An anecdotal story at best, but it illustrates a growing problem in the church.

So my Mom's ward had a great bishop in the eyes of the upper leaders. Very successful in the business world, lots of donations, perfect wife and 12 kids. You get the picture of that Mormon glow.

So after serving one more year than usual 5 year term- he served 6 years, the church began to look for a replacement. This was back in November-December.

Well, the church leaders have had a hard time finding a replacement. It became noticeable that the church scheduled a series of ward conferences with the anticipated calling then nothing was announced. Of course, the church favored bishop continued to serve, albeit becoming weary.

Now my Mom's ward is not dearth of priesthood holders. There's quite a few who have sold their million dollar homes in the Bay Area then built a brand new home in my former ward. It became obvious that the "top picks" turned down the calling.

What to do?

They ended up looking farther down the Mormon ladder and called a very unlikely person. While the guy is a hard working day trader, his house is not in order for Mormon appearances.

First, his wife is struggling with the certain church teachings. My Mom has noticed during her RS lessons, she is always absent when topics about controversial topics~ polygamy and Brigham Young are discussed.

And here is the big one. None of their 3 children attend church. They are dropped off at relative's house during church hours. Only 2 were baptized and they reportedly do not believe in the church's teaching.

It will be interesting to see how long this guy lasts without full support from his wife and family.

The problem is, as always, "unrealistic expectations" on the part of the higer ups.
If you attempt to exercise cultlike mind control over the congregation shortly you will run out of participants.
People are not stupid!!!
In this day and age they are knoweledgable and harder to fool!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2021 02:45PM by thedesertrat1.

messygoop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It will be interesting to see how long this guy
> lasts without full support from his wife and
> family.

The worker bee will last. But this is the last level he will climb. No Stake Presidency for him. There are reasons Bishops and Branch Presidents are plentiful in peonville.

Up until the late 1980's, there were more educated, very smart people that accepted mormon local priesthood leadership positions because mormonism was growing and as leaders, there was something in it for them personally. Typically they could leverage their positions to gain more influence over more people. If nothing else, they got more practice dealing with people.

Then around 1990, the tide turned and those church leaders with any brains fled either the whole church, or at least they left their leadership positions. The church became an embarrassment that mostly dragged them down as leaders. That left your average plumber or ditch-digger as the only men who would be willing to accept those mormon local leadership positions. They didn't know how to be leaders and didn't do a good job and even more people left the church.

The church isn't going to have good local leaders again until the church itself is worthy of a higher level of leadership. The leadership at the top of the church is rotten. It's always been rotten. But now there internet is exposing just bad it is. People won't accept an inferior product.

I remember being told as an almost totally inactive that if I just shaved my beard, wore a white shirt and tie and caught up on tithing I could be made bishop.

I told them there was never a better reason to stay as I was.

Interesting. I see all your points, messygoop, and will raise you a couple . . .

Perhaps its not just the younger generation who are pushing for the fabled "work/life" balance? Bishop takes up any free time you may have had.

A certain percentage of these men turning down the office must also know that Mormonism is akin to Swiss cheese when it comes to their doctrine and history. A burning testimony and a willingness to do the Gerontocracies bidding this does not make.
You gotta really, really, believe to take on bishop and if you are only Mormon because it's the family way, then turning the office down it is.

My Dad was bishop all of my youth--eleven years. He had a little too much testimony. There also were not a lot of others to do the job. I hardly saw him except for when I had to help build the new church weeknights and Saturdays, and for some occasional discipline.

Unpaid untrained clergy destroys families--most often their own. Took decades for us to build a relationship later.


Oddly, my father was a mechanic when he was called. Shortly after he was offered a job with an insurance company out of the blue and they waived the need for a degree as being mechanic led to being claims adjuster and then he worked his way up. Big step up for our family. The tie in with your post is that Mom said the Lord got him the job because it just wouldn't do for a bishop to be anything less than white collar.

Long hair, a loose robe, and sandals and a bishop you will not be. And you can forget the S.A. too.

I always thought that the most demanding thankless job was serving as a "humble" bishop; meaning that he does his best to deal with problematic members and the dogma policies set by Salt Lake.

The only ones who I think really enjoy being called as bishops are the abusive ones. These assholes rule through fear and intimidation. They prey on the meek and eager to serve and humiliate them as a warning to others.

I had a cousin who was called to be bishop in his ward three times. At least one of his terms lasted more than 5 years. My mother thought it was because he was such a spiritual giant. I thought it was because no one else was willing and able to take the position.

I haven’t heard about him for 20 years or so, and mom is now deceased. I have wondered if he was ever sentenced to the calling a fourth time.