger, how we become closer to God, how we feel God's love for us more acutely, how our spirits become refined, how our spiritual reserves are built up, and most importantly-how we learn to emulate Jesus Christ through our own lesson in Charity. Anyone, mormon or not, would tell you that they become better themselves when they give service to others.

That being said, it is not always easy. It is a natural tendency that we as humans have to be selfish. I have certainly dealt with my own selfishness more than I care to mention. For example, for the last year or so Ray has served with they youth in our church, specifically the young men. I have been known to complain a time or two about how much time this takes. He is gone every other Sunday before and after church for a couple of hours, every Wednesday night for a couple hours, a weekend here and there for a camp out, a Thursday night once a month for a scout roundtable, and the list goes on. I have really tried to be supportive because I know he will be blessed personally for his service and our family will be, and has been, blessed for our sacrifice. But...I struggle with my human selfishness. In this wicked world in which we live, I know how important it is for our youth to be focused on what is right and to have good, strong leaders who they look up to. Ray is perfect in this role. I KNOW that. I pray that when my kids are adolescents they will have church leaders as strong and dedicated as Ray. But still, on Sunday morning when I am getting the kids ready for church all by myself, not always nicely I might add, I struggle.

Well, I guess that my Father in Heaven must know about some inner strength I have that I have yet discovered because yesterday Ray was given a new calling. He was called to be the Elders Quorum President. Wikipedia defines quorum in this way, "A quorum is a group of people ordained or endowed with priesthood authority, and organized to act together as a body. The concept of a quorum continues to have significant meaning in modern LDS denominations. Quorums are expected to act unanimously, if possible, and are chaired by one person who is designated as the president or presiding officer." See here for a more in depth definition. That would be Ray. His responsibilities are many, and include both spiritual and temporal things. This is a huge responsibility that I have no doubt he will completely master. He is completely capable and qualified for this. I know we will be blessed beyond measure if he works to magnify this calling. I heard once that every calling you get is a call to repentance. Well, I think that Ray's calling is MY call to repentance. I need to work on mastering the "natural man" in me that has a tendency to be selfish. I will try my darnedest to be supportive, I will pray for the strength I need to get through those times on my own when Ray is serving others. (I may refer back to this post a time or two ;)). I am grateful to be married to a man who is worthy of this. Who so willingly wants to serve others. I know that there are good things in store for us.