In the church, are certain callings considered more "prestigious" than others? In my ward (I'm active but non-believing), no one would come out and say certain callings are better and, to their credit, they don't act like it, but I'm curious.

As a fairly recent convert (for love), what is a "good" calling? My first calling was compassionate services counselor; is this a crap one or one where I'll be expected to move up a lot? If so, I don't feel comfortable taking on any preaching type positions or very demanding ones.

I had been a NOM for many years when I was called to be a Primary counselor right out of high school at 18. It was my first calling, very hard, & absolutely thankless. I had nearly no support either from my family even though my mom is an active TBM. I was in for 2 years, & in the last 6 months I had problems communicating with the rest of the presidency.

I think it hurt more that I wasn't recognized within my own family as having an important calling at such a young age. It didn't matter that I was a NOM, it still hurt to me. & I was in a large regular ward. Not a branch or a singles ward with a primary.

What is NOM?

AIC Wrote:
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> What is NOM?

NEW ORDER MORMON....


google it .... 1/2 in 1/2 out

Well I am no more NOM...I can't stand being there!

You're a woman, there are no prestigious callings for women apart from RS president. The way to rise up is through your husband. And for him it is anything that gives him a voice in ward council and noticed by higher up leaders.

The question is, what are you looking for in a "good" calling? The more "prestigious" callings generally mean more time, energy, responsibility, and headaches. Some callings give you more opportunity to do real good than others, some are absolute pointless busywork.

Yes, there are more prestigeous callings than others.

For exampe: Ward Nursery Leader or Bishop?

As a rule of thumbs, most asshat mormons are looking for leadership positions.

And for everyone saying that the highest calling is teaching (rolls eyes) how many in former bishoprics do you see called later as teachers when they are released? Few? Most move into other leadership callings.

The other annoying tendency is that COUPLES serve in leadership callings in most wards and branches, like that makes any sense-especially when they are young and have a flock of small children.

The TSSC trap a lot of people by playing to their egos.

Calling make you think you are important and for some (many) broken mormons, that's what they aspire to. POWER AND GLORY.
And feeling superior because they are serving the Lord.

In fact, they are self-serving.

Yeah, the rule of thumb seems to be give both adult members of a young family with a flock of children demanding callings, then have them dumb their unruly children on the rest of the ward to babysit while they "serve God" or whatever.

GRRRRR. That's one of my biggest pet peeves. When you have young children, THEY are your priority. Being a wife and mom is VERY HARD WORK, not to mention if mom is going to school or working part-time. That's ENOUGH. If all the young mothers were left alone to just do their "mother" job maybe we wouldn't have so many out-of-control kids!!!

And not to be sexist as the same goes for fathers. Let leadership fall to those empty-nesters out there, not to a dad trying to raise multiple kids between military deployments!!!

Your family will think highly of you, however, if you are placed in the stake presidency or on the high council. And I know from being a high counselor that when you visit a ward they sometimes go out of their way to stroke your ego (depending on the ward, of course).

Yeah, my grandmother was a stake RS president when I was in elementary school for several years. Strangely, she always had high callings, & I don't remember my grandfather having any high callings, aside from being a temple worker.

& then I look at my mom. She was always in some sort of presidency (YW counselor, RS counselor, Primary president), & at one point was the stake Primary chorister, even after my dad had become inactive. After the stakes, & then more wards, were reorganized though, her callings kept getting less, & less, & less. Now she's just the accompanist in Primary. Yet, the damn stake takes total advantage of her in other ways. It really pisses me off.

It's an unspoken rule, but yeah we have that division in callings.

I'm currently 1st counselor in the RS and when I got the "call" people congratulated me. WTF? Did I win a prize or something. No one congratulated my husband when he was called to primary!

As for pairing couples...totally true.

In my ward...(we just had a change in Bishopric, so I will be referring to past and present)

Stake President/ward YW president
Bishop/ward YW counselor
Bishopric counselor/YW counselor
Bishopric counselor/EQ President (he is the son-in-law, close)
Ward mission leader/primary president
Executive Secretary/RS counselor (not me)

I must say though, our Relief Society President is married to a nonmember! She was a temple married widow, so she is endowed. She's one of the coolest ladies I know. Her daughter is inactive, tattoos all over, and 3-4 different hair colors at the same time. This lady loves her daughter no matter what. Our RS Pres even skips church for family activities from time to time. Awesome lady!

Indeed there are. When I was in the Bishopric, women often refused ward callings indicating that they were waiting for a stake calling which is viewed more favorably.

Stake RS president, counselor, secretary.
Stake Primary president, counselor, secretary.
Stake YW president, counselor, secretary...

on and on it goes.

Ron

Compassionate Service Counsellor = Love bomber

Ward Mission Leader = Snake Oil Salesman

Executive Secretary = Busy Body

Relief Society President = Head Wrinkly

Teacher = Faith Promoting Fibber

Bishop = Warden