Church Callings

It's been a while since I've done a personal history post and I have a feeling they are going to become even more infrequent, but I'm still going to try to get one done once in a while!  So today I decided to talk about what church callings I've had.

Church callings have been on my mind lately, for obvious reasons.  Recording the church callings I've held is pretty simple for me because (being the ridiculously organized person that I am) I actually wrote down all the church callings I'd had once...and I've been adding to it every time my calling changes.  (And I'm glad I wrote them down, because some of the earlier ones I had forgotten all about!)  I'm going to list them chronologically.  So here we go:

I don't have dates for the first ones, but I did record that while I was a youth in YW (back in the Orem 73rd Ward), I served as the 2nd year Beehives 1st Counselor, the 1st year Laurels 2nd Counselor, and the 2nd year Laurels 1st Counselor.  (Definitely wouldn't remember those if I hadn't written them down!  And yes, our ward was so large that Beehives, Mia Maids, and Laurels were divided up into two classes each.  How would that be?)  Those callings would have been sometime between 1980 and 1986. 

I graduated from high school in May 1986, and then I started serving as a visiting teacher--and have ever since.  I lived at home my first year of college, but I don't remember if I had a church calling or not during that time.  I did have one the summer following my freshman year, though:
 
Assistant Nursery Leader, June-August 1987, Orem 73rd Ward (Utah)

My second year at BYU (1987-88), I lived on campus and attended a single student ward. (The BYU 152nd Ward) I didn't have a calling in this ward because there were more people than there were a need for callings. I never got asked to speak or anything, either...never really felt a part of this ward. (Except for visiting teaching and FHE.)

I don't remember if I had a calling the summer after my sophomore year.  But my third year of college I lived off campus and I did receive a calling in my new ward.  I think I have had a calling non-stop ever since then, with a few short breaks in between moves. 

Family History Specialist (included helping to teach a Sunday School class), 1988-89 school year, BYU 23rd Ward (Single Student Ward)
Full time Missionary, August 1989-March 1991, North Carolina Charlotte Mission
Spiritual Living Teacher (RS), June 1991-April 1992, Canyon View 6th Ward (Singles Ward)
Ward Temple Coordinator,  (with Frank, part of Activities Committee) September 1992- May 1994, BYU 25th Ward (Married Student Ward)
Relief Society 2nd (Homemaking) Counselor, May 1994-September 1995, BYU 25th Ward
Visiting Teaching District Leader, BYU 75th Ward (Married Student Ward) (don't know dates...sometime between September 1995 and April 1997)
Relief Society teacher, (don't remember which one), BYU 75th Ward (again, don't know the dates...sometime between September 1995 and April 1997.  I do remember teaching when Tanner was a very small baby...so between November 1996 and April 1997.)
Primary teacher (6 & 7 year olds), June 1997-June 1998, Fayette Ward (New York)
Assistant Nursery Leader, June 1998-September 1998, Fayette Ward
Laurel Advisor, December 1998-February 2000, Christiana Ward (Delaware)
Primary 1st Counselor, April 2000 -November 2002, Walkersville Ward (Maryland)
Assistant Den Leader (Cub Scouts), November 2002-August 2003, Walkersville Ward
Beehive Advisor, August 2003-October 2004, Walkersville Ward
YW Secretary, October 2004-July 2005, Walkersville Ward
Relief Society 2nd (Enrichment) Counselor, July 2005-July 2006, Walkersville Ward
Primary Teacher (Sunbeams, CTR 5) (team taught with Frank part of the time), July 2006-March 2007, Walkersville Ward
Primary Secretary, March 2007-December 2007, Walkersville
Cub Scout Committee Chair, December 2007-July 2008, Walkersville
Primary 2nd Counselor, July 2008-July 2009, Walkersville
Primary President, July 2009-October 2011, Walkersville
YW 1st Counselor, October 2011-January 2013, Walkersville
Relief Society President, January 2013, Walkersville

A few interesting facts about my church callings:

1-Once I moved out of student wards (that didn't have Primary other than nursery and no youth programs), I have spent most of my time serving in Primary or YW, with the bulk of that time in Primary.  From April 1997 to the present (nearly 16 years) I have spent (approximately) 1 year serving in Relief Society, 4 1/2 years serving in YW, and 10 years serving in Primary (I'm counting Cub Scout callings under the Primary "umbrella".)

2-I've been a RS counselor for two different presidents, a YW counselor or secretary for two different presidents, and a Primary counselor or secretary for 4 different presidents. 

3-I've had every calling in the Primary presidency.

4-Because of my current calling, I have managed to serve in the presidency of all 3 auxilliaries within a 15 month time period.  (Not something I was hoping for!)

5-I used to be terrified of Primary, but now I love it!

6-I'm still terrified of Relief Society, but I'm hoping I'll get over that.

7-The calling that has been the most stressful for me (until now) is RS 2nd Counselor...and I've had it twice!  It was really stressful both times...for slightly different reasons.

8-The easiest callings for me have been the secretary callings.  Right up my alley...easy!

9-The calling I think I've enjoyed the most is Primary counselor, followed by Primary President.  The counselor is ahead of the president because I got to do all the same things, but I didn't have to be in charge! :)

10-I've learned something from every one of my callings and I'm grateful for all of them.