August 2006 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In the secular world there are no direct parallels to the
issuing of a calling. One who holds priesthood keys does
not ask, assign, or recruit people to serve. He calls them,
and the calling comes from the Lord.
The Release
Just as we are called, we are also released. Just as we
don’t campaign for assignments, we don’t resign and we
don’t quit. We are released by the same authority by
which we were called.
In 1947 Elder Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994), then a member
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called my grandfather,
James H. Walker, to be president of the Taylor stake
in Raymond, Alberta, Canada. Until that time my grandmother,
Fannye Walker, had served for many years as the
stake Young Women president. She loved this assignment.
When Elder Benson extended the call to President
Walker, he said that President Walker’s wife should not
continue to serve as stake Young Women president so that
she could support him in his responsibilities and so that
others outside their family could have the opportunity to
serve. Grandma was unhappy. She loved the young
women, loved her calling, and wanted to continue to
serve in that capacity.
Years later President Benson
recounted the experience to me.
The man
looked at
his wife,
and without saying
a word, they
knew what their
response to the
call would be.
He said, “Your grandmother was very disappointed when
we released her. But the next time I saw her, she told me
that she understood and accepted the need for her to be
released.”
Likewise, we need to graciously accept and acknowledge
the inspiration that led to our release from a calling
we loved.
Responding with Commitment
The way in which faithful Church members respond to
calls is remarkable. Church history is filled with stories of
how dedicated Saints responded to calls that required
considerable personal sacrifice.
President Packer was present when President Henry D.
Moyle (1889–1963) of the First Presidency extended a
call to a man to preside over one of the missions of the
Church. President Moyle said to the man, “We don’t want
to rush you into this decision. Would you call me in a day
or two, as soon as you are able to make a determination as
to your feelings concerning this call?”
President Packer relates what happened:
“The man looked at his wife and she looked at him, and
without saying a word there was that silent conversation
between husband and wife, and that gentle almost imperceptible
nod. He turned back to President Moyle and
said, ‘Well, President, what is there to say. What could we
tell you in a few days that we couldn’t tell you now? We
have been called. What answer is there? Of course
we will respond to the call.’
“Then President Moyle said rather gently,
‘Well, if you feel that way about it, actually
there is some urgency about this matter. I
wonder if you could be prepared to leave
. . . on the 13th of March.’
“The man gulped, for that was just
eleven days away. He glanced at his
wife. There was another silent conversation,
and he said, ‘Yes, President,
we can meet that appointment.’
“ ‘What about your business?’
said the President. ‘What about
your grain elevator? What about
your livestock? What about your
other holdings?’