Yesterday, I attended my sister's ward because I was helping watch my sister's kids while she was out of town. While I was there, there was some ward business, including calling someone to a position of responsibility and asking the congregation to sustain (or support) them. I was hesitant to participate in this ward business, because it was really none of my business. I couldn't sustain this person in their calling because I wasn't going to be attending their ward, at least not for very long.
However, this situation, and a following family conversation about it, reminded me of a time when I was attending a different sister's ward and a similar situation occurred. I was part of a small group that was asked to sustain an individual whom I didn't know and whom I wouldn't be around very long. However, this situation was slightly different because this person I pledged to sustain when I awkwardly raised my hand when everyone else did, gave a lesson just after being called into his new position, and I did my best to support his teaching by participating in the conversation that went along with his lesson.
What I learned from this experience was that you don't have to live in someone's geographical area, or even visit that area very long, in order to support them. As I understand it, all that is asked when we are called upon to sustain each other is to help each other in whatever ways present themselves to us. We may not have such an opportunity, but by raising our hands to sustain each other, I believe that what we're really promising is to take the opportunity to help if we can.
I can't recall who the person I sustained yesterday is or what his new calling is, but I can still make good on my promise to support him however I can by being a helpful, supportive person in general. By always trying to be helpful, I can be sure that I'm supporting the people I pledged to support, whether I remember who those people are or not. Naturally, we can't always help everyone. Those who try quickly find themselves overwhelmed. But what we can do is develop a supportive attitude, so that whenever we do have an opportunity to support someone, whether or not we remember having promised to, it will be our natural inclination to do so. By being supportive, we can keep our promises to sustain others, whether or not we remember them.
1 comment:
As you know, I also found it somewhat confusing. Do I sustain and / or thank or not when I am not part of that congregation. Thinking about it now, I think that we are not only sustaining a particular individual to a particular calling (which we are) but we are also expressing faith and support in the system, if you will, which called them. Do we believe that the leaders of that congregation were called by the gift and power of God to lead them and to call individuals to service? We may not know THEM, but do we believe that the next level or the next above that on up to the prophet are called of God to make these decisions? It rather comes to whether I believe in and sustain the Priesthood organization. I think I should have raised my right hand to the square more confidently and enthusiastically as I sustain all of my brothers and sisters who are called by authority and who are trying to serve the Lord and His children in their corner of the world.
Now, IF I knew the people involved and I had knowledge of some problem that I thought should keep them from this service, then I should quietly oppose by the same sign and then discuss it with the appropriate leaders. I should then honor whatever decision they made afterwards.
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