Church Callings

Melanie asked if I would do a blog on my church callings throughout the years, so here it is. It is a bit lengthy, but I sure had fun thinking about some neat experiences.

I have had numerous callings through the years, most places I’ve had more than one calling at a time. Usually it has to do with playing the organ or music of some sort. I have been ward organist 5 or 6 times and ward choir accompaniest 3 or 4 times.

Junior High and High School
Beehive President – because of my shy, unimposing nature I hesitated to visit an inactive girl in the class as my advisor sternly lectured me about the importance of fulfilling by calling.

Sunday School Organist – Back in the days when there were 3 meetings each Sunday. I was not very good at the organ and appreciated the congregation putting up with my mistakes for a few years. One time I was asked to play for a stake baptism service. The meeting started a half hour late and I only knew one prelude song, Come Ye Disconsolate, I played it over and over as the song only lasted about 2 minutes.

Roadshow Director, senior in high school. This was probably my most intimidating calling as my creative side would fit into my little toe. I had to write the play, direct, and organize the whole thing. I felt like I did it all, but in retrospect, there were some great leaders who made me think I was taking responsibility.

College
· Sunday School Secretary
· V.T. supervisor
· Stake RS Board as VT supervisor
· Spiritual Living RS Instructor
· Relief Society President
· Nursery Leader
· Gospel Doctrine Teacher – I team taught this with Vance before he was called to the bishopric

Virginia
Homemaking Counselor in Virginia.
Ward choir accompaniest

Texas
Primary 1st Counselor
Choir Director
Merrie Miss Activity days

California
Primary Chorister
Stake Primary Chorister
Primary President

Montana
Primary Chorister
Relief Society Chorister
Choir Director

Washington
Beehive Counselor
Relief Society President

Boise
Primary teacher
Beehive Counselor
YW President
Activities Chairman
Primary Chorister
Visiting teacher supervisor
Ward Music Chairman
Mia Maid Advisor, and teaching organ lessons as part of my ward organist position. Teaching organ has probably been my favorite calling so far. I had 8 “students” who came every week. One of them would play 1 of the 3 or 4 hymns each week.

Idaho Falls
YW President
Family History Consultant current position

My greatest service has been being a visiting teacher. I have had some tremendous experiences. The following bullet points are my most memorable experiences:

In Virginia…
· Brenda - I was only in Virginia for a year, but I visit taught Brenda the entire time. She worked for the Bishop at a clothes factory and lived in a run down home (it might have been a trailer house) on the outskirt hills of Roanoke. She was very poor, uneducated, ungroomed, and very receptive and kind. I had to drive quite a ways to get to her home. Her husband was an alcoholic and was very anti -church, as a consequence, Brenda could not come to church. She did not have a phone, so initially I had to just drop by. She was so nervous because her husband would disapprove, but she longed for contact with the church. We set up visits for when he would not be home and would never know. One time I came and he was either drunk or on drugs and unconscious on the couch. It was a short visit.
· I cannot remember the middle-aged sister I visit taught, she lived in some apartments in a bad part of town. I walked in the middle of a gun-fight as I went into the complex. I had to wait in her apartment for ½ hour after visiting so the policeman could get control of the situation.

In Texas
· Rose Garcia – an inactive friend that had 2 children. She went from total inactivity to a counselor in the primary. She ended up getting a divorce, which I was really sad to hear about
· I visit taught a black single mom who had 6 children living in one of the poorest situations I’ve seen. All of her children were mentally slow. I only visit taught there only once and the bishop pulled me out. When I went there were human feces on the floor, the smell was overwhelming. There was no air conditioning so all the doors and windows were open in the southern Texas town. There were flies everywhere. While I was talking, one of her boys started a fire as he sat behind her.

In California
· I cannot remember the name of the people I taught, I just remember going to a trailer home of a sister who had a virgin Mary statue in her front room. She was very poor and the stench was almost unbearable. I don’t know that she ever came to church, but she was always very receptive to me.
· My visiting teaching partner was Alice Fish, a middle aged single sister with lots of energy and spunk. She struggled with her lot in life and I know I really helped her. I don't think she had ever been a visiting teacher except with me.

In Montana
Lisa Carpenter – lived way out on the outskirts of town. She was about my age and had 4 children. Her husband was a cow-hand on a ranch. She lived in a mobile home trailer. She was inactive, but really just needed a little attention as she was so receptive. She became active and also a worker in the primary.

In Washington
Hazel Woodworth - the first time I visited her I had to drop buy without calling. She lived close to downtown Vancouver, which was in a rough part of town. Hazel was divorced and had a hard life. Our first encounter, she smoked and drank coffee while we visited. She proclaimed to have joined other churches as she was so dissatisfied with the LDS church. Her daughter lived on the streets of Portland. Somehow she let me come back. She seemed to soften each time. She had a mild heart attack and decided it was time to give up smoking. She called me one time a said she was thinking of devious ways to get a cigarette and could I please help her. After that she started coming to church. She ended up going through the temple, and was my secretary when I was RS President. She moved to Montana shortly after we moved and is still active today.

Peggy Schaeffer – a very poor widow in Vancouver. She had 6 children, most who were mentally slow, most them, even though adults, lived with her. Peggy came to church a couple of times and did not own or would not wear a dress. She would sit in the back row. One of her sons would come and sit in on the visits whenever I came. I think he had a “crush” on me and it really made me uncomfortable. For years Peggy would send me a Christmas card with just her name signed. I don’t think she could read and write very well.

In Boise
Le – a divorced single mom going to school. She lived in one of the apartment complexes. Her divorce was bitter and she didn’t feel comfortable going to church. I don’t think she ever had a testimony, but she would let me in every month. I was helped several times to share a spiritual message with her and we became very good friends.
*Another young girl in her early twenties in an apartment complex, I can’t remember her name. I would always have to just drop by. She was a strip tease dancer for a club in Nampa. She ended up getting cancer (I think it was colon cancer) and had to quit her career. I visit taught her for 6 months and was making great progress and then she moved.

Christy – lived in government subsidized housing, divorced with children. As she had 3 young women and I was young women president, I was asked to VT there. She was excommunicated from the church, and quite bitter. But for some reason she would let me in month after month. She helped with a church activity or two, but that was about it. When we moved into a rental home, switching wards and stakes, she happened to be in that ward and lo and behold, I was called again to be her visiting teacher. No one knew I was acquainted with her. Once again she would let me in. A couple of times she would put me off in a month and then call me the last day of the month and ask why I hadn’t been there yet. My favorite memory if taking Jennifer with me and Jenn speaking to her said, “Christy, I’m a sinner and you’re a sinner, why don’t we both go back to church.” Only Jenn could have got away with that one.