Calling and Selection ... Are You Sure?

Recently Bishop Helton pulled me aside in the hall at church. With Jay, you can never tell if he is going to talk basketball, ask about the family, or extend a church calling. In this case, it was door number three. He informed me that he planned to extend a particular calling in the near future.

I waited for several weeks without hearing any more, but wasn’t concerned because I know that sometimes these things take time. Then a couple of weeks ago the bishop’s secretary called to ask me to meet with Bishop Helton. I thought this was to make things official for the call Jay had mentioned, but was surprised to learn that the bishop had something else in mind for me. He explained that some changes in the stake and ward caused him to rethink the original assignment and instead extend a call to teach the Gospel Doctrine class in Sunday School.

I was substitute teacher for this class recently and did not suspect at the time that the lesson I taught that day was a warm-up for teaching each week. This year the course of study is the Old Testament. I am taking over as we begin to study the record of Isaiah.

I have read the Old Testament several times and know what a challenge it can be to digest and understand the writings of the prophets. I am looking forward to the challenge and hope Bishop Helton’s confidence in me is not misplaced.