November 2014, Week 3

*Today I went to two wards for church, and neither were my own ward.  I got to visit a Spanish ward and and English ward for their Primary Programs.  These programs are all so different, but they all bring the Spirit so quickly.  The songs are really the catalyst for the Spirit.  The kids know it, and we see it during the programs.


*Today at church I decided that I am going to make an effort to relearn the Spanish that I learned back in high school.  I need to add some church vocabulary, as well.  Most of the kids are pretty fluent in English, but several adults understand Spanish only.


*Today at church I got to know my counselors and music leader much better.  They are wonderful women. The Stake President really gave me a gift with this presidency.


*Today at church I ate a hot dog!  The Spanish ward brought them for the kids as a reward for their hard work preparing for the program.


It was awesome!

November 2014, Week 2

*Today at church we had our annual Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation, otherwise known as the Primary Program.  In all my years of Primary service, this is the first year that I actually had to write the program by myself, and that made me feel much more invested in the whole thing.  We had had two practices, but I felt that maybe we could have used another one.  Thankfully, I was pretty calm as I realized that there was really nothing anyone (I) could do at that point.  Thankfully, it seems that those two practices were enough.  Thankfully, the kids moved smoothly and spoke clearly, the songs were beautiful, and we finished right on time.  Thankfully, the Spirit was there.


*Today at church, I was not yet released as the Ward Primary President.


*Today at church, I did my first visit as the Stake Primary President, to see another ward's Primary Program.  Theirs was also well done.  This is the largest primary in our stake, and the logistics of seating everyone and moving everyone and letting everyone have a part in the alloted time is a lot to figure out.  I do know the challenges, as our primary was the same size before our ward split.  A primary that size is a good kind of challenge, but it is also exhausting.


*Today after church, we had the baptism of the sweetest 8-year old boy.  It was a surprise to arrive at the church to find the other ward had thought a child turned on the font, and had turned off the water and drained it all.  The font takes 3-4 hours to fill.  There were some discouraged people, but we had a baptism to do, so we all grabbed pitchers and pots from the kitchen and turned on every tap in the chuch and filled that font by hand.  It took about 40 minutes.  We all believe that it was like the miracle of the loaves and the fishes, where the water that was in the font in the end was more than we actually put in.  There was an amazing spirit at the baptism for many reasons.


It was awesome!

November 2014, Week 1

*Today at church I was reminded about how wise our Relief Society President is.  She shared her testimony today, and related some things about the 5K training program that we are both currently trying to do.  She said that sometimes, running those first few challenges, which are only a few minutes long, can seem way beyond our capacity, but we hang on, and somehow make it through.  It's like our challenges in life.  Sometimes those challenges seem way too hard to go through, but if we hang on, we will make it, and we will be stronger for our efforts.  And, the next time, it won't seem so hard.  She also said that it's like doing all the "little" things with our families--prayers, scripture study, etc.  How can those little things make a difference?  But they do.  They all add up, and they make us stronger bit by bit.  I really appreciated her thoughts, and think about them as I run. :)


*Today at church I was not yet released as the Ward Primary President.  We still have our Primary Program to do.  Maybe after?


It was awesome!