New Calling

Jer and I did not get the callings we expected. I was sure I was headed into Primary and he was thinking probably something in young men's since he's been doing so much with them lately. Imagine our surprise when they called us to be the YSA advisors! I think I nearly had a heart attack. It seems to me they usually call an older, more established, way cooler couple (sorry Jer) and I feel really lost. It is an unusual calling because there aren't really specific guidelines for exactly what you are supposed to do. We only knew we were supposed to teach a Sunday School class for the YSA and kind of help with the other things they plan. Luckily there seems to be a pretty strong Stake YSA program here so we could just teach on Sunday and sit back and relax. But we want to do more than that! Jer may be teaching almost every night of the week soon (and he's in classes himself) so I don't think we can go to all these activities they have--we do have 6 children of our own (well, I guess in a week that will be 5 since Junior will be an adult) that require most of our attention. But I want to do whatever I can to help the YSA, I'm just not sure what that is. I know everyone will say pray about it, listen for promptings, and the like which we'll do, but this is just such a different thing for us. We weren't even really YSA's ever--maybe for like 2 months--we don't know what it feels like. Although with Junior becoming one, we might get a better feel for it. I know he doesn't seem comfortable with it, neither do several of the kids turning 18 this year--they don't want to give up the cool activities, friends, and devoted leaders from the incredible young men, young women programs. I'm not saying YSA's don't have cool activities, but seriously, they usually all have jobs and things just get more difficult to plan and attend. And then I read some information on a website about how so many YSA's struggle with so many things and a lot of it is leading them to fall away from the church. If a young man does not serve a mission he has nearly 0% chance of staying active. That is terrible! There is a 3:1 ratio of girls to guys in general in the YSA. Our last two Sunday classes have been more like 7:1. And how do you run a program where you need to make sure the focus is on temple marriage and at the same time understand that if there's not a proper ratio--how is that supposed to happen??? And how do you make these young adults not feel bad when they are getting older and there is no prospect of marriage? I don't even understand this world they grew up in--we didn't even have the internet in high school!! One thing I think would be a great focus of the YSA is service. I think the YSA program in the place we just moved away from was really doing some awesome things in that direction and they were being quite creative with it too. I know I have gotten frustrated when the boys have done service as part of a youth activity and the leaders run them to McDonald's (and this is at the leader's expense too!) or some such thing to reward them for lifting a branch or two. I don't think so!! Why is our church so afraid to let young people work? I fully believe that working with people is how you get to know them. You would have a lot better chance finding out what a guy or girl is really like if you say-- go to the cannery with them and see if they sit around and complain or dive right in. And it's fun to work with people...well, fun people..anyway. I just don't want to let Heavenly Father or any of the YSA's down but boy is this going to be different!!