Calling

My favorite calling I've ever had was doing acheivement days with the Merrie Miss age girls. I know, its not called that anymore. What is it? Faith in God?? I had that calling before I got married and talk about FUN. Not so much the planning, but actually doing the activities with the girls. I liked hanging out with them... so uninhibited. I guess I like that age, because I also really enjoyed teaching the 11 year old Primary Class. I enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how I was going to get them to sit through sharing time when lets face it, most of the activities are no longer age appropriate. Young Womens was a GREAT growing experience. I definitely learned the most about myself in that time period. Although, young womens can be intense. Its a significant time commitment, and I felt a lot of pressure in nurturing such fragile testimonies. And the latest calling, Enrichment, that stretched me in new ways too. Honestly, I found it just plain hard. I know some people really enjoy planning activities, but to me it's hard. When you have so many sisters of various ages, stages, abilities, and interests, I just couldn't think of enough ideas to keep everyone engaged. But thats why you work on a committee for that calling! Whew-wee that calling would have been impossible for me without a committee.

Anyway, so the acheivement days (err faith in God) has been my longstanding favorite calling. But I think the newest calling will give it a run for its money. I've certainly never been more excited about a calling. Teaching Sunbeams is something I've always dreamed of doing. Three is my most favorite age. Everytime I've served in Primary I've looked at the Sunbeams class and wished I could be with them. They looked so innocent, so energetic, eager... so fun with their bright eyes... brand new to primary. So 2010 is on the up and up! And the place to be Sunday mornings, will be Sunbeams!

But now I'm curious; what's been your favorite calling? And why...

I genuinely like the people in Arizona- friendly bunch. But one thing that has always made me laugh is people's perceptions of "far". I've heard (from people who live in Mesa), "We're moving to Gilbert to be closer to family." Really? Wow. How close do you need to be. When my parents lived in Mesa, and Mark and I were in Tempe people would say, "Oh too bad you don't live closer." I thought it was an appropriate amount of distance. (So you should hear the sighs I get when people find out my parents are in Texas now.) Last night at Mark's work holiday party I sat across from a lady who has serious roots in Arizona. Generations of people live here. And when I asked her, "Did your kids all marry people from here as well?" She said, "No. One is from Glendale." Oh yeah, he might as well be from another country.

But one good thing about people's serious commitment to living with three square miles of their family, is that they feel bad for you when they hear you don't have a lot of extended family in the area. I get invited to multiple family celebrations each holiday, even by strangers sometimes.