By Guest Author, P.D. Wiles.

Few callings in the church are as overwhelming as the call to serve as president of an auxiliary. But if you consider that Heavenly Father has given you a unique opportunity, under His direction, to create a haven for the members to come to, it puts your responsibilities in a whole new light. For example, a call to serve as Primary president is a call to provide a “world” just for the children in your ward or branch where they can learn reverence and respect and feel safety and peace. This means that Jesus Christ, under the direction of Heavenly Father, has been asked to guide you in using your talents to form a safe haven where these little ones can study the scriptures, become ready to enter the waters of baptism and receive the Holy Ghost, and in all ways prepare to serve Him as they reach the age of accountability and beyond.

Father knows you and your capabilities and talents. He, Himself, has bestowed this responsibility upon you. You may be tempted to assume you were called based on circumstances or uninspired decisions. But when these feelings come to you, pray about it, and the Lord will send the Spirit as a witness of His love for you. Each time you do this, you will gain a deeper understanding of your task, and why you were chosen to fulfill it. Listen carefully as you are set apart, and record what you remember in your journal. These words can be a comfort to you during the time you serve.

Remember that Father has given you many gifts and keys by which this task can be accomplished. Some of the most important elements are the keys of the presidency.

Your first responsibility is to prayerfully consider your counselors. Consult with your bishop or branch president, and choose these sisters based on direction from the Spirit, not on your personal preference. Meet together as often as you can, and pray about the needs of your organization and your presidency. As promised in the scriptures, where two or three gather in Christ’s name, the Spirit will attend. This is the most important thing you can do to dispel feelings of discouragement, or of being overwhelmed. Lucifer would like nothing better than to keep you from using all your talents as you serve God. As your presidency learns to serve in unity and with concern for one another, you will find your talents combining and complimenting the others, creating a strong sense of direction in your endeavors.

Heavenly Father expects all things to be done in proper order. A good analogy is to think of your new calling in terms of creating a new world, which means the Laws of Creation must be followed. You are to fashion this world out of materials that have been made available to you by prophets from all dispensations of the earth. By your obedience to these laws, and your faithfulness to the words of the prophets, you will create an atmosphere where many of Heavenly Father’s children can be blessed.

For a list of the Laws of Creation, and scripture references, see Part 2.