Yes, I will admit it. I was offended.

I have been serving in the Sunday School for about 5 years now. I like to periodically be the substitute teacher for classes when the teacher is out. And one of our teachers just had a baby and wanted someone to sub the class for about 6 weeks. I gladly stepped up and offered to do it. The Bishop told me to go ahead, but he may call someone else to do it.

We recently had a change in the Sunday School Presidency and the new President, well, I have recieved many bad vibes from him – and I don’t know if he trusts me to teach or not. The first Sunday, I taught solo and it worked out fine. The second Sunday, a member of the bishopric sat in. I assumed he was monitoring the class to see if I did a good job. Mid week, I was informed that some other person in the ward would teach the class. I wanted to teach. I was ready to teach. And I really thought I was not trusted to teach. I assumed that the member of the bishopric who monitored the class was not pleased with the lesson, so he got someone else to do the job.

So I sent the bishop and email. I asked him why I was not trusted in this ward. And I laid down my resume of service in the church I have provided over the years focusing on individual members who I had helped to be an instrument in encouraging them back into activity in church. I felt good about the email. But I did sincerely feel hurt.

I went to church on Sunday and would see that member of the bishopric and just think about how he did not trust me. I would think of the bishop and how he did not respond to my email but seemed to not care. So I waited at his office after church.

He saw me and said he wanted to talk to me. I came into his office after a bit and learned the following:

1. He was glad I sent the email because many times when someone is offended, they say nothing and just hold it in.
2. He did not even know that the other member of the bishopric had attended my class and told me that his son is in that class – he was probably checking up on his son more than checking up on me.
3. He had not received any negative reports of my teaching.
4. The person he asked to teach the class, well, he asked her because she had been in the ward for several months and did not have a calling. He wanted her to have an opportunity to serve.

It all makes sense. And I was offended by the Bishop – but not anymore.