My grandpa’s favorite calling

I remember a conversation I once had with my Grandpa Hanson, who has since passed away.

For some reason, we started talking about different callings in the church. ⁣

I felt like I should ask him what his favorite calling had ever been. ⁣

This is a man who had been a mission president in Romania, a branch president at the MTC, a bishop, and pretty much every other “prestigious” calling in the book. ⁣

He thought about my question for a while. ⁣

I was pretty sure he would say mission president.

But then he said his favorite calling was being a ward Sunday School teacher. ⁣

He said that he loved just discussing the gospel with other people. ⁣

That conversation has always stayed with me.

Because to me, he had served in so many “important callings”…

And yet the one that he picked seemed so mundane. ⁣

But my grandpa also really loved the gospel. ⁣

I think he understood that the “prestige” of his callings didn’t really matter.

They didn’t make him any better than anyone else. ⁣

At the end of the day, he loved teaching the gospel and listening to the gospel being taught. ⁣

I love the beautiful, cyclical nature of callings in the church. ⁣

We get taught lessons by new converts, by young moms, by former stake presidents…

And there’s always something to learn!⁣

I love this commentary from Alma chapter 1:

“And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God.

“And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors;

“and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner;

“and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength.” (Alma 1:26)

It’s a beautiful reminder that in this church, none of us is greater than the other. ⁣

Unlike other establishments where people seek power or high ranks or to “move up the ladder”, we get the cool opportunity to serve other people in different ways at different times. ⁣

And when pride or jealousy start to creep in, those are great reminders to keep in perspective. ⁣

Every “calling” in this church is temporary.

None of them dictate how much value we hold.

All of them give us opportunities to serve and become a little better.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black