Context is king

I enjoyed the lessons and talks during church yesterday, but I realized—as I often do in a new ward—that not having a calling (a church responsibility) makes the church block pass more slowly. There’s no context for what is happening, and it’s more like we are visitors from out of town than members of the ward.

With a calling, in contrast, announcements and doctrine and basically everything hold relevance and keep my interest. If I am a ward missionary, for instance, my ears perk up when I hear about missionary work or missionary opportunities or how to be a better missionary. When I was the executive secretary, as well, I looked at my brothers and sisters in terms of their church records, their relationship to the bishop, and what they might need from me and how I could help.

Context, in a sense, is king, and context derives from relationships, which are defined, in part, by callings (in terms of the Church, for me). Here's to getting one in the relatively near future.