Gramps,

Who extends the call to serve as a counselor in a temple presidency? And, are multiple candidates interviewed as they are for the calling of a stake president?
 

Cherrie

Answer

Cherrie,

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the call to serve as a counselor in a temple presidency is a significant and sacred responsibility. This role carries spiritual weight and authority, as it directly impacts the sacred operations of the temple, a central place of worship and covenant-making for members of the Church. Understanding who extends these calls, the authority involved, and the implications of these appointments reveals much about the Church’s governance and the divine principles that guide its leadership.

The authority to extend calls within the Church is fundamentally rooted in the priesthood, which is the power and authority to act in God’s name. The President of the Church holds the ultimate authority in this matter and is responsible for organizing the Church and its leaders, including temple presidents. When a new temple president is appointed, he is entrusted with the sacred responsibility of selecting his counselors—individuals who will assist him in overseeing the temple’s operations and functions.

This authority structure is not merely hierarchical; it is also participatory. Local leaders, such as stake presidents, play a crucial role in extending calls within their areas. They ensure that the individuals called are not only qualified but also spiritually prepared to serve. This governance model highlights the collaborative nature of church leadership, where the input and sustaining votes of the members are essential for maintaining accountability and spiritual integrity.

Historically, the process of extending calls has been documented in the records of the First Presidency, emphasizing the importance of spiritual readiness and adherence to priesthood authority. 

When a new temple president is called, the selection of counselors is a critical step in establishing effective temple governance. Counselors are chosen based on several factors, including their experience, qualifications, and spiritual readiness to handle the sacred duties associated with temple service. This selection process is not arbitrary; it is guided by prayer and revelation, ensuring that those chosen align with the spiritual and operational needs of the temple.

Counselors assist the temple president in various responsibilities, including overseeing temple ordinances, managing temple staff, and ensuring that the temple remains a sacred space for worship and reflection. Their roles are integral to the smooth functioning of the temple and the spiritual upliftment of its patrons. The collaborative dynamic between the temple president and his counselors reflects the Church’s emphasis on teamwork and unity in spiritual leadership, allowing for a more effective ministry to the members and patrons of the temple.

During significant transitions, such as the passing of a temple president, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles plays a vital role in the reorganization of temple leadership. The Apostles, who serve as special witnesses of Jesus Christ, are tasked with ensuring that the leadership of the Church is in alignment with divine will and revelation.

The involvement of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ensures that the processes of calling and sustaining leaders are conducted with prayerful consideration and spiritual guidance, maintaining the integrity of the Church’s governance.

Local leaders, such as stake presidents, play an essential role in the governance of the Church and the extension of calls to serve. Stake presidents have the authority to call counselors in their respective areas, ensuring that these calls align with Church policies and are sustained by the members of their stakes. This participatory governance model is a hallmark of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, allowing for local input and sustaining votes, which are crucial for maintaining order and accountability.

The role of local leaders emphasizes the importance of community in the Church. Members are encouraged to be involved in the decision-making processes that affect their worship and church experience. This model not only strengthens local congregations but also fosters a sense of belonging and connection among members, reinforcing the idea that leadership is a shared responsibility.

The process of extending calls to serve as counselors in a temple presidency within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a sacred and structured endeavor. It involves a combination of priesthood authority, spiritual readiness, and community participation. The temple president, with the guidance of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and local leaders, is responsible for selecting counselors who will assist in the vital operations of the temple.

As members of the Church, it is important to recognize the divine principles that underlie these processes. Each call to serve is an opportunity to contribute to the spiritual upliftment of individuals and families who seek to draw closer to God. By understanding the authority and structure behind these calls, members can better appreciate the sacred nature of temple service and the importance of sustaining their leaders through prayer and active participation.

As you ponder your own role within the Church and the opportunities to serve, consider how you might support those called to lead and uplift others in their spiritual journeys. In doing so, we honor the sacred callings extended within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and contribute to the ongoing work of salvation in our communities.

Gramps

Gramps,

I’ve been a member my entire life and several leadership callings. I’m in my 60s now and in a new presidency.  I was wondering why orientation and training from the Stake is almost non existent.  When I inquired, the response was…”we will meet with you at ward conference” and “2 members of the Stake will attend your presidency meeting once.” This visit didn’t train or help me with this calling that is new to me. In my past…I always met personally “one on one” with anyone I was presiding over.

Gail

Answer

Dear Gail,

I am not in a position to know why procedures today are different from what you remember from the past. In the General Handbook, it states that the person extending a calling may “Tell the member who will provide training and support for the calling.” So there’s clearly some expectation that there is training in some areas.

I might speculate that the General Handbook and other calling-related resources available online and in the Church’s “Library” app are considered sufficient general guidance for a calling. I might also speculate that training in the past may have perpetuated personal preferences, limitations, and even errors from person who did the training. Or it may be that in-person training has created burdens on leaders who are already overwhelmed with the duties of their callings. But those are just speculation without any inside knowledge. I suspect that each ward and stake are left to decide for themselves the level and type of training and orientation given to those who are called.

My counsel to you is to sustain your leaders; study the relevant available resources; address specific questions to whomever presides in your organization, or if that’s you, to the person with authority over that organization; and counsel with the Lord. Whatever else you do, please do not let these changes instill any negative feelings within you. Move forward in faith and trust that the Lord will provide a way for you to magnify your calling.

Gramps

Gramps,

Why does Heavenly Father allow men, who He knows will sexually abuse youth under His stewardship, to be called to positions of authority in the Church?

Roger

Answer

Hi there Roger,

This is a very valid question and indeed a troubling one at that for a large number of Latter-day Saints and even just people in general. The fact that you ask it shows how seriously you take the Law of Chastity and I applaud you for that. Any priesthood leader who holds authority (i.e. Priesthood Keys), be it a Bishop, Branch President, Young Men’s President, Stake President, Mission President and so forth, are certainly held to a very high standard of obedience since a part of their calling is to be the example of obedience to everyone over whom they are appointed as stewards.

I wonder if another way to phrase your question might be “would God really knowingly put someone in a position where they will most certainly harm those under their stewardship?” Either way, I believe the answer is no. Trust is a huge thing with God and He knows who He can trust and who He can’t. Keep in mind that there’s a difference between 100% certain revelation from God in a calling and a church leader mistakenly thinking he has received revelation to call another priesthood leader who (unknown to the one giving the call) will grossly violate that calling. As President Holland has said before, “Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work.”

But the fact that you used the word “allow” in your question suggests that you have a firm faith that He doesn’t cause evil, but merely allows it; that the evils that God allows to exist sometimes does not equate to Him making those bad things happen or being responsible for them. Another explanation of this is in answer to the question that ideologically wraps around this one, “Why does God allow evil in the world?” In the context of callings of Authority, there are a few reasons.

One is to expose sin at it’s worst in a manner consistent with the severity of the sin.

There was a double mission fireside in the mid 2000’s where then Elder Nelson was presiding over the reorganization of a Stake. One of the members of the new Stake Presidency was a man who many in the Stake knew had grossly abused his stewardship as a Bishop over tithing funds and even defrauded and manipulated several members of the Stake over a number of years. When Elder Nelson announced his name over the pulpit, several members loudly expressed their horror, raised their hands in opposition and some even stormed out saying they would never come back to church again. Afterwards, when things had settled down, those members who opposed, as encouraged by church policy, approached the current Stake Presidency about their concerns, the man was found out, was immediately released from the calling and was excommunicated along with his entire family.

That man likely would never have been found out if the option to put him in as a member of the Stake Presidency had never been put forward. It was the Lord’s divine engineering of exposing his sinful behavior in the most embarrassing manner possible, proportional to the severity of his transgressions.

Another reason He allows it is to show that no human flaw or sin is beyond the scope of the healing power of our Savior Jesus Christ.

One young man in Utah, who I’ll call Gary (not his real name), had a particularly harrowing experience. True story. He lives in Utah and many years ago his dad had co-ownership in a business that ended up going very wrong. The other two co-owners chose to make some decisions that were very morally and financially unethical and when the IRS found out, those two fled, abandoned the business and left Gary’s father to try and clean things up. Because the man had integrity, he did not run away but tried to clean up the mess and negotiate with authorities. The authorities didn’t believe him and the attorney who was assigned for the prosecution was the Bishop of Gary’s aunt. The Bishop had previously been approached by the aunt who asked for financial help with her own problem and the Bishop offered an exchange that if she would testify against Gary’s father (her brother) he would help her. When she found out it was her brother she was being asked to testify against, she of course refused, but the Bishop was still able to falsely manipulate the case against this Gary’s father and he was jailed for several years for a crime he didn’t commit. Because of this Bishop’s poor ethics, Gary’s dad was put before a Church Disciplinary Council to see if he should be excommunicated. He was found innocent before church courts and right before he was jailed, he was able to baptize his son. Naturally, through the remainder of Gary’s childhood he had a difficult time with feelings of anger toward the Bishop who wrongfully got his dad imprisoned.

The happy ending to this story? When Gary was on his mission, he felt the transforming power of Christ’s atonement in the counsel from a modern prophet, where he read that in order to fully repent of his own sins, he needed to forgive others of their own committed against him. It hit him like a ton of bricks and in his heart he found the ability to truly forgive, not just the unethical Bishop, but others in his life he didn’t want to feel at odds with anymore. He and his dad have a good relationship today, he his happily married with at least one child and his faith continues to thrive and God was able to teach him how to more fully forgive his enemies.

I would also recommend reading the talk “Infuriating Unfairness” by Elder Renlund in April 2021. He talks about how Christ compensates for the injustices caused by people in authority.

The examples you have seen that inspired your question – where the God allowed someone to be called who lead to disappointment, trauma and pain in others’ lives – are certainly intensely heartbreaking and frustrating, but regardless of the circumstances, the one thing we know we can be assured of is that, as Preach My Gospel teaches, “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Every leader in a position of authority who abuses that authority, if they don’t fully repent, will pay a much harsher price than those who commit that same sin without authority. As you already know, God does know everything from beginning to end. He also knows every single possibility that could happen with each choice we are presented with and has, through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ, already provided means for complete healing for every sexual sin any person in authority commits (or that anyone at all commits). This preparation is because He knows that mortal weakness will cause some bad things to happen, but He has planned ahead for every possible outcome and has provided us as His children a means to prevent or, if not, overcome or balance out (with Christ) every injustice that we or anyone else commits.

Thanks for having the courage to bring this up.

Gramps

Gramps,

At 18, my girlfriend and I had sex. We went to our separate bishops to repent, she was put on a short period of probation. I was disfellowshiped.  I’m concerned my past “could” remain on Church records, and that the Church might disqualify me for future callings.

There are many saints in the scriptures, who have committed vile sins, repented, and then called as apostles or prophets. Does the Lord look less favorable upon repentant souls of the Church today than He did in then?

Stephen

Answer

Hello Stephen,

Thank you for your question, I appreciate it. I pray that the information I share may be of some comfort to you and others who have felt the same way before.

As you are aware, each baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a Membership Record Number (MRN). This membership record, for the most part, is simply a record of your contact information plus other additional milestones and ordinances in your life such as: temple marriage date, mission served, baptism date, children, etc. Membership records are designed to help Church leadership better serve you and your family, especially if you have relocated to a new area. Each year members are given a copy of their record to review and make sure the information is accurate and up to date. Long story short, membership records offer Church leaders a quick way to get to know you better. Aside from major life changes (i.e. a new birth, priesthood ordinations, relocation) your record basically remains untouched unless a Church leader needs to view it for some reason.

It should be noted that the ability to view membership records in a Ward is limited to either the Bishopric or the individual member themselves during their annual review. With good reason, records of other members are not accessible to the general membership due to privacy concerns.

Individual membership records may contain annotations related to either ongoing or past disciplinary actions. While these annotations may exist, it is vital to understand both when and why they may exist.

A disciplinary annotation in your membership may appear for three main reasons:
1. It may serve as a reminder to your current Bishop that you are still working on resolving an ongoing disciplinary issue.
2. Should you relocate to a new ward while still in the process of an ongoing disciplinary action, this may allow your new Bishop to identify where you are in the repentance process and help you successfully continue forward.
3. It may be there to restrict you from some future callings even after a disciplinary action has concluded.

One’s ability to hold church callings may be limited or restricted during ongoing church discipline whether that discipline is: formal probation, disfellowshipment or excommunication. During this time an annotation is placed on an individual’s record reflecting the member’s current status. In the vast majority of cases, once Church discipline has been concluded/resolved any disciplinary annotation on the membership record is removed as if it had never taken place. This means in no way does your record, whether it be 10, 20 or 30 years later reflect any past Church discipline.

In a recent conference talk entitled The Priesthood and the Savior’s Atoning Power, Elder Dale G. Renlund shared the following story:

During a weekend, I had two assignments. One was to create the first stake in a country, and the other was to interview a young man and, if all was in order, restore his priesthood and temple blessings. This 30-year-old man had joined the Church in his late teens. He served an honorable mission. But when he returned home, he lost his way, and he lost his membership in the Church. After some years, “he came to himself,” and with the help of loving priesthood leaders and kind members, he repented and was readmitted by baptism into the Church.

 

Later, he applied to have his priesthood and temple blessings restored. We set an appointment for Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at the meetinghouse. When I arrived for the earlier interviews, he was already there. He was so anxious to have the priesthood once again, he just could not wait.

 

During our interview, I showed him the letter explaining that President Thomas S. Monson had personally reviewed his application and authorized the interview. This otherwise stoic young man wept. I then told him that the date of our interview would have no official meaning in his life. He looked puzzled. I informed him that after I restored his blessings, his membership record would show only his original baptism, confirmation, priesthood ordination, and endowment dates. He choked up again.

 

I asked him to read from the Doctrine and Covenants:

 

“Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

 

“By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.”

In some cases, however, those annotations will never leave an individuals record and will affect their ability to hold some callings in the Church. On the Church’s Newsroom website, in an article called Church Discipline, we read the following:

Will the discipline remain part of their Church record?

 

For most disciplinary actions, no record of the discipline is retained once the person has been restored to full fellowship. Following restoration after loss of membership, a new membership record is created with the original dates of baptism and other ordinances, with no record of the loss of membership.

 

In some cases, including domestic abuse, incest, sexual or physical abuse of a child, plural marriage, predatory activities or embezzlement of Church funds, a permanent annotation remains on the record of the individual to ensure they are never again in a position to harm another.

The Church has a responsibility to the repentant person, but it also has an equal obligation to protect others/the innocent. The Church restricts certain callings/positions in an effort to both protect the innocent and not put that person in a place of potential temptation again.

Callings come to us for a variety of reasons. In like turn some callings seem to elude us despite our willingness to serve. Unless we have been involved in a case, as outlined above, once Church discipline has successfully concluded, no record of it will remain on your membership record,  thus leaving the door open to an individual to serve in the next calling that our Father in Heaven sees fit i.e. Relief Society President, Bishop, YW counselor, etc.

Stephen I hope you find peace in this answer as you move forward. Thank you again for your question.

Warm Regards,

 Gramps

Gramps,

Why are the same people called to leadership positions in the ward?  Are the rest of us chopped liver?  Does Heavenly Father think so little of us that we aren’t considered worthy to lead?

Cheryl

Answer

Dear Cheryl,

Before I attempt to answer your question, I’d like to ask you a question.  Why do you seek a leadership position?

In my experience, people tend to equate leadership positions with spirituality, as if being called to leadership is some sort of spiritual gold star on one’s forehead.  In this manner of thinking, the leaders of the ward are the most spiritual, but that is not the case.  You have likely heard (and possibly dismissed) the idea that every calling is important.  Let’s re-examine that idea for a moment. Do you think it’s important for the Gospel Doctrine teacher to be spiritual and inspired in giving the lessons?  Maybe he or she isn’t always, but imagine the difference if that was the case!  Of course, we want the leaders of our young people to be inspired and in tune to help them.  What about Primary?  That’s not important right? Just glorified babysitting, or is it?  Have you ever really thought about how important a loving, inspired Primary teacher is to a scared little four-year old who would rather be with mommy.  Then how about the ward chorister?  Surely that’s not important.  Anyone can be taught to swing her arm through the air, right? (My apologies to musical people!).  Once when I was going through a difficult time, I was blessed to have a ward chorister who was very spiritual.  It was evident that he didn’t just select hymns that fit the topic of the meeting, but he was prayerful in his selections.  Because of him, I received the renewal that I needed in Sacrament meeting each Sunday through hymns that felt like they were chosen just for me. That was years ago now, but I still remember how important that was to me.  Not only did the hymns comfort me, but they were a witness that God was aware of my needs.  Imagine, Cheryl, a ward full of people like that chorister who did their callings by the spirit.  What a powerful influence that ward would be for one another.  So while it may seem trite to some, I am convinced that every calling truly is important.  Every calling can be used to bless others.

So now to your question why are the same people called?  I can’t say for certain, I don’t know the mind of the Lord, but I will hazard a guess.  Either they are called because there is something the Lord wants them to learn, there is someone they can reach, or some problem they will be uniquely able to solve.  Pay careful attention to that first possibility-maybe there is something for them to learn.  Sometimes we are given callings because of what we can learn, sometimes for what we can do for others and sometimes both.  There are times that we are given callings because we have natural talents that will help us to do them, and other times we are given callings to help us develop new talents we didn’t even realize we had.  It’s possible sometimes we are given callings to humble us, or those around us. Once an old ward I had been in received a new Bishop–from another ward.  The new Bishop didn’t live in the ward boundaries!  We had moved when that happened, so I don’t know how the ward members felt about that. I would guess it was hard for some of them and maybe that was part of the point.  The Lord has told us He will have a humble people.  We can either humble ourselves or He will compel us to be humble.

I would caution you Cheryl, not to spend too much time worrying about what calling you have, or who is doing which calling.  Satan can use such thoughts to your disadvantage.  He will treat those kinds of thoughts as a small spark and try to blow it into a bonfire.  Don’t let him into your heart.  Instead turn your heart, and efforts to the Lord.  When you receive a calling you’d rather not have it’s okay to say, “Heavenly Father, I really don’t want to be in this calling, please help me to change my attitude.  Please help me to learn to love it and serve thee well wherever I am called.”  The Lord can use a humble heart like that to do powerful and amazing things.  What is most important is not where we serve, but that we allow ourselves to be the Lord’s hands.  What a powerful force in the world we could be, if we all just put our own agendas aside and trusted the Lord.

Trust Him Cheryl.  Be His hands.

Gramps

Gramps,

What are the consequences of turning down a calling?  And, does it matter which calling one turns down; a nursery leader as opposed to Relief Society President, Stake President?

Hal

Answer

Hal,

Considering a calling can be a daunting decision to face for several reasons. The calling being offered should have a part to play in the decision, and I’ll explain why.

Callings can be challenging. Indeed, it’s almost a constant condition. Many times the calling being offered is an opportunity for personal growth and testimony. Being intimidated by a calling is not unusual either. Jonah ran away from his calling at first, and Moses didn’t feel he spoke well enough. However, sometimes declining a calling is the right choice. Sometimes the time requried to give to the calling would put a family in too much of a bind. Sometimes social anxieties are simply too great.

On the other hand, there are tremendous blessings to be had by accepting the challenge of growing into positive areas of our lives where we aren’t yet comfortable. Growing is never easy, and spiritual growth is certainly no exception. While our own progress is certainly part of any calling, the positive influence we can have on those we serve in our calling should also be considered.

The consequences of turning down a calling, so far as my experience has taught me, are limited to almost none, if any. Of course there may be a loss of blessings associated with fulfilling a challenging calling. Our loving Heavenly Father would no doubt love to drown us in blessings, however we must prepare ourselves to be at the right place at the right time to receive them, however that is accomplished. There certainly should not be any punishment handed down from church leadership. After all, callings are volunteer positions. I can tell you for myself, that I haven’t seen any such behavior in such cases. If I, as an example, were to truly feel I wasn’t the right fit for a gospel doctrine instructor calling, I have to believe that Christ would understand fully, and select someone else to fill the need.  I also believe he would have in mind other ways for me to grow that might be a better fit. After all, He does know us very well.

At the end of the day, it is between the leader extending the calling, and the one being called, and the Lord.  A prayerful consideration of any calling is never a bad idea. I’ve had my share of challenging callings, and fulfilling them has been a true blessing to me, and my family. However, if you were to truly feel you shouldn’t accept a calling, the first step would be to discuss your concerns with the one extending the calling to you. As long as prayer is involved, the right answer will come out.

Gramps

Gramps,

I’ve got two families that don’t seem to want home teachers to come. They tell me we can set something up when I see them in person.Yet never respond to texts or phone calls, And when I just stop by they are always busy and never invite us in. I am frustrated because I want them to enjoy the blessings of home teaching and I feel by their behavior I am losing out on blessings as well. What should I do?

Dev

Answer

Dear Dev,

I commend your for your effort to be a good home teacher and serve the Lord.

Pres. Monson had some counsel that could be helpful here:

Abraham Lincoln offered this wise counsel, which surely applies to home teachers: “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” President Ezra Taft Benson urged: “Above all, be a genuine friend to the individuals and families you teach.” 

 

As the Savior declared to us, “I will call you friends, for you are my friends.”  A friend makes more than a dutiful visit each month. A friend is more concerned about helping people than getting credit. A friend cares. A friend loves. A friend listens. And a friend reaches out.

Home Teaching-A Divine Service

The first step in being a friend to these families may be to appreciate that they do not have a testimony of home teaching.  They may not be interested in religion at all, or may be attending another church.  From their point of view, they have no need of your visits.  Being a friend means trying to understand where they are coming from.

Next, you need to try to build a relationship of trust.  Let them know that you want to get to know them and will accept them as they are.  I know you want to teach them a lesson and see them return to church, but suppose for a moment you are a football fan.  How likely would you be to invite someone into your home who just wants to talk to you about the opera?  On the other hand, if you have a FRIEND, who happens to like the opera, you would likely invite them over and even let them talk about the opera-a little.

How to you become a friend to someone who is avoiding you?  It’s not easy, and it will take time and patience.  The most important thing to do is pray and ask the Lord how to become their friend.  He knows them, and loves them.  He can guide you.  He might inspire you to take them cookies, veggies from your garden, or potted flowers for their garden. Perhaps you will feel prompted to send a friendly letter monthly, or offer to mow their lawn, shovel their driveway etc.

Human nature is such that if they perceive you to be someone who genuinely cares about them, rather than someone who is fulfilling a role, they will likely return the gesture of friendship.  There is a couple in my ward who treated their home teacher much as you describe.  He persisted though and eventually they started letting him in.  He became their friend.  The wife also had wonderful visiting teachers that did the same.  Eventually strong friendships were formed, and when the couple was ready, they began to attend church.  Recently they were sealed in the temple.

Not all of these stories have picture perfect endings like this.  Some people will never return or even let you in the door regardless of what you do–be their friend anyway.  The Lord will not judge you on whether or not your home teaching families come to church, what He is concerned with is how you serve Him by loving them.  Just love them to the best of your ability and the Lord will be pleased with your efforts.

Beat of luck,

Gramps

Dear Gramps,

Can  young men or young women have a calling while he or she is still a young men/women and still attending that class?  Many have already reached the age of 18.  Could they have a calling in something like Primary? Please advise.

Best regards,

Romano

Answer

Dear Romano,

Though it is unusual for one of the youth to hold a calling (other than in their respective class presidencies) it is not unheard of. My granddaughter is currently serving as a “Youth Family History Consultant”.  Over the years I have occasionally seen youth serve in the nursery from time to time, and once there was an 18 year old (still in high school) called to be Branch Clerk.

My concern would be with a calling like nursery that takes a youth out of their regular classes, however, in some individual instances this may be appropriate. It is okay to offer a suggestion, or volunteer, but ultimately it is the Bishop’s decision to make.  He is the one that will be given the guidance of the Holy Ghost in these matters.

Gramps

Gramps,

Does the release from a presiding office mean the loss of keys or the suspension of authority?

Grant

Answer

Grant,

When a person is released from a calling that has keys associated with it, they no longer hold those keys. The person newly called holds them. I’m not sure how it would work or what it would even mean to hold keys but have the authority suspended. Keys are rights. If the right is removed, one does not have keys. For example, the right to authorize the sacrament in his ward rests with the bishop. If a man wishes to give the sacrament to his family while away on a family trip, he must ask the bishop for the permission to do so. The ward member has no right to authorize this himself. When the bishop is released, he no longer has the right to authorize the sacrament ordinance. So it is with other ordinances. And you could apply it across the board — baptism, temple ordinances, etc. The one who has been given the keys has the right to authorize the performance of these ordinances, and upon their release they no longer have that right.

Now, here’s where it might get confusing. Elder Boyd K. Packer taught, concerning bishops, in 1999:

“Once ordained, he is a bishop for the rest of his life. When he is released from presiding over a ward, his ordination becomes dormant. If called again to preside over a ward, his previous ordination is reactivated. When he is released, it becomes dormant again.”

But this is an ordination. The keys are authority. The authority is removed when the ordination is dormant, and so the keys are removed as well when a bishop is released. If one wanted to think of it as the keys being dormant as well, I suppose it could not hurt, but it really amounts to the same thing. No authority = no keys and vice-versa. It just does not make sense to have authority but not have authority.

Gramps

HI Gramps.

I have a calling in my ward as assistant scout master and it requires a lot of time and dedication.  My wife however gets mad or upset if I have a meeting to go to and she wants time to spend with me.  I want to accomplish the responsibilities I have, but I am only one man and I can only do so much.  I want my wife to be happy, but at the same time I need to magnify my callings.  Any suggestions?

Kyle

Answer

Kyle,

Callings are one of the important parts of the way the Kingdom of God is organized in our time. We are taught to accept and magnify our callings.

So are there times to turn down a calling?

Yes. There are times when we simply cannot accept a calling. For example, it would be foolish of us to take a calling that interfered with a job. It would force us to either fail at our job or fail at the calling.

Ideally, when extending callings, our leaders should have a full understanding of our situations and be able to make perfect decisions in all cases. For example, Handbook 2 states,

“Before calling a married person to an assignment that requires a significant time commitment, Church leaders consider the effect of the calling on the marriage and family.”

But being imperfect and mortal afflicts even the greatest of men. Simply put, we cannot expect that every time we get a calling that it will work out.

There is a clear hierarchy of priority when it comes to callings. Gordon B. Hinkley taught,

“Each of us has a fourfold responsibility. First, we have a responsibility to our families. Second, we have a responsibility to our employers. Third, we have a responsibility to the Lord’s work. Fourth, we have a responsibility to ourselves.”

Note that although a priority is indicated, none of these four items may be discounted as unimportant. We have a responsibility to fulfill all of them dutifully.

Though there is a time and a place, I have rarely found myself comfortable with the idea of asking to be released from a calling (or turning it down in the first place). What I am comfortable with, and I think we should all be comfortable with, is being upfront and direct about our situations with our bishops.

So I would ask you in return, does your bishop know of the stress being put on your family life due to your calling? If he does not, he should. Go and talk with him about it. It may be that he will advise you to continue in the calling, and perhaps offer suggestions as to ways to ease the home situation. It may be that he will choose to release you. Either way, he should make that call with understanding behind it.

With wisdom, a balance must be struck. Callings are important. We should be doing all we can to magnify them. And we should not use the general difficulties of life and family as an excuse to do less than what we could with them. But we also should not be prioritizing our callings over the well-being of our families. However, most times when there is a balance that needs to be struck, we may find that what is truly required is merely a bit more sacrifice on our parts.

Could one in your situation, for example, give up other activities to spend time with ones spouse? Is it really only a choice between the wife and the calling? Is there nothing else to give of lesser importance? Could we watch less TV, or spend less time with sports or hobbies? Are there other aspect of our lives we could address to solve the problem? These are questions we must all answer for ourselves.

Elder Ballard taught the importance of this balance,

“As a result of their focusing too much time and energy on their Church service, eternal family relationships can deteriorate. Employment performance can suffer. This is not healthy, spiritually or otherwise. While there may be times when our Church callings require more intense effort and unusual focus, we need to strive to keep things in proper balance. We should never allow our service to replace the attention needed by other important priorities in our lives. Remember King Benjamin’s counsel: “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27).

Ultimately, you must decide if the concern is truly valid or not and make a judgment. You have the right to inspiration for your home — and as indicated, home and family comes first. Get on your knees and seek inspiration in this regard.

Gramps

Gramps,

I have recently been called to be the Young Women’s Beehive president but I am only 12. I don’t really know how I am supposed to call for counselors and what my responsibilities are or what I have to do. I am stressed and I really don’t want to fail.  So what are my responsibilities as president and how do I call for counselors?

Jaclyn

Answer

Jaclyn,

Congratulations on your new calling.  What an exciting time for you.  I absolutely love when I receive questions from our youth.  I understand your concern as to what your responsibilities are.  I commend you for asking, as I’m sure you want to do everything you need to do to magnify your calling.

According to the Church Handbook of Instruction it states the following responsibilities:

They watch over and fellowship class members, especially those who are new members or less active and those who have disabilities or other special needs. They pray for them, spend time with them, and become genuine friends.

They help class members establish close friendships, learn leadership skills, and live the gospel.

They help each young woman know that she is welcome when she becomes a member of their class.

They support class members’ efforts in the Personal Progress program.

They hold regular class presidency meetings.

They conduct the Sunday meetings for their classes.

They help plan activities, including Mutual.

The class presidents serve on the bishopric youth committee.

Now keep in mind that each ward or branch has their own unique issues and circumstances that might also be considered.  I recommend that you work closely with your Young Women adviser assigned to the Beehive class (if you have one) or your Young Women Presidency.  They will help to guide you and direct you as well.

As far as calling counselors, pray to Heavenly Father to help with this.  Follow your instinct on this.  Many times callings are given not because that person is the best qualified but sometimes because the calling will help to strengthen them as well.

Good luck with your new calling.  You will do great I’m sure.

Gramps

Bernice

_______________

Bernice,

As I have taken time to research an answer to your question I have found nothing specifically stating a man who is married to a woman who was divorced, temple sealing or without.

Stake presidents recommend names to the First Presidency to fill the calling of a bishop; upon approval the stake president is able to extend the call and set apart the individual as a bishop.

I recognize practices and policies may change overtime, however we have examples in our history of stake presidents who were married to divorced women. For example, Andrew Kimball (President Kimball’s father) upon the death of his first wife married a woman who was divorced. Andrew Kimball was a stake president for 26 years.

Gramps