Let’s face it. Not everyone experiences the same things at church. Some wards and branches are so small that people have 2-3 major callings. Burnout can be a major problem.
In some Utah County wards, people can get lost and forgotten because the wards are so large. One stake president remarked that he wanted large wards because it helped (1) Aaronic Priesthood quorums actually function with at least a half-dozen young men, and (2) the ward budget was large enough to do better activities. As a result, many adults have callings like “hymnbook coordinator”, “sacrament meeting usher”, etc. What is your experience at church?
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My wife and I are both just over 65. We have served in Bishoprics, and RS stake and ward presidencies, but are now faith in God assistants, and temple cleaning supervisors.
I put under utilized. We are each as capable of doing anything church requires as we ever were, but we have effectively been retired. Perhaps it’s because of our view of the church, which has changed.
I find this incredible when most of the Apostles are 25 years older than we are, and no longer as capable as they ever were.
I think I am underutilized which for me right now is just right.
Our ward just recently combined with the neighbouring ward, and now is just right for me. Callings are still being filled though – it’s a slow process, so some members might feel under-utilised at the moment.
I teach Early Morning Seminary (sixth year now). Over.
Our ward was over 300 people attending last year. It was very close to being too big for our building. It was divided and boundaries rearranged so that the 3 wards in our building have 150-200 attending.
My calling is not very demanding, but my wife is in a higher work calling and I need to watch our youngest sometimes. About right for our family. In the larger ward, I went a long time without a formal calling, but I had previously held higher profile callings and I did not complain.
On weeks 2-3 in RS I now volunteer in the primary of possible. On enrichment board being subversive and nagging people about reading mormon women’s history.
We are usually in small wards feeling stretched to the limit. I’m not complaining.
I have advanced degrees, I teach in higher education. I am very well-organized, I can lead others, I can follow others. I have a strong testimony of what I consider the most important things–the atonement, etc. I am a hard worker, I am interested in helping individuals and groups. I have all the standard LDS history–I’m a graduate of seminary and church schools, I served a mission, married in the temple, have kids, etc. I have served in auxiliary presidencies and as Gospel Doctrine teacher.
But because I do not currently have a temple recommend, my areas of service are limited. Currently, I am hidden in a calling that my 10 year-old could do. If I wanted a different calling, I could have a similarly non-challenging calling, or I could serve in Primary (I guess kids’ spiritual education isn’t as important as adults), but I am frankly not good with other people’s kids.
I *am* underutilized, but I guess that without that recommend, I am untrustworthy to work in “higher” callings, despite my strengths.
I grew up in a Branch and would give anything to be in a Branch again. Everyone had to stick together. We were more like a large family.
In large wards no one knows who you are, you have to be in the right clique (large wards remind me of high school), and the leadership callings go to those with the right friends in both the wards and stake. Where I live this is the way the church is run.