The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways
A few weeks ago we were sneaking out of church after sacrament meeting (I wasn't feeling well and just wanted to go lay down). Well, we got caught. One of the counselors in the Bishopric asked if we had a second to talk to him.
(Translation for people who aren't LDS: one of the lay leaders of our congregation caught us sneaking out of church only 1/3 of the way through the meeting).
Anyhow, being life-long members of the church we know that this could only mean two things... 1) he wanted us to speak in church in the following weeks, or 2) one of us was getting a new calling. He quickly let usknow it would be the latter. Since I'm already teaching in the Elder's Quorum, I was pretty sure it was for Crystal -- but for some reason she assumed it was going to be an additional assignment for me. This made for a pretty funny shocked face when he turned to Crystal and said "So, Sister Casper, we would like to call you to be the ward chorister."
Yup, chorister. My shy, quiet, timid, hates-being-the-center-of-attention wife was asked to stand up in front of the whole congregation and lead the music. (For those who know me and not her, let me also make it clear that she's not a singer.)
The look of shock on her face morphed to one of unabashed terror. Her eyes widened like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Her voice trembled noticeably as she said, "OK." Not "yes," not "are you serious?" no-- those would have taken more air than her terrified frame could have spared at that moment. She kept her cool - except for telltale look of utter bewilderment on her face -- until he left the room. Then she looked at me and it all came out at once. "Me? What? how? who? what the? uh? ughh! ahh! HOW? WHAT? ME? really, ME?!?!"
Yes, her. Yes, conducting the music. Yes, in front of EVERYONE.
Now, we believe our church to be led by revelation -- inspiration by direct communication from the Almighty -- so we're not prone to turn down any calling, and I'm certainly proud of Crystal for accepting something so amazingly far from her comfort zone. But we also know that each and every calling has a purpose. God puts us in the positions to teach us something, or to prepare us for something. Well, for the past few weeks we've both been wracking our brains trying to figure out what on earth the Lord was teaching Crystal with this calling.
Then, today, the first day she actually had to lead the music, she leans over to me in the middle of the service and said, "I figured it out. God finally found a way to keep my from falling asleep during sacrament meeting." I looked over, noticed her still-trembling hands and asked, "fear?"
"Yup."
So there you have it -- there IS a purpose for every calling. God is greater than us all and He does have a plan for us -- and sometimes that plan includes devising unique ways to keep us alert during Sunday school.
(Translation for people who aren't LDS: one of the lay leaders of our congregation caught us sneaking out of church only 1/3 of the way through the meeting).
Anyhow, being life-long members of the church we know that this could only mean two things... 1) he wanted us to speak in church in the following weeks, or 2) one of us was getting a new calling. He quickly let usknow it would be the latter. Since I'm already teaching in the Elder's Quorum, I was pretty sure it was for Crystal -- but for some reason she assumed it was going to be an additional assignment for me. This made for a pretty funny shocked face when he turned to Crystal and said "So, Sister Casper, we would like to call you to be the ward chorister."
Yup, chorister. My shy, quiet, timid, hates-being-the-center-of-attention wife was asked to stand up in front of the whole congregation and lead the music. (For those who know me and not her, let me also make it clear that she's not a singer.)
The look of shock on her face morphed to one of unabashed terror. Her eyes widened like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Her voice trembled noticeably as she said, "OK." Not "yes," not "are you serious?" no-- those would have taken more air than her terrified frame could have spared at that moment. She kept her cool - except for telltale look of utter bewilderment on her face -- until he left the room. Then she looked at me and it all came out at once. "Me? What? how? who? what the? uh? ughh! ahh! HOW? WHAT? ME? really, ME?!?!"
Yes, her. Yes, conducting the music. Yes, in front of EVERYONE.
Now, we believe our church to be led by revelation -- inspiration by direct communication from the Almighty -- so we're not prone to turn down any calling, and I'm certainly proud of Crystal for accepting something so amazingly far from her comfort zone. But we also know that each and every calling has a purpose. God puts us in the positions to teach us something, or to prepare us for something. Well, for the past few weeks we've both been wracking our brains trying to figure out what on earth the Lord was teaching Crystal with this calling.
Then, today, the first day she actually had to lead the music, she leans over to me in the middle of the service and said, "I figured it out. God finally found a way to keep my from falling asleep during sacrament meeting." I looked over, noticed her still-trembling hands and asked, "fear?"
"Yup."
So there you have it -- there IS a purpose for every calling. God is greater than us all and He does have a plan for us -- and sometimes that plan includes devising unique ways to keep us alert during Sunday school.
That's awesome. :) Go Crystal!