My New Calling

So, I got sustained to a new calling this last Sunday, and I am sort of freaking out.  I hate to just assume everyone who reads this blog knows what I am talking about, so if there are any people out there reading who are not of the LDS faith, here is a very quick explanation:  members of our church are asked to fulfill various positions, sort of like jobs, although no one gets paid for their service, and we call the job a “calling.”  Even individuals called to leadership positions are not paid, and some of these callings can require quite a bit time, upwards of 20 hours a week, almost like an unpaid part-time job.  It actually surprises me that our church functions as well as it does (usually) when people in these positions receive relatively very little formal training as to how to fulfill the calling, especially in positions of leadership.

So what is my calling, you ask? For the very first time in my entire life, I have been called to a leadership position—we call them “Presidencies.” There are several Presidencies in each ward. For example, just to name a few, there’s a Presidency over the whole ward, and another Presidency over the women of the ward, and another over the young women, and another over the children. The Presidency I was called to is the one that’s in charge of the children, which is “the Primary Presidency,” and I was called to be Second Counselor.
 
Normally, this would not be that big of a deal. My kids are in Primary anyway, so I feel comfortable being with them. I also know the basics of how Primary is supposed to work, since I have been in Primary as a teacher for years. Sure, I have the normal feelings of anxiety and inadequacy that many members in new callings might feel, but this time is different. I have never been as nervous about a calling as I am about this one, and that’s obviously because of the language barrier. I met the other two ladies in the Primary Presidency four days ago for the first time, and neither of them speaks a word of English! I cannot for the life of me figure out why the President asked to have me in her Presidency. I feel like I will be such dead weight to her. We had to get someone to translate for us just to decide on when to have a meeting. How in the world are we going to actually get anything planned or accomplished at this meeting when I can’t even understand them well enough to set it up in the first place?

I know I’ve lived here six months now, so shouldn’t I at least know enough French to be able to set up a meeting time? Have I mentioned that French is really hard and that people here talk REALLY, REALLY fast? Oh, yeah, and one other thing: French is really hard. Also, all of the manuals, resources, and instructional materials they have for me, which isn’t very much actually, are only in French. Thank goodness for the internet, or I would absolutely die.

Jason is no help either. He’s just thinks the whole situation is hilarious and that it will be “good for my French because now I will be forced to learn more quickly.” On the way home last Sunday he said with the most serious look on his face, “Tiff you just need to figure out how to say one thing: ‘Kids, sit down right now and shut your tart holes.’” Thanks a lot, Jason.

I don’t mean to sound like I am complaining. I am excited in some ways, and I was very willing to accept the calling. I just wish I felt more capable. I know it will be fine, and that people will be patient with me. At least I will be stumbling over French with kids as my audience rather than adults. Really, it could be worse, right?