Hare Krishna

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am having conflicting feelings, and am similarly getting conflicting advice from different people about my current situation. I am looking for employment. But since I have come to Utah, I have been given facility up at the Salt Lake City Temple. Caru Prabhu is hoping that we can spend a lot of time distributing books, looking after the gift shop, harinams, college and other outreach programs, and establishing a solid evening program with kirtana and class. I have become the designated mridanga player at this temple. There are only five devotees here, including myself, Bhaktin Revati, and Bhakta Tracy. All of us are looking for employment. I have actually started training for a position with a health care company, helping care for disabled persons. Today is Gaura Purnima! Ki-Jai!!! The devotees were hoping that I could participate in kirtana for the festival, but my training for this job conflicts with that schedule. I have predicted that this will continue to interfere with the large amount of preacing Caru Prabhu has asked of us. Something to consider is that as long as we do service then we can have a place to stay here and food to eat. Besides that, the only material obligation I have at the moment is to pay a 50 dollar payment for my student loan every month, but while I am unemployed I am not liable to make payments, but can continue to if I do come across some money. With that, Caru Prabhu is saying that whatever difference in money I make from the books over the printing cost, I can keep for myself. That would easily help with my loan payments. I had reached the conclusion that I should strive to focus on serving Caru Prabhu. I would have a full schedule if I did all I would like to do for him and this temple and Caitanya's mission. However, I am feeling pressured from my family and fiance that I should just get outside employment. I do understand that arguement, the temple may not be able to support us forever. We have plans to travel, including making our way Boise to get your association when you go. I have been taught that my best option is to just surrender to the temple. My mood has been that if I surrender and do what service is in front of me, that Krishna will arrange whatever is proper for me. But I do understand that we can't sit idly by and let Krishna do all the work. So, I'm a bit bewildered.

Should I continue with my training at this job? Or should I back out while I still can and surrender to the temple?

Your lowliest servant, 

Bhakta Adrian-Utah

HpS - AGTSP   paoho.   I don't know all the details, but one strategy might be to stick with the Temple program for six months.  Both you and Revati become Formal Candidates for Initiation.  Then stop to reconsider the situation, with the intention that if there are no emergencies continue for the next six months.  One year total and take first initiation.

At that point if you can see ISKCON as an important part of, or your whole, carreer in life then continue on with a lot of focus on Temple service with goal of Second Initiation after two years.

For example, after First Initiation you may be really inspired to become a teacher and want to go to study at Radhadesa in Belgium with the idea of teaching at the Krsna Avanti Schools in England.   Just an idea.  Be a full time devotee until you are approved by Caru Das as a Formal Candidate and then reconsider stuff, with inclination to stay in the Temple for one year total.

After that maybe tendency is to move to more practical career track and be a super active congregational member.

Discuss it with a lot of people.

Get the final plan in writing signed by a lot of people!   VICTORY!