I have been in the Chicago area now for just over a month and a half now, not counting the 3 months of Task Force work I did here before the official move. I suppose it shouldn't have been a surprise when the Bishop called me to see if he could meet with me last Thursday. He had already visited me once to welcome me to the ward so I figured there could only be one reason he would be stopping by... to extend a calling.
I have had lots of callings throughout my near 40 years, but since moving out of Utah I have discovered most wards tend to hold off extending one to me. It took over 2 years in Pickwick before I was extended a calling, over a year in Branson too. I kind of expected this ward to be the same, after all they have lots more members than my previous two wards. I was wrong (not the first time). We couldn't meet on Thursday (Bishop's schedules can be difficult) so we met this morning instead. That gave me three whole days to contemplate all the potential callings that I could be asked to fill. For some reason I had the ominous feeling it had to do with Scouts. I don't have anything against Scouting... I earned my Eagle in my youth and remember the camping trips and events as being fun. But I must admit... I don't particularly want to go camping now that I am older and find beds to be so comfortable. Especially when you realize I can get a nice hotel room for really cheap just about anywhere in this country. So for three days I dreaded meeting with the Bishop. Silly, I know, worrying about what calling I was going to be asked to fill, but when you are single you do silly things because there isn't anyone around to remind you of how silly you are being.
So this morning I went in fully prepared to hear the bad news. The Bishop and I talked for about 30 minutes before he asked me to be a Primary Teacher. All that worry for naught right?... wrong. Five seconds after I accepted this calling he then said "and that's not all..." the primary class I will be teaching is the 11 year olds and he thought it would be a perfect fit for me to also be the Webelos leader. And so after some more talking, and a fair amount of prodding from the Bishop (and some poking from the Holy Ghost) I accepted this additional calling as well. I don't know why I have an aversion to Scouting now, after all my family has been so heavily involved with it you would think I would be excited to get back in. Perhaps it has to do with the time involved... I know how quickly Scouting can overwhelm your "free time". I guess, ultimately, I am just a little bit selfish. But in the end, as I always do, I said yes and as is usually the case with the callings I have had over the decades I will get over the bad thoughts/fears/whatever and do my best in that calling.
At least I get to help teach Primary again, my all time favorite calling without a doubt. One I didn't expect to get again seeing as how I am single and male and therefore a menace to society. My co-teacher also works in the hotel industry and, if I am told correctly, may even be part of the same management company (although with the full service division) so we will have something in common at the start.
