"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will -- to your surprise -- miss them profoundly."

--Thomas S. Monson, 2009







Sunday, January 12, 2014

Primary

I love being in the Primary!  Today seemed like such an extra special day for some reason.  I really felt the spirit strongly.  I was teaching the Sharing time lesson about the Atonement and used a hard boiled egg to help explain it. I got the idea from the Internet, and it worked great!

I said the egg was like all of us, pure and clean, and as we go through life we make many mistakes.  I started to mark the egg with a sharpie and said all the marks represent all the mistakes and sins we commit every day.  Then I shared how the Atonement can make us clean again if we repent.  I peeled the marked shell off the egg, and showed the children the clean white egg that was underneath.  I pointed out how it was just as clean and white as when it started, and that we can be like that too.  No matter what the mistake, through the Atonement we can be made clean again when we repent, and return to live with Heavenly Father again.  I testified that I know Heavenly Father is so happy when we repent. 

The children were all eyes and ears during this, and it was just so nice to be there and to teach them this. I love when they are like this, all eyes and ears on what we are trying to teach them.  It's in those moments I feel like the Spirit may be touching their hearts and helping them understand something.  I truly love being with all the children, hearing their sweet voices sing, hearing their intelligent and profound answers, and just being in their presence.  It is a true blessing.   After junior primary a little boy named Eddie came up to me to give me a big hug, which was so nice and surprising because a year ago he was so shy and hardly spoke to anyone.  He has come such a long way.  In senior primary a sweet girl named Alana came up to me after to ask for a hug too!  2 hugs in one day.

A couple of weeks ago we were taking down all the kids pictures from the bulletin board to make room for the new pictures of their families.  I had to sort through their pictures and group them with their families.  While I was doing that I remembered when I was called into Primary last January, I had been in the ward for 3 weeks and besides my own kids, I didn't know anyone!  I remember teaching my first sharing time and looking out into the crowd of 40 junior primary children and not knowing one of their names or recognizing any of their faces.  It dawned on me while I was sorting through their pictures, that I recognized and knew each and every one of their faces and names!   I prayed for help to get to know them quickly and help for them to get to know me too, and I am so glad that Heavenly Father answered that prayer of mine.  I know each of their names and faces, and can even tell the 2 (now 3) sets of twins apart!  I also know a little of their personalities and spirits, and what family they are a part of.  I, too, have come such a long way.

 It is a joy and blessing being in Primary!  We just got our new counselor and secretary set apart today.  They were lovely to listen to.  I will miss my old counselor, she was so great!  I am also excited for the future with the new presidency.  The old secretary moved in as a counselor and we got a new secretary.  I love serving with all these ladies, and learning from them too.  They are all so dependable, talented and wonderful!