Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Callings are a Blessing? Part 2

Also!!! I gave the fifth Sunday lesson. It was the first time that we were in Young Womens after being set apart. The lesson was holding to the standards. I did a great object lesson with string representing a flaxen cord and each sin was one more time around the wrist and some one else holding on to the scriptures and trying to get the same size loop onto their hand. Anyways latter on in the lesson we talked about repentance so that we can grab hold of the standards again. First acknowledging and being sorrowful. I cut the string from the spool to represent acknowledge and giving Satan no more power. Next is repentance. I asked who do we repent and ask for forgiveness from? I got the answers Jesus, the Lord. I also asked who else if it is a serious sin? someone said your parents? I said well you can if you want, but its not needed, but who is the father of this ward? they answered the bishop. I then continued to state some of the things that we need help with and what things we should talk to the bishop about, Drugs, Smoking, Alcohol, Sex, Oral Sex, Touching other people where there clothes are or them touching you, and Touching ourselves to please us. I then continued to cut the string from the wrist. It was still hanging there and so I asked what do we need to do since they are still sitting there. They responded to apologize. I thought the lesson was great! I taught by the spirit I had prayed for guidance and I felt I had gotten it. A few days later at a meeting that was held I was approached and asked not to use words like that. There were a few parents who called and said that there daughters weren't even thinking about that or boys and that I didn't need to say those things. I was also counseled to watch what I say since the young women all meet together and not in individual classes so some are to young to hear those things.
I came home frustrated and hurt. Frustrated because 1. we live in Vegas and if your child is in public school you can not tell me that your child does not hear certain things 2. there are 11 year old girls that are getting pregnant, so to say it is not relevant to your daughter you are naive 3. if you have a naive daughter that doesn't know these things she WILL be taken advantage of 4. if you only use words like staying chaste and morally clean they will use the excuse I never knew that was bad I only thought sex was. I was hurt though because if that is all that the girls remember from my lesson than I must have not done as good of a job as I had thought.
Because of this lesson I know have a few parents that will not even look at me. One use to say hi and ask how my Dad was doing and how we were doing and she will not even glance in my direction.
I went and discussed with the bishop the day after I had been counseled not to say certain things and I was reassured that I had not said anything inappropriate or out of line. I think I will go back to the Bishop (who is no longer my father so everyone knows) and ask him to hold a meeting of sorts or to hold a counsel with these parents or all the parents so that they may come to terms that I am not a bad person and that I don't just talk about sex.
It saddens me that so many people are afraid or embarrassed to discuss these things with their children. Yes there is a time a place for all things. But if I was getting puberty classes in 4th and 5th grade and being shown a picture of a penis than I think that a 12 yr old girl should also be talked to about sex and things that are accompanied with it. I am not saying be blunt and tell them everything, but be open to discuss it because if they are in public school chances are they have already heard things and who better to know the sacredness of these things than a parent.

Callings are a blessing? Part 1

Before you read this I want everyone to know that this is a frustration post and that I am venting. I truly am grateful for my calling and for the ladies that I work with. I love them and know that we as a Leadership want only the best for the girls in our Ward.
Now, I have been recently called into the Young Women's as a secretary. I was excited and glad to accept this calling. We had only been in the ward for 7 weeks or so and I was ready to be put to work. I was definitely glad that I wasn't called to Primary. I love kids, but I don't want to deal with others kids right now. Have you ever heard the saying "Sunday is a day of rest, UNLESS you have a calling in Primary." So, I knew coming into this calling that I would be learning, but I was not wanting to have to learn patience again! I swear I get this virtue down and then next thing you know I am right back learning it again. (but if I want to be as God then I guess I will learn patience a lot here on Earth)
I can say that I do love my presidency and that I want to do what I am suppose to do so I can support them and help them make their callings easier, but I am having difficulties with that. It's like trying to get along with that one sibling that just erks you. For me that is my brother Trevor and brother in law Alex. I love them to death, but we just don't see eye to eye on things and I have to learn how to approach things with them.
To start off with I have never been a secretary. I like to think I have good organizational skills, but I know that it takes more than organizational skills to be a secretary. Next I don't have a binder. The "Binder" is suppose to have all the role sheets, all the previous notes, all the young womens personal progress charts, all the girls phone numbers, all the girls birthdays, the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, the manual, and what I think is the most important a guideline as to the responsibilities of a secretary. I have no idea what I am suppose to be doing! I have gotten the roles and list of girls numbers and addresses, but that is it. I am trying to do the best note taking I can, and to follow up with the president, but it seems that she doesn't need me to even do that. Hopefully we are still just learning our rolls and that hopefully she and others will learn that they can rely on me.
Mainly I think my frustration is just stemming from the fact that I don't know what I am suppose to do! Do I give ideas or do I just sit and take notes, do I go to the activities or not, I am not assigned to a class so what do I do for that, am I suppose to be everyone's slave and make copies of class presidencies for each class along with personalized list of numbers for each class? I don't know where I fit in. I am the youngest of the leaders and am feel somewhat of an out cast. I am trying to find the balance were the girls accept me and yet the leaders accept me too. I think I am at a horrible stage in life right now when it comes to the number game and being in a family ward.