I'm curious to find out what callings people here have held in the past.

I'll start (in no particular order):
Elders quorum teacher
Missionary
Branch President
Ward Financial Clerk

Relief Society teacher
Young Womens camp director
Young Womens presidency
Miamaid advisor
Primary presidency

Nursery leader
Primary teacher
EQP, councilor, secretary, instructor, ht supervisor
Ward Clerk
Membership Clerk
Cub scout packmaster

I'm a young one still.

Laurel 2nd counselor (because, hey, there were only 3 of us... not hard to figure that one out, even with out inspriation)
Laurel President
Seminary Council member
CTR4 teacher with my husband when we were newly married
Sunday School teacher for the 12-13 year olds, again after we were newly married
and a Nursery worker/teacher

Primary Teacher
Primary Teacher
Primary Presidency
Primary Teacher


lol, no seriously...
in no particular order:

Primary teacher (age 6)
Primary teacher (age 5)
Primary teacher (sunbeams)
Primary presidency
Nursery leader x3 (different wards)
12 year old sunday school teacher
Ward bulletin coordinator
Relief Society counselor
Relief Society Enrichment board more times than I can count

lol

delete ward bulletin coordinator and that's my wife's resume.

Yeah, I was pretty shocked that I got to do an "adult" calling. Whoopee!

High Counselor
Bishop
Bishop's Counselor
Scout Master
EQP
YMP
Teacher in various callings
Ward Clerk
Executive Secretary

membership clerk (for 12 years)

EQP
Pres. of Seventy ( back in the 80's)
HP group leader
YM Pres.
SS pres.
Counselor to all of the above
Family History library worker
Ward Exec Sec. (twice)
Activities committee

In order:

Ward Missionary

College freshman slut, then reactivated...

Ward Missionary (again)
Assistant Ward Mission Leader
Ward Mission Leader, total of 3 calls (once where I went to college, once when I moved to Logan, once when I moved back from Africa)
Elder's Quorum Second Counselor (let go because I admitted some of the naughty stuff I did)
Ward Mission Leader
Elder's Quorum Second Counselor (huh... you'd think they would have learned their lesson the first time)
Ex-Mormon Evil Apostate Sinner

Notice any patterns or repetition?

I'm no spring chicken and have lived out in the mission field for quite awhile, hence the reason for varied callings.

RS Teacher (4-5 times)
VT Coordinator (horrible)
Singles ward FHE mom (more than once)
RS Secretary
RS Education Counselor (more than once)
RS President
Stake RS Counselor
Stake Girls Camp Director
Primary Music Leader
Primary Teacher (twice, loved it)
Primary Counselor
Primary President
YW Advisor (Beehives, loved it)

That's a whole lotta unpaid work in service of a lie. Not that I'm bitter or anything...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2012 05:30PM by stbleaving.

Beehive president
Miamaid president
Laural president
Greeter
2nd councelor Relief society
Now I am an evil apostate! :D

Terrorize the church!!! mwahaha! psh...

Ward, Branch, Primary, Choir & RS Pianist
Back-up Ward Organist (at one point it was the Back-up Back-up Organist)
Activities Committee
RS 2nd Counselor (3 times)
Homemaking/Enrichment/whatever the heck they call it now Leader(several times)
Primary Chorister
YW President
Stake Girls Camp Director
Ward Girls Camp Leader
Stake Girls Camp JC Leader
Choir Director (2 times)
Records Extraction (STOOPID calling at college)
Person to call people to invite them to attend the Marriage Prep class at YBU (another STOOPID calling)
Sunbeam Teacher
RS 3rd Sunday Teacher
GD Teacher (with spouse in our married student ward)

At most I held 5 callings (stake and local) all at same time, but usually I held 2-3 at a time

Now I am a Primary Pianist only since coming off Formal Discipline

The dumb thing is - during probation, I wasn't considered "worthy" enough to hide behind a piano and play songs.

did you BS your way back into fellowship? I ask cause you're on here. Don't worry, we don't judge LOL

Not sure if I "bs-ed" exactly . . . at the reconvened council, dh bore my testimony for me, because I wouldn't. That seemed to make them happy and I was given back full membership/member in good standing status. I only went through the process for dh, which is also why I still attend and have a calling. Yup, I'm faking it until I can figure a way to extract myself without trauma to the kids. (it will get U.G.L.Y. - my whole family, both sides is UBER TBM and I would be an "unfit" mom at the very least if I am not mormon according to them . . . )

He bore your testimony FOR you? Did he get it right? Or was it his wish list?

I can see how that would happen though. A couple of times hubby and I went in together for TR interviews. The bish. would ask me a question while looking at my husband, and he would answer! It always amazed me. The bishop didn't even seem to be aware that I wasn't answering to him for anything. I let them get away with it, because I thought it was funny.

If that happened anyplace else I'd be pointing it out and put a stop to it.

Everything that a good testimony should be. DH did a fine job - but it was his, not mine. Even if he said it was mine. I was dealing with extreme emotions. They changed the clerk - didn't warn me ahead of time, so there was a new face when I walked in there, another person to know of my "evil ways" I refused to go in without dh. So - 5 men, all priesthood holders and me. I was so upset about the new person, angry at the whole affair, humiliated and the Bishop wanted me to talk about how the Atonement had helped me through the repentance process and what it meant to me. Then he wanted me to bear my testimony. He never said I was forgiven. They all seemed so happy with dh's testimony for me. Just said "here's your TR back and you're in full standing". Dh and I got in an argument over it later - I expressed how upset I had been by the different/new clerk in there with no warning. He said it was a privilege and honor for the clerk that the Bishop bestowed on him. I thought - great - why not make it an Elder's Quorum activity and what a blessing and privilege it could be for ALL the men in our ward to sit in judgment of me. And we shouldn't leave the HP out either . . .

HATE the whole ordeal. still. Useless, humiliating and stupid process.

And hate that I subjected myself to it. But I was still trying to hang onto belief and hoping it would be what it was supposed to be . . .or at least what I was told/taught it was supposed to be.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2012 06:36PM by epsynonia.

They will never say "you're forgiven". Why?

Because it's not their place to decide if you're forgiven or not. Only God can do that.

The other reason is, because the church NEVER forgives. I've had things come up that happened almost 40 years ago. No kidding. That event helped me realize how sick and twisted that church is.

I doubt for some reason that they would ever let the woman do the talking for the priesthood holder. Suggests the high level of sexism still in the church today

primary teacher
yw secretary
yw president
Laurels teacher
emergency preparedness coordinator
food storage bully
rs teacher
taught 16 year olds ss
homemaking leader x3
ward party planner (a lot)
rs teacher again
girls camp counselor x2

For some reason I was always called in to be in charge of/ or assist in ward parties. I always insisted on good food, and I never once stayed in budget. I always told the bish. if they wanted a good party, it was going to cost them. If they wouldn't give me free rein, I wouldn't do it. I have a rep for giving beautiful and fun parties.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2012 05:31PM by Mia.

missionary
teacher's quorum advisor
Ward mission leader
Young Men Presidency
Young Men Prez
EQ Prez
Bishopric Counselor (current)

Dumpweed, it's funny to me that a current Bishopric Counselor is on this board.... Just helps me to realize how many people you seen as being active are in fact questioning or don't even believe. It gives me hope, thanks for sharing.

+1

eternal1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dumpweed, it's funny to me that a current
> Bishopric Counselor is on this board.... Just
> helps me to realize how many people you seen as
> being active are in fact questioning or don't even
> believe. It gives me hope, thanks for sharing.


Let me tell you, it isn't easy. I am stuck in a rather difficult spot right now that I am trying to figure a way out of. For personal reasons, I need to stay incognito for the time being as far as my questioning of my faith goes. I sit in the car every sunday morning before I go into bishopric meeting and ward council and take a few deep breaths and kick off the feelings of anxiety.

Now that I have taken a step back and to the outside the inner circle and look at what we as mormons do from a different perspective, it is actually quite fascinating. I cant believe i never saw it before as a TBM.

I sit there on the stand each week and look out into the congregation and would estimate that most are sitting there out of an obligation to honor a cultural tradition, family pressures or out of obligation to fulfill a calling. It seems to me, very few (and there are some) are there because they truly enjoy it. our stake prez visited our ward a while back and he made the comment to the bishop that nobody in our ward smiles or seems happy.hmmmmmmm

I think you personally owe it to the congregation to keep your eyes open during all prayers and roll your eyes anytime anyone else sees you.

I was stuck as EQP for almost 2 years because I wasn't ready for the impact on my marriage I knew was coming when I told my wife. Sorry you are in this spot.

I stopped going because I discovered the lie and attending was too painful for me. I held no prominent position so leaving was not overly complex for me except for conversations on the topic with my parents in my ward. I was branch president once a while back amongst other duties. But I've been more of a jack Mormon in recent years. Not resigned yet but I'm out. I couldn't possibly imagine what kind of pain you're going through and the dynamics of your situation. I feel for you buddy. Keep on here, you'll get fellowshipping unlike anywhere else as you can vent freely and anonymously. I feel so much better with the like minded people here. I hope you find a way out. I obviously don't understand much detail about your situation but couldn't you ask for a release citing personal reasons or stress? Then just gradually fade into Lds non existance?

Sorry you're in this situation. I do understand what you mean.

I figured it out last Feb and continued to go, but saw it all from a different perspective and wondered how everyone could believe. After listening to a member bare her "testimony", repeating over and over how she "knows" that TSSC is true, I just realized they were all trying to convince themselves. It made me feel a little sick to know I was part of that sham simply by being there. I was lucky in that my wife also figured it out with me. We both came up with excuses and told the bishop that we couldn't do our callings anymore. We haven't been back for a couple months.

The bishop stopped by last sunday and picked up the keys to the church. I really wanted to tell him not to bother us anymore, but, living in this community, we aren't ready for that yet. We'll just quietly disappear.

I remember how hard it was to sit there and listen to the crap. I think if I continued to go, it would only be a matter of time til I questioned everything everyone said and pointed out all the untruths. They would just ex me and that isn't what I want.

In our ward, the number of people that are there because they want to is limited mostly to the older people (habit) and some very devout younger ones. Most are there because they have to be. In EQ, the pres was talking and said that if it wasn't for the women pushing us to go, there wouldn't be any guys there. Sad but true.

I wish you luck as you find a way to extract yourself. Keep in mind that your family is more important than the religion.

President of all three YW classes
Seminary class president
Primary pianist
Primary teacher
choir director
Institute rep
VT supervisor
Primary teacher
Primary music chair
VT supervisor
Ward reactivation project

Genealogy teacher (unbelievable - I hate genealogy)
Nursery leader
All three Cub Scout callings (Wolf, Bear, Webelos)
Missionary
Stake Missionary
Homemaking leader
RS Chorister
RS President
Primary teacher
Primary counselor (twice)
Primary president

In no particular order:


2nd Counselor in Relief Society
Relief Society Teacher
Relief Society Secretary
Visiting Teacher Coordinator
Visiting Teacher

Primary Teacher - Star A; Sunbeams; Blazer A and B
Nursery Teacher
Sunday School Teacher - 13 and 14 year olds
Gospel Essentials Teacher (the sunday school class for investigators and the missionaries who teach them)

Cub Scout Leader
Adviser for certain badges for the Boy Scouts

Adult chaparone for Girls Camp (in other words, I took the girls in our ward and was responsible for supervising our girls during camp)

Family History Center Worker
Teacher of Family History (some of my classes include never-mos -- this "calling" I still do even though I have dropped out, at least those classes that I teach at the local PUBLIC library)

2nd Counselor to the stake Public Affairs Specialist

Wife of a member of the Bishopric

Earliest to latest:
Various Aaronic Priesthood presidency positions as a YM
Various Scouting positions
Missionary (ZL/DL)
Various YM/Scouting positions
High Council
Various YM/ Scouting positions

So basically, I was in the YM program until I was 18. Then I got called to serve in the YM program. After my mission, I served in the YM program, then got called to the High Council at age 27 or 28 (can’t remember what committees I served on, but it was probably YM). Upon release, I was called to more YM callings. Any interim time between my YM callings, I got to hang out with High Priests who were double my age. After turning 18, I think I spent maybe 3 or 4 Sundays with my peers. Outside of that, I was with kids or old folks. The good part was, having never really been in an Elder’s Quorum, I never had to schlep people’s crap when they moved, just because they were members. Raked many an old widow’s leaves in the YM, though, so I figured I paid my dues.