So, for those of you who have served in RS Leadership or who have been Compassionate Service Leader...what is the average amount of busy-ness this calling has? I was called as Assistant to the CS Leader when we first moved in (in October or November, I think). We had a funeral right when I was called but it landed on the same day as the first day of my job (so I guess that would be November) and I wasn't able to be an extra hand in the kitchen or anything. Then after that we had a couple of people in the hospital but nothing for me to do because visits etc. were already scheduled or not wanted. Then...nothing. For months. We're just waiting for the only pregnant woman in the ward to give birth in March. I'm feeling pretty useless calling-wise but I don't know what I can do since I'm just called to assist the woman who has been doing this calling for years. Does this sound like a pretty average 3 or 4 months for compassionate service? Am I just nuts?

Marianne

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Terrified, mortified, petrified, stupefied... by you!
--"A Beautiful Mind"

I'm the RS secretary and I am serving with my 3rd RS president. The previous 2 presidents used me a lot and I was busy. This current president hardly ever asks me to do anything........she only just now started letting me take notes for her in the meetings. I had to ask her to remember that she has me to call on for help.

Some people like to do things themselves, some women feel guilty for putting others "out" by asking. I would ask her if there are things that she could use help with that she may not have thought of. Sometimes people who have been doing one calling for years know it inside and out and either don't want to share the work or don't know how to? maybe she has control issues Or maybe she just needs to know that you are dependable and she needs to get used to calling on you.

I'm just guessing. Bless you for wanting to do more!

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Dear daughter Kira Jade 2 yrs
Foster daughter B 16 months old
Foster daughter J 2 yrs old
Foster son C 3 yrs old (Down Syndrome,"Bear")

TTC for 4+ years.....now we're Not/Nots.
We'll continue fostering and possibly adopt again some day

I've never held that calling nor have I talked to those who have in my ward really to know all that they do. I do know they are the ones to schedule meals for people who need it etc but beyond that you got me. Sounds like a great calling though to do service where needed if you're actually put to good use.

I think Holly has some good points

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Shabs
Christopher 4-01
Connor 5-03
Kaitlee 9-06

Brooke and Brennon 11-99

I'm Compassionate Service Leader in my ward right now, and honestly, it really varies a lot. This past month I've been scheduling meals for an older sister with a broken arm, and two sisters who had babies within a week of each other. It was an awful lot of phone calls, and I get kind of overwhelmed feeling when I have to try and schedule so much at once. But I've had times when I don't have any calls to make for a couple months at a time. In my ward, I basically schedule things for people when the RS president asks me to, or when a visiting teacher calls me instead of the RS president.

But as far as the amount of TIME I spend on it, I would estimate it's much less than someone with a teaching calling would spend, who has to prepare a lesson every week, you know? I might spend a couple minutes each on the phone with 10-20 people when I'm very busy, but that's still not a huge time investment. It does seem a bit hectic, though, not to mention extremely frustrating when people won't return my calls. And the part I hate about my calling is how random it is. I can't really plan ahead very well, you know? Even when people are pregnant, I still have to wait till they actually have their baby (which could easily happen at any point between 37-42 weeks) before I can start calling people to schedule meals. It's just always a bit stressful for me, to get a call at a random point in my otherwise normal day, and suddenly have the pressure to schedule all these meals for people. On those days, I always long for a calling that is predictable! I always think, "How nice it would be to just KNOW I have to do X on Y day, every single week, instead of being surprised and have to change my day's schedule in order to do my calling!"

On the OTHER hand, if you're feeling useless, you could make the calling into more than it currently is. Really talk to people and find out if they need things. People might need help cleaning or packing, especially if they're moving. Some people might need some emotional support during difficult times. Sometimes someone might need some babysitting (last year we had a sister who had some problems with her medication and got severely depressed and really needed someone to watch her 2 boys while she got herself taken care of). So, you can really go out of your way to learn every sister's needs, or even just encourage Visiting Teacher's to do that for you. But in my experience, for the past almost year and a half, is that it's not uncommon for there to be a break in compassionate service needs for a couple months.

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Becky
DH Jesse
DD Melinda, Oct. 16, 2003
DS Jacob, Aug. 14, 2005
#3 due March 26, 2008

Becky is right......CS isn't just meals.

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Dear daughter Kira Jade 2 yrs
Foster daughter B 16 months old
Foster daughter J 2 yrs old
Foster son C 3 yrs old (Down Syndrome,"Bear")

TTC for 4+ years.....now we're Not/Nots.
We'll continue fostering and possibly adopt again some day

True, true. I do keep asking the CS Leader if anything has come up so hopefully she knows I'm willing. My discomfort with drumming up new work for myself is the fact that I don't know anyone terribly well at all and people are soooooo much more private here in England. And it's doubly offensive when it's one of those nosy Americans digging into your personal life Now that I have a visiting teaching route hopefully I'll be able to feel like I am serving and becoming a part of the ward.

Marianne

__________________
Terrified, mortified, petrified, stupefied... by you!
--"A Beautiful Mind"

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