Calling (LDS Church)

A calling is how responsibilities and duties are allocated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The calling usually follows a procedure.

# An empty position is identified. The presiding officer will usually solicit advice from those near the position and his counselors and quorum members. He thinks carefully about what attributes are needed in the calling and the abilities and talents of the pool of candidated.
# Revelation is requested from the Lord to identify the person to be called. Without proper revelation, the calling is never issued. In a pattern demonstrated by the Brother of Jared and confirmed in the Doctrine and Covenants, the person seeking revelation must usually come to a decision based on all their faculties. The revelation is a confirmation or a rejection of their final decision.
# The calling is extended. The presiding officer or one of his assistants will meet personally with the candidate. They will explain the responsibilities of the calling. They will also emphasize that the calling was made by revelation. The candidate may accept or refuse the calling. Members of the church are taught to accept all callings but do have the right to decline.
# The calling is announced to the appropriate body so that the body may vote to sustain or oppose the calling. Almost always, the members vote to sustain the candidate.
# The candidate is "set apart" by a holder of the priesthood in the appropriate office and at the direction of the presiding officer. This is a formal process conducted with the laying on of hands by those in authority, the purpose of which is to transfer the divine authority to the person to act in their calling. Once "set apart," the person is official in his calling.

From time to time, the members of the church are asked to re-sustain their officers. Rarely, they will vote to not sustain officers, as was the case of Apostles Moses Thatcher, Orson Hyde, and William Smith, Nauvoo Stake President William Marks, and Counselor in the First Presidency Sidney Rigdon.

The person serves in their calling until they are released. The release notice comes from the presiding officer and is effective immediately. Sometimes, people will ask to be released due to personal circumstances. This is not common and is generally discouraged. Instead, saints are advised to communicate their personal circumstances regularly with the presiding officer so that they are aware of the situation. After a release, the body over which the officer served is notified and a thank you vote is offered. Usually, a new calling is announced moments after the thank you vote for those released.

ee also

*Vocation - explains how the term "calling" is used in other Christian traditions

References