Callings.

A new year brings new callings I guess.

Gregg was released as a Primary teacher - he has been serving as a primary teacher for almost six years!  He was a great teacher, and loved it.

His new calling is the 11-year old scout leader.  He is an eagle scout, so he understands the scouting program and is excited to get back at it.

 I have been serving as a Relief Society teacher since I was released from Young Woman's last spring.  I really like it - but with the new year they released all the teachers.

For the last few months I have also been serving as the 'ward communications specials'.

Ward Gossip?!  Just kidding.  It's kind of a made-up calling that is evolving as we go.  Basically we have a huge ward (600+ members) that is very diverse - we got a new bishopric this fall and they are trying to unit the ward, so I was called to somehow figure out how to do that.

So far we have really vamped up our use of LDS.org {infact, we are trying to train all ward members to go there for any and all information}.  I help teach people how to download the LDS apps and log-in.

I have spend the last few months creating and updating calendars so that they are accurate for ward members at LDS.org.  I attend ward council each month and do all the calendaring and scheduling for the ward.

We have been working really hard to get pictures of each person in our ward uploaded to LDS.org so everyone in our ward has picture next to their name.  We also use the 'Newsletter' and 'Lesson Scheduler' on LDS.org.  The newsletter tab is pretty cool - its like a ward web page or blog.  I upload pictures of events, the Sunday bulletin each week and any information for any organization.

{here is a screen shot of what the ward newsletter page looks like}

The 'lesson scheduler' tab is new and very cool.  I have put in all the lessons for every class and auxiliary for our ward and who is teaching.  When a ward member looks on-line they can see what lesson is being taught and get a direct link to read the lesson or talk, and they can see who is teaching. 

At the request of the bishopric I also help write and email a monthly ward newsletter.  We are luck to have the talented Dean Hughes {click here to see a list of the books he has written} in our ward who was called to do this.  I get to help by interviewing one family a month and writing about them, and then of course I am responsible for emailing the newsletter to everyone in the ward.

And finally {for now anyway}, I have reworked the layout for the Sunday bulletin {again at the request of the bishopric, see I told you we are making up the responsibilities of this calling as we go!}.  I think it is pretty cool - complete with QR readers.

With your smart phone or tablet you can take a picture of those black and white squares {on the far right hand side} and one will take you directly to the ward calendar online and the other will take you to the ward web page.

And ... today I got another calling!

{I actually volunteered/begged/pleaded/ for this calling in ward council}

I get to do music / singing time in both nurseries.  It is a blast.  I go into both junior and senior nursery for about 15 minutes and do songs with the kids.  It is perfect because I get to sing with Bodie and the kids love it!  And I still get to go to most of Sunday School {and sit with Gregg which I have not been able to do for the past 6 years that he has been in Primary} and I don't miss any Relief Society.  It really is the perfect Sunday calling!