The Calling of a Bishop

[Xander]

We had a changing of the guard recently in my ward and my neighbor was called as a bishop. He's in his mid 30's with several small children and self employed, meaning he makes hay while the sun is shining so time is important to him.

His wife came over with a nice gesture of a gift and talked to my wife. When my wife mentioned that she heard about his calling the new bishops wife started to tear up because of how stressed she is going to be. She said they had been brought into the stake presidents office and told they had been chosen out of a dozen other eligible people in the ward. They said they were conflicted on whether to call an elderly retired person with time on his hands or a younger man with small kids and put them through the trial by fire.

I know a lot of people here believe in the influence of the spirit determining callings and such but every time I hear of a younger man being called into the bishopric who already doesn't have a lot of time to work with I don't understand why they don't choose the obvious choice of the older person. I know older retired people have lives too but kids are only small once. Time is precious at those ages.

Our previous bishop was an older retired gentlemen. Awesome bishop but he'd been in almost 6 years. I'd almost start attending just to help my neighbor out if it wasn't for other factors.

[clackamascoug]

I was once a 1st Counselor, and at the same time my wife was the Primary President. It's what you make of it. Can't say that the kids suffered, but then they ended up not getting into BYU. So, you never know.

[smokymountainrain]

I know a lot of people here believe in the influence of the spirit determining callings

lol. Cute

[Xander]

lol. Cute

maybe one or two then.

[Art Vandelay]

Anyone dumb enough to accept a calling like that, especially in their 30s, deserve what they get. Morans.

[smokymountainrain]

maybe one or two then.

That was my thought. I wouldn't know who they might be, but out of the hundreds here, I guess it would stand to reason.

[clackamascoug]

Anyone dumb enough to accept a calling like that, especially in their 30s, deserve what they get. Morans.

What's a Moran?

I've noticed you've used it a few times lately. And, I can spot a humblemoran miles away.

[SoonerCoug]

My younger brother (ItchyCoug) is a bishop. He is only 31, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't believe in God.

[Xander]

What's a Moran?

I've noticed you've used it a few times lately. And, I can spot a humblemoran a miles away.

I believe it means :

The preferred method of spelling "moron" by morons, particularly that of a Missouri redneck at a rally supporting the US led war in Iraq.
Get a brain, moran! GO USA!
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=moran

[Art Vandelay]

My younger brother (ItchyCoug) is a bishop. He is only 31, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't believe in God.

It must be awkward when he asks himself the first temple recommend question.

[clackamascoug]

What's a Moran?

I've noticed you've used it a few times lately. And, I can spot a humblemoran miles away.

I guess the jokes on me. If you're in a thread and you're the only one who doesn't know what a moran is.... You must be it.

[smokymountainrain]

My younger brother (ItchyCoug) is a bishop. He is only 31, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't believe in God.

IIRC, you might have family members who disagree with that statement. Although, I have to say, it would be very interesting to have Itchy chime in on the subject. Get on that, would ya?

[SoonerCoug]

IIRC, you might have family members who disagree with that statement. Although, I have to say, it would be very interesting to have Itchy chime in on the subject. Get on that, would ya?

Cardiac doesn't believe in God either. He just likes to be antagonistic when I post this sort of thing. If I pin any one of my family members down, they'll admit that they are agnostic at heart. (I have polled them intensively by telephone.) They will also claim and rationalize belief when convenient. The white lie serves a greater good, and they believe in the greater good (the Church as a positive influence on society).

Even I could claim a belief in God if God is nature or some sort of nebulous power or order in the universe that we do not understand.

We were all agnostic while serving our missions.

I'll admit that ItchyCoug did have faith at one point. He was brainwashed by the end of his mission. He thought there was something wrong with composing a sacrament talk on paper. He was taught to "speak by the spirit" on his mission which basically meant to not prepare and then ramble off a bunch of random, poorly organized stories.

[DU Ute]

I was once a 1st Counselor, and at the same time my wife was the Primary President. It's what you make of it. Can't say that the kids suffered, but then they ended up not getting into BYU. So, you never know.

Not getting into BYU sounds like the opposite of suffering.

[Moliere]

I used to think that calling an older, retired person as bishop would be better. Now I'm not sure. Younger bishops relate better to the youth and spend time building up the youth while older bishops spend their time talking about reactivating adults that don't want to be reactivated, at least that is my experience.

Also in my experience, older/retired bishops assume that everyone else has just as much time as they do so they tend to call and message you during the day and ask you to do things during the week even though they can be done just as easily during the 2nd hour of church.

And lastly, older/retired bishops have time to micromanage things, which sucks for auxiliary presidents. I'd take a younger bishop that lets the presidents run their auxiliaries on their own instead of a bishop that wants to approve every single activity or every meal you'll eat on a campout.