Same 10 People

[Duncan]

Go look in the mirror.

 

 

It's one blessing for not being married!! eligible, single women is also in short supply

[ERayR]

It's one blessing for not being married!! eligible, single women is also in short supply

 

Import.

[ELF1024]

It's one blessing for not being married!! eligible, single women is also in short supply

 

Take my Ex-wife... please? (Kidding, I wouldn't wish her on anyone)

[Duncan]

Import.

 

 

hahahahahaha! well,the russianbrides.com and britishldsbabes websites are both down for maintanence

[mnn727]

I've never seen that its only about 10 people. I do see the type of person that gets the leadership callings. Perhaps we've been blessed to have a number of those types of people in the Wards I've been in.

[juliann]

 

 

My ward has a serious problem with this, and what's odd is that we're a huge ward with tons of excellent potential leaders.  We have an especially bad problem with the YM and YW leadership; they're all from a small "clique" that hangs out with the Bishop and go boating and vacationing together.  But most of these leaders are grossly incompetent.  My wife was the Laurel adviser and the problems were so bad that we finally had to go and talk with the Stake President last year.  He said he would talk to our Bishop and make sure the problems were taken care of.  The problem was solved: my wife was released.

 

It has gotten so bad that my TBM wife will not allow our teenagers to go to youth activities.  It's weird to type that because I still can't believe it's true.  After years of making my son go to weeknight activities, it's odd to finally admit that it would be better for his physical and spiritual health if he stayed home.     We've even told him if certain leaders are teaching his Priest's quorum lesson on Sundays, he can leave the class and sit in the foyer.  It's like a weird Twilight Zone episode.

 

I have to ask...what the heck are they doing to the kids?

 

Many years ago, our ward was controlled by the doctrinal purity police, meaning, they loved folklore and Mormon Doctrine was their Bible.  I had one of them shout me down when I was teaching.  I used to taunt her by using a Christian Readers' Digest type mag and making it visible.  These folks would go straight to the bishop if they thought any rules were being broken.  I talked about  settings for "temple" in the OT (mountains, rocks, water, etc.)  and got called in by the RS Prez.because it would "confuse" new membersI know where that complaint came from.

 

Anyway, it took about 10 years but the core of the cabal eventually moved and it lost its grip.  I learned long ago that the solution is usually just waiting them out.  One of this group was GD teacher for several excruciating years.  Our GD teachers are always TSTP to the point they are recycled..and this has been consistent through a few bishops.  Two of them have been good.

 

As a bishop, I would totally pick the people I knew would handle their jobs for the big callings.  I suspect it is just a practical matter of the social and outgoing people are those most familiar to a bishop.  The introverts are often the most capable but they fade into the background.  As I think about it, I have been able to tell within a few Sundays who a new entry into TSTP will be .  And it is always a personality thing and an ability to vocally exude spirituality (and that is not said to be snarky, some people can just do that and it puts us all at ease immediately.)

Edited July 3, 2014 by juliann

[Rain]

TSTP?

[Calm]

The same ten people

[Guest]

On another thread the Same 10 People idea was talked about. This is where the same people tend to get all of the leadership positions - they just rotate between them.

Do you feel this happens? In all wards?

Is it because of the skills or campaigning of those people? Coincidence? Self fulfilling prophesy?

I think it does happen sometimes, but other times people just think it does because people only notice when those 10 people are called.

In my last ward I only noticed 2 people rotating in the 7 years I was there. The bishopric counselor became the bishop and 1 YW leader had some other leadership calling which I can't remember.

Nothing would,please me more...I am returning to my old Stake and a different Ward. Here's hoping for years of retirement. The Stake President is one of my best friends...he called me up to ask when will I be back in the Stake...long silence W-H-Y?

[ERayR]

Nothing would,please me more...I am returning to my old Stake and a different Ward. Here's hoping for years of retirement. The Stake President is one of my best friends...he called me up to ask when will I be back in the Stake...long silence W-H-Y?

 

That would have been my question too.

[rchorse]

I understand what you say but I might ask what training and encouragement are they given.  Are you meeting with them often and training them or is it a sink or swim situation? 

 

Yes, we meet with them and train them and try to help them succeed. But some people just never pick up what they're supposed to be doing or never manage to muster to motivation to do what they know they should. Others are just so resistant to change and deaf to counsel that there's no helping them.

 

I would also add, that scripturally, the recipient of a calling does have a responsibility to learn his/her duty (Doctrine and Covenants 107:99). Training is important, but its effectiveness depends heavily on the person being trained.

[carbon dioxide]

I don't mind if the same people are called to leadership positions as long as its it not me.

Edited July 4, 2014 by carbon dioxide

[ERayR]

Yes, we meet with them and train them and try to help them succeed. But some people just never pick up what they're supposed to be doing or never manage to muster to motivation to do what they know they should. Others are just so resistant to change and deaf to counsel that there's no helping them.

 

I would also add, that scripturally, the recipient of a calling does have a responsibility to learn his/her duty (Doctrine and Covenants 107:99). Training is important, but its effectiveness depends heavily on the person being trained.

 

I suspected you had but just needed to ask for clarity.

[Rain]

The same ten people

Lol That is really bad of me!

[Alan]

so do you feel you were wrong in putting them in/misinterpreted the Spirit or can you see reasons now that it was right even though a disaster?

 

Good question. I have thought about this a lot. The truth is I don't know the answer.

However, I do know that the Lord calls people, because I have experienced it.

But I also know it's up to them to step up to the plate.

[tsubotsubo]

My ward has a LOT of faithful priesthood holders, so this isn't a major problem here, at least not with the males. Infact, we have so many priesthood holders in our ward, and there are so few in nearby wards that we have people in our ward "assigned" to other wards to serve on their Bishoprics! I think a lot of the younger guys know that after they get married and move out they could easily end up on the Bishopric quite fast if they move to a different part of the country, whilst in our ward it's pretty difficult since there's a lot of competition (although the ward has shrunk a lot in recent years, so not as much as there used to be).

 

So it's not a huge problem, with males, but it is definitely a problem with females. With the women, it's like they've been divided into two groups. There's one group which just rotate around nursery and primary (and other callings like ward librarian), and another group with rotate around Relief Society presidency, Young Women's presidency and stake callings.

 

It saddens me deeply to say this, but it is generally the poorer, foreign women, and often converts who are doing nursery/primary, whilst the ones who are on the Relief Society presidency are nearly always white, rich, and have lots of "connections" (e.g. huge multi-generational LDS family including Stake Presidents, etc.). There have been exceptions, but this applies probably 90% of the time, which is too much to be coincidence in my opinion. I'd say there's a little element of this with the males, but not to the extent that I see it with the females.

 

Of course, this probably isn't a church-wide thing. It might just be my ward.

Edited July 4, 2014 by tsubotsubo

[Rain]

Good question. I have thought about this a lot. The truth is I don't know the answer.

However, I do know that the Lord calls people, because I have experienced it.

But I also know it's up to them to step up to the plate.

Thanks for answering. I would have a hard time not knowing.

[Garden Girl]

 

It saddens me deeply to say this, but it is generally the poorer, foreign women, and often converts who are doing nursery/primary, whilst the ones who are on the Relief Society presidency are nearly always white, rich, and have lots of "connections" (e.g. huge multi-generational LDS family including Stake Presidents, etc.).

One of my pet peeves is that new convert women are most often called to primary... some say that it is a good place for them to learn the gospel... my feeling is that they belong in Rel Soc meetings where they can bond with their sisters and establish friendships.  They can learn the gospel in Gospel Essentials class.  Hold off on a calling for a few months until they become comfortable and established with their sisters, then give them a primary (not nursery) calling.  Nursery is too isolated and should be staffed by older, established sisters/couples who enjoy younger children.

In my old age I've become more impatient when it comes to children... they're too silly, spoiled, etc.  I wouldn't last one hour in primary and I know and admit it ( I fear I would be harsh as in Sit Down!!) ... so my current calling in the library is ideal (although I've served in RS pres., RS teacher, humanitarian/emer prep, VT Coor., and as Temple Ord worker for six years, etc.)  I've been in the library several years now because I think they don't know what to do with me and want me to have a calling... that's okay... I love the library. 

 

GG

[ERayR]

One of my pet peeves is that new convert women are most often called to primary... some say that it is a good place for them to learn the gospel... my feeling is that they belong in Rel Soc meetings where they can bond with their sisters and establish friendships.  They can learn the gospel in Gospel Essentials class.  Hold off on a calling for a few months until they become comfortable and established with their sisters, then give them a primary (not nursery) calling.  Nursery is too isolated and should be staffed by older, established sisters/couples who enjoy younger children.

In my old age I've become more impatient when it comes to children... they're too silly, spoiled, etc.  I wouldn't last one hour in primary and I know and admit it ( I fear I would be harsh as in Sit Down!!) ... so my current calling in the library is ideal (although I've served in RS pres., RS teacher, humanitarian/emer prep, VT Coor., and as Temple Ord worker for six years, etc.)  I've been in the library several years now because I think they don't know what to do with me and want me to have a calling... that's okay... I love the library. 

 

GG

 

 

the last Bishop I served with tried to keep the new convert women in Relief Society for just that reason.  He asked the RS Pres. to make sure all her committees were fully staffed with these women.

[Whiskeypete]

Primary and Sunday school teachers who simply don't show up for their classes (no call, no substitute) tend to not get called into leadership positions. Elders quorum presidents who never hold presidency meetings tend not to get called into bishoprics. etc, etc,

In our ward, we've tried the approach of calling people with the intent of helping them rise to the calling. But it's hard to work with them and train them when they won't come to any planned trainings. As was said previously, most of my experience with the Same Ten People being called is that they are the ones who will actually magnify their callings.

[stemelbow]

Primary and Sunday school teachers who simply don't show up for their classes (no call, no substitute) tend to not get called into leadership positions. Elders quorum presidents who never hold presidency meetings tend not to get called into bishoprics. etc, etc,

In our ward, we've tried the approach of calling people with the intent of helping them rise to the calling. But it's hard to work with them and train them when they won't come to any planned trainings. As was said previously, most of my experience with the Same Ten People being called is that they are the ones who will actually magnify their callings.

People don't magnify their callings all the time. The Church never dies. My experience is much different than yours. Often EQPs who don't visit and don't hold regular presidency meetings are called to the Bishopric and to the High Council (the trajectory of our last 3 EQPs). None would do regular visits and they would not hold regular presidency meetings. But the Elder's quorums ran fine. We had some group of fellas (you know the ones who are viewed disdainfully as those who are called but unwilling to magnify the calling types) who organized gatherings and activities and many a non-LDS and less active showed up. I think that was the key to the EQPs getting promoted in these instances. Well that and the personal association they had with the SP--kind of his favorite types. And each of them can talk a good game, as well.

In my experience it's been far less about magnify callings so much as personal preference of the other leader-types. Wards tend to move along no matter how often the EQ Presidency meets together, and yet the same ten seem to be preferred over a bundle of others.