As we serve in the Church, our various callings often bring a mixed bag of joys, sorrows, wisdom, mistakes, and a plethora of opportunities to grow. Sometimes our release from a calling is welcome and a much-needed relief, other times it may seem untimely and unfinished, and yet other times we feel satisfied that our unique service came to a timely and complete conclusion.
As I pondered on this, it helped me to truly enjoyed learning about Rebecca Woolf’s experience in a podcast with Kurt Francom.
It was so insightful to follow her experience as she not only navigated being released from a very fulfilling calling as the Relief Society president but also some hidden gems she learned along the way. These gems included authentically leading, having a uniquely qualified support team (counselors), and the power of following unexpected and sometimes “revolutionary” inspiration.
In hopes that you’ll take a moment to listen to this insightful podcast, here are a few nuggets to encourage that effort.
Sacred Endings
It is common and very natural to experience sadness at the end of a calling. It can be emotional, as it represents a meaningful phase of service, creating cherished memories and relationships. It is a reminder of the depth of our engagement in that calling and the growth that we have experienced from that time of service.
Not all callings conclude with sadness regarding the change. However, with any calling, there are things we will miss that have made our service sacred to us. Conversely, there are things that we are grateful to be done with and hope to be able to side-step in future callings. Thus, a concluding moment of contemplation about the good, the bad and the sacred will serve us well as we pivot to our next opportunity to serve.
Sister Woolf experienced an added measure of help that some of us may have experienced in the past. Just prior to her release, as she was contemplating and serving in the temple, she was given insights that a change was coming. Thus, we see how we can claim specific and unexpected blessings through regular temple service. President Nelsen, in his April 2024 conference address, shared encouragement and wisdom regarding the promised blessing found in the temple.
“This list of attributes is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.
Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever. Regular temple worship will enhance the way you see yourself and how you fit into God’s magnificent plan. I promise you that.”
Authentic Leadership
When we serve as lay leaders, we realize that our life experiences are an important part of what we bring to the table. Again, the good, the bad and the sacred all have influenced our current trajectory in our spiritual journey.
We also realize that both our strengths and weaknesses play an important role in how we serve others. Thus, I truly appreciated Sister Woolfs authenticity on how she’d had struggles with her faith in the past. What was additionally very heartwarming, was her bishops’ support and counsel that helped her navigate her best next steps as she served the sisters in her ward. She, like all of us, are often very aware of our weaknesses and it is beneficial if we strive to find counselors who have specific strengths to help balance things out.
Additionally, seeking to find mentors to lend support is also a valuable resource. In the podcast we learned of a mentor who offered wisdom that aligned with Sister Woolf’s unique challenges, and offered insights into sustaining faith.
Sister Woolf’s authentic approach to her leadership allowed her to develop trust with the sisters through open, compassionate dialogue and consistently showing up with empathy for others’ struggles.
Revolutionary Inspiration
Because Sister Woolf made a huge effort to get to know every sister in her ward, she and her counselors were able to approach ministering in a very unique and innovative way. It resulted in tailoring assignments in ways that fostered deeper, more individualized care.
In regard to making ministering assignments, the general handbook states:
“Elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies prayerfully consider assignments for ministering brothers and sisters. They take into account the strengths and needs of the members. They also consider the needs of children in the family. They normally assign two brothers or two sisters as companionships. They seek the bishop’s approval for ministering companionships and assignments.”
Although it states that “they normally assign two brothers or two sisters as companionships,” Sister Woolf’s presidency felt their sisters would benefit from a unique approach of assigning a group of up to six sisters who minister back and forth to each other. Their bishop wholeheartedly agreed.
I invite you to listen to the specifics in the podcast regarding the impact of their unique approach to assigning companionships and the tender impact it had in how the sisters cared for each other in their ministering efforts.
I mentioned their approach to a friend of mine here in Utah and she shared that her ward does that too! Hum, I see an interesting and effective approach to expanding the depth and breadth of ministering.
The Good, the Bad and the Sacred
I remember counseling with my priesthood leader after serving in a Relief Society leadership calling for some time. He felt like I was needed in a different calling and, thus, wanted to counsel with me about whether I felt I had completed all that Father had wanted of me in that calling. At first, I was a bit sad because I so loved the sacred experiences my calling afforded me with the sisters. But as I pondered on his question, I realized that my work was done in this chapter and it as time to move on to a new chapter. I will be forever grateful that this wise and inspired priesthood leader counseled with me in such a way that the release was a tender and sacred experience.
Since that release, and many more, I’ve come to appreciate and more fully value the good things that happen in my life, the bad things that happen in my life, and the sacred things that happen in my life. All of which help me navigate and evolve into a covenant keeping sister saint that is blessed beyond measure and more fully able to serve in whatever capacity Father needs me.
Beth Young is a convert of 47 years; served a mission in North Carolina; has been married for 37 years to her sweetheart, Bob; has five adult children and two grandchildren. She raised her family in Texas for 25 years where she served in various capacities in church and in her community. She moved to Utah six years ago and loves writing, teaching, and inspiring others to make changes to their physical, mental, and spiritual health. Beth is the owner of 5 Pillars of Health, serves as the written content manager at Leading Saints, and is a master gardener.
