A Call of Inspiration, or Desperation?

My friend told me that she has lived in her new ward for two weeks, and she's already been called to head up one of the major organizations.  Besides being stunned, she is laughing.  This is because she is supposed to choose some counselors.

"I'm still identifying people by their vehicles," she said.  "I guess Sister Little White Sports Car looks nice.  And maybe Brother Blue Truck's wife."

She asked her bishop for help.  He asked her to pray.

"Can't he even give me a list of names?" she said. 

"You'd have to have pictures of their vehicles beside their names," I pointed out.

She laughed some more.  One thing this friend is really good at is laughing.  "I think maybe I'll pass on Sister Crotch Rocket, though," she said.

"What?"

"That's what I call motorcycles."  While I took that in, she added, "I guess I should stop now."

It is descriptive.  "Those girls are going to be so lucky," I said.

She wasn't so sure.  She told me her bishop had had to ask her some pretty basic questions about her beliefs and practices before he extended this inspired call to her, because he doesn't know her.

I remember when I was called, at age twenty-one, to the same calling in my ward.  My bishopric told me at that time, "We didn't pray about it or anything.  You're just the obvious choice."  I was going through a very rough time and could have punched them.

"I practiced saying no," my friend told me.  She demonstrated her polite "No, thank you" for me three times.  "And then when they asked me, I was so surprised, I just said, 'That would be great.'"

"You will be great," I assured her. 

We are told that we are not supposed to turn down church callings.  The main reason for this is that they are supposed to be inspired.  Her bishop assured her that her calling was inspired.  Mine had basically said mine wasn't.  Either way, a calling is an opportunity to serve as a member of the functioning body of the church, and service always has its rewards.

There's the reward of growth.  I don't think I've ever had a calling that didn't help me to grow in some way, even if just in patience with other people.

There's the reward of developing our talents.

And there's the reward of serving others, which always brings back blessings to ourselves, fourfold, sooner or later.

At any rate, I'm pulling for my friend.  When they ask her ward over the pulpit to support Sister Little White Sports Car and Sister Blue Truck in their callings, I hope everyone will raise their hands.