December One

Can I just SAY

I'm pumped about my calling. I'll be teaching the 16 year old Sunday School class. I was all jazzed for today. I prepared my lesson, finished getting ready for church 2+ hours early (Note: we have a 1:00 ward), used my spare time to make my lesson even COOLer, & even left Sacrament Meeting during the closing song to make sure I knew which classroom I was in.

I get there, almost start setting up (but, figured I'd wait to make sure it really WAS the right room) & only one girl walks in. I find out that the other teacher (we team-teach, switching off months), who I have only spoken to over the phone, has been letting them all go to another class since ours is so small. Slacker. We (technically) have 6 kids in the class but only a couple come each week - three, if they're lucky. So... yeah.

The other teacher pops her head in, looks at (but does not speak to) me, says something inside-joke-ish to the girl, smiles at her, then rolls her eyes, saying "This is so weird! You should just go to their class!" pointing past me. I'm guessing that's the 15 year olds.

So, wait. What?

I mean... I guess I agree. I don't wanna just teach the one girl. That's always weird. But, let's at least talk about it. This isn't even her month.

(Let me note that she has been a leader in Young Womens' & has had this calling for quite a while now. She has 2 or 3 kids of her own. I mean, she's got to be in her 30's... yet, shows no sign of responsibility or real leadership)

I turn around and slide open the wall/partition separating us from the other class. We only see two kids, quietly sitting in their chairs. Solution? This slacker team-teacher of mine basically forces our one girl in there.

...

A boy, pupil number two, walks in to my classroom (thankyouverymuch) and, after being haggled by my irritating counterpart, tells her he's sure he's supposed to be in our class. She's like, "Wahh?! No way! How old are you?" Yep. He's 16. At this point, it's just stupid how hard she's trying to dodge teaching this class - aaand I don't even understand why she's involving herself. 'member? It's my month. Over the phone, she told me she would just go to Gospel Doctrine. & that was fine by me.

(All along, no one pays any attention to what I'm saying. HELLO? I thought I was the teacher... Am I too short? I feel short.)

So, I turn around and an older man is now asking her (my nemesis) if he can sit in on her (my) class today. Apparently, he's in the Sunday School presidency. She's whining like a 13 year old girl, saying how annoyed she is that we don't have a bigger class. "It's too hard for her to teach only a few kids. It's easier with 6 or 7." He's nodding his head, reassuring her, telling her that what she is saying makes sense (it doesn't), & she goes on and on, trying to prove her point even further. We get it, lady.

The teacher from the other class is on her way over, looking like an if-celebrities-were-normal-people version of Angelina Jolie, hair teased, wearing acrylic nails, & thick, dark pink lipstick. Her wide eyes are fixed on sassypants. Get a grip, you two. I feel like I'm watching the Real Housewives of Midway, UT.

I'm feeling smaller and smaller. They're talking too quietly for me (or old man) to hear. I'm just standing around with a bag full of freakin' sweet lesson plans, waiting for the gossip girls to shut it.

So, I'm bothered.

Mister Sunday School Presidency finally cuts in, telling her not to worry about it anymore. Our class will combine with this other class for the rest of the month. In January, like usual, we'll all switch classes as the kids move up with their age group.

Well, that's just great.

He said, "Enjoy your vacation," & laughed an uncomfortable "get me outa here" laugh. ugh.

Now, I don't know how to magnify my calling. Can I get my teaching partner fired? I'm sure she's a great person... or something. But, I was so excited! It's so frustrating have no authority or "say."

You know what I should have done? I should have walked right out of the classroom, took a hard left turn, grabbed the wrist of the man who was sitting on the couch, & brought him to ground zero to profoundly speak sensible words at these women. BeCAUSE, do you know who that man was?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

BOOM!