Conference: Good, Better, Best

So I realized this week that this may be the last time I live-tweet all the sessions of General Conference as @gaymormonguy. If I pass round 2 and 3 of auditions for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, any session where I'm singing will be silent. You're not allowed to even bring a phone on the stage as a choir member, let alone send real-time notes to the world.

That makes me a bit sad. Being involved in the twitterstake has been an awesome experience... and has connected me with people who share my passion for media missionary work and who live all over the world.

But then again, if it happens, I'll be sitting on the stand, singing with the choir. That's pretty cool.

Thankfully, the choir doesn't sing at every session... so there'll just be a few sessions missing from the transcript.

It just makes me wonder.

In which spot am I better used?

Live-tweeting General Conference is sort of a mundane example, but still influential. Anyone who can sing can take a spot in the choir. Anyone who can write can take a spot in the twitterstake. But which makes a bigger difference in people's individual lives?

I don't know. 

The choir as a whole is life-changing, but not much of that would be ascribed to me. And you can have amazing missionary conversations on Twitter during the hours that #ldsconf trends and people get interested in what is happening.

And that makes me think about the rest of the gospel, too... callings and places to serve. I'm the self-appointed ward greeter in my ward. I pass out programs, shake people's hands, introduce myself to the people who are new or visiting, and try to help people have at least one person who notices them in Sacrament.

I became ward greeter because before, when I was the ward music chairman and directed the music, each week I would try to meet new people but have to go sit on the stand as the meeting started. And people who arrived late had no one to talk with them... and some of them left early without ever saying a word to anyone. So I asked my bishop to give me a new calling.

But now I see another need. When I'm sitting at the back of the meeting, trying to fellowship the people who arrive late and leave early, I don't sit with other people. I don't sit next to the 8 new people who arrived today - none of which ended up staying through the end of the meeting. Today someone asked me why I always sit in the back, and never with the congregation. Then she saw me stand to meet someone, during the second talk... and it made me wonder. I can't be in both places at the same time. And which is the best place to be?

I'm not completely sure where the best place to stand is for me as far as helping others come unto Christ. I know there are places that I've stood, things that I've done. But maybe there are seasons. Maybe there are shifting needs or I have shifting talents. Maybe...

Yeah.

I think the simplest answer is to be the best that I can be, wherever I find myself. Give the rest to God, keep a prayer in my heart for the people around me, and listen when He calls.