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| Saturday, May 25, 2013 |
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My RS President practically is the bishop. Not in any inappropriate way, I just mean to say, there is an incredible synergy there. I should mention there is a large percentage of adult sisters in the ward. I get to witness this every month in ward council. Really though, we have an incredible synergy as a ward. It’s a blessing to be able to be in a leadership role so I can see it firsthand. |
Programs would run just fine, there might be more creativity, more effort to involve everybody. I wonder how well she would do when it comes to making hard choices in an organization with limited resources that can’t be all things to all people. On the other hand, she is a tough manager making tough decisions in her business life, so she probably could make those choice — I’m probably just used to the softer, more compassionate side of her at church. One thing is for certain — ward members would be in closer, more personal touch with each other, and we’d be doing more to serve each other in every way. (And that’s nothing against our bishop, who is as good as I’ve ever had.) |
Our RS president is already sort of a co-bishop. She really runs the RS program well, and our bishop (who is huge into delegating and letting leaders do things themselves) can focus the vast majority of his time on the youth. As it should be… |
I didn’t really answer the question about how our ward would change. If there’s a drawback to how our RS prez operates, it’s that there’s sometimes not as much focus on including the sisters outside the normal circle/clique. Some of those cliques have formed naturally, some were present before our ward reorganized, and it’s a bit tough sometimes for sisters outside the circle to integrate. (I home teach two of these sisters). Part of the “problem” is that our RS president works (she’s a great example for the YW) and she herself doesn’t belong to any of the cliques (sort of above them all?). She focuses on Sunday activities, the quarterly enrichment-whatever-we-call-it-now thing, VT, and compassionate service. All of the other “get together as sisters during the week and have friends in the group” is really something she doesn’t involve herself in, either as an individual or as a leader. Obviously people change when they get into leadership, but my perception is that if she were bishop, integration of those on the fringes probably wouldn’t occur any more than it does now, which is to say, it would depend on individuals bringing them into the fold, not an organized effort. So maybe I vote for “little would change”? I know our clerk corps love her, since she finds all of the inactive members who no one has contact with who have moved to other areas… |
Very interesting…. HeidiAnn–your ward sounds really exciting–I am so glad it is working so well. Ardis–sounds like your ward would fare well. queuno–I think you are right that RS Presidents already are often co-leaders–it depends a little on the personalities of the individuals involved, but I have certainly seen it. Do you think your RS president avoids the cliques on purpose–as a function of her calling–or that she is too busy for them? I have noticed that the Bishops’ wife in my ward avoids lots of socializing, and I have wondered if this is to avoid hurt or cliquish feelings. I don’t know–I didn’t know her before. |
Our RS President was called because she Gets Things Done. Not because of any love, compassion, or understanding. She Gets Things Done out of a sense of Duty rather than any of those “soft” characteristics. The ward would probably run more efficiently if she were bishop, but because her manner is that of a bull in a china shop, part of that efficiency would probably come from the streamlining effect of fewer people actually attending church. To be fair, the RS President before her was her opposite. She was kind and loving, but unorganized and ineffective. After the RS nearly fell apart from benign neglect, they really needed somebody to whip things into shape. Things are pretty whipped right now. |
efficiency would probably come from the streamlining effect of fewer people actually attending church heh, heh — just wanted to laugh at the wonderful way this is worded! |
CS Eric–I have heard people say about mission presidents that they tend to alternate between softies and strict ones; I have no idea if this is true, but perhaps someone adapted that approach to you RS. Frankly speaking, if I were called to be RS President, I would probably be more bull than lovey-dovey; I like to think I could strike a nice balance, but I know I have some real weaknesses. |
My ward’s current RS president I can’t even imagine as bishop. I suppose she’d likely do fine. I just can’t imagine it. For one thing, she would be completely appalled at the idea. The RS president just prior to the current one, however, would be fabulous! She is one of those very rare people who naturally strike a perfect balance between the bull and the lamb. |
Our current RS president would do a great job as bishop. She’s been in the ward forever, is highly organized, and is not shy about getting things done. N. B., our actual bishop does a great job, too. And you forgot to ask the reaallly interesting question: how well would your current bishop do as the Relief Society President? Heh. ..bruce.. |
Following bfwebster’s ideas (which I often find very interesting), I think our RS president would be ok as our Bishop, but I am for sure the Bishop would crash and burn as RS pres. |
My RS president would kick ass as a bishop. Truly, one of the best people I know of either gender. |
Honestly, my RS president would probably have a mental breakdown. She seems almost to that point right now just with taking care of the sisters, let alone the kids and husbands too. She has such a kind heart but seems to have a hard time delegating. This is not to say that other RS presidents that I have had wouldn’t be awesome bishops though. The Bishop would probably be a little lost in RS and a little overwhelmed by the hormones, but I think he would do pretty well after an adjustment period. |
My RS pres reads this blog, so I’m not going to use my ususal nom de blog. She gets the job done, but like the former poster’s RSP, is rather brisk and abrupt, and sometimes down right rude to people. If she were a man and treated one of my family members the way she does, I’d punch him in the nose. Good thing my feminism only extends to the end of her nose. |
Our RS president is already sort of a co-bishop. She really runs the RS program well, and our bishop (who is huge into delegating and letting leaders do things themselves) can focus the vast majority of his time on the youth. As it should be… Well said. |
hm.. on my imagination … right?? |
Imagine your Relief Society President was your Bishop. How do you think she would fare? She would probably do a better job, or at very least just as good a job. What is sure though is that more men will run off asap from church to watch football or go fishing or fix the car etc. |
#14, your Relief Society president reads this blog? Really? How do you know? My Relief Society president would follow the handbook to the letter and read us scriptures instead of conversing normally. |
Here’s the real life “opposite-analog” to your question, my Father-in-Law was called as the Relief Society President while serving as the Branch President of a tiny branch in England while serving a mission there a little over 50 years ago. |
John Harvey–my dad was also an RS president on his mission. His trainer was the Branch President and probably got a big kick out of that assignment. |
