Okay first off for anyone who doesn't know. The LDS Church is run completely by volunteers. We are asked by our church leaders to fill a position(or calling) such as teacher in Sunday School or pianist for the children. We don't turn down these callings generally because we feel the church leaders have been inspired to ask us to fulfill these callings. I would say that often when I get a calling I don't exactly feel prepared for it, but after a few weeks I get used to it and even find myself growing spiritually and in my talents as I serve.
Which brings me to my latest predicament. About six weeks ago I was asked to be the building cleaning coordinator. My understanding was that I was supposed to call people to remind them to clean the building. There was a key but it got magically passed from one family to the next each week and the two or three families coordinated what time they wanted to come clean or if they wanted to pass the key between themselves. I'll admit I forgot the first week. I can't seem to make it part of my life. Sometimes I remember and call on Monday. Sometimes I forget and call Friday afternoon. I finally got the key last week. Who knows how it ended up being put in an office a church. Anyway, this week when I called I asked the people to call me back and we could set up a time for me to open the building. They never called.
Today a member of the bishopric asked me to please just pass the key around or call earlier in the week so people could pick up the key because the last couple of weeks they had to call a member of the bishopric to get a key. First off, I really don't like this calling. I would pass it around at church except I don't know 90% of the people in the ward. I am shy and it takes about everything I have to call the people each week. I guess I feel as though I am failing but I learn a little bit more about how it is supposed to be done each week. Really I was handed the schedule and said, "here you go, have fun, it's easy."
Like this week I learned there was a code to the security system I had to know to get in. Wouldn't that have been great for me to try to go last week and set off some alarm and have the cops show up. I am sorry this is so rambley. I just feel bad that I don't want to do it. I feel bad that people think I am failing at it. I feel bad that I am not excited about this. I feel bad if I let people down by not calling on time. I don't want people who's only contact with me is this to think I am some sort of loser.
Any help out there? I know it seems ridiculous that I am letting it get to me this way. I just dread the doing it. I guess it is an assignment not a calling so I wasn't set apart. Maybe that has something to do with it. So let me know how you would adapt if this were you.
Thanks
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6 comments:
Ooh... the calling you can't stand. That's rough. I can totally understand where you're coming from. I guess all you can do is do it... and do it as best as you can. Put it on your calendar for Monday morning- make those calls. It's a lot easier to get the info to people that you don't know by phone instead of in person. This way you have the ward list- names and numbers right in front of you. Can they continue to pass the key from family to family if you just let them know in that phone call who had the key the last week? That'd be nice if they were all that proactive. OR Maybe you can get up in Gospel Doctrine with the key and announce who is cleaning that week and would one raise their hand to collect the key since you don't know many people yet. I'm sure you'd get to know names better by putting a face to a family name that way.
Good luck. I feel for you! :)
Thanks so much for your input. I think whoever I call first on the list I will ask if I can drop the key at their house or meet them at the church. That way I can put a name to a face and maybe strike up a conversation. Your advice has made me feel more at easy.
Oh boy, the Lord is really trying to make you get out of your comfort zone on this one! I find myself getting so nervous about my new calling too. About asking for help and not wanting to dissapoint. It's scary. I don't think anyone could consider you a failure though! Can you start passing out reminders to families in church the first of each month. Just a little slip of paper with the month's schedule. Give the key to the first person on the list and ask them to pass it on. That way you don't have to call every week and they have something in their hands as a reminder. Just an idea! Good luck! Don't feel like a failure!
I agree with Nikki....she gave some great ideas as to how to pull this off.
I'm wondering why they didn't tell you in the very beginning that there was a security code??? I bet you could do a better job if you had all the information to begin with and could maybe follow a plan that had worked for the last coordinator. But it sounds like they called you so that it might get ship shape. They must realize you're a responsible person they can trust. You can do it! :)
That's rough, Andrea, and I think you and I have the same shy personality. But Caity's right about this calling taking you out of your comfort zone. And maybe (though it's hard to hear), that's what you need to get to know people. I like Nikki's ideas.
Good luck! M. and I just got called into Nursery! Woohoo (read: CRAP!)!
I reread my comment and I meant passing out the slips to the families on the list for that month, not everyone in the ward. Phew, that would be rough :) Is it going better for you?
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