*Today at church was the Ward Christmas Program. I was not able to sing with the choir, since I have been visiting other wards on Sunday afternoons when they practiced, but I enjoyed being part of the audience this time. Our ward, since the split, is small, and at first I was kind of sad for "us" that we didn't have a huge choir or a full orchestra, like my sister's ward. It didn't matter. The Lord took our humble ward members, and gave them the Spirit. I was really moved by each piece they performed. My husband got back in town Saturday night, and was able to accompany the choir with his viola for the last number. (I could almost hear it from the foyer, where I was with my bitty boy who wanted his dad.) I loved the whole meeting. I love my small ward.
It was awesome!
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
December 2014, Week 2
*Today at church I heard a beautiful talk about service, and how each person has their own private struggles, even when we look from the outside and think we see everything going along just fine. We need to be kind. We need to serve without asking or being asked. We need to prepare to serve, and then just do our best when the opportunity comes.
*Today I went to two other wards to visit their Primaries. I took my 2 year old son with me, and he was not very patient about the experience, so we cut our second visit short. I love that there are such strong Primary leaders in our stake. I love to see the different ideas they all have, and the compassion and care for their children. I hope that somehow I can be of service to these wonderful, capable women.
*Today after church I was able to sing with the stake choir and orchestra for the Christmas program. Wow! I was thoroughly uplifted. I'm so glad I was able to be a part of it! Unfortunately, my husband wasn't able to play his viola there as planned, as he had to leave after our church for a business trip. But the songs that we've been practicing have been going through my mind, and I share them with my family a bit at at time as I sing through the week. My kids were troopers getting to bed for school without me as I had my practices.
It was awesome!
*Today I went to two other wards to visit their Primaries. I took my 2 year old son with me, and he was not very patient about the experience, so we cut our second visit short. I love that there are such strong Primary leaders in our stake. I love to see the different ideas they all have, and the compassion and care for their children. I hope that somehow I can be of service to these wonderful, capable women.
*Today after church I was able to sing with the stake choir and orchestra for the Christmas program. Wow! I was thoroughly uplifted. I'm so glad I was able to be a part of it! Unfortunately, my husband wasn't able to play his viola there as planned, as he had to leave after our church for a business trip. But the songs that we've been practicing have been going through my mind, and I share them with my family a bit at at time as I sing through the week. My kids were troopers getting to bed for school without me as I had my practices.
It was awesome!
Monday, December 8, 2014
December 2014, Week 1
*Today at church we had our Fast and Testimony Meeting. It has been a while since I went up, but as I sat reflecting on things, I realized that it was almost the 10 year anniversary of when my sister's husband passed away from a brain tumor. My sister is only a year and a half older than I am, and she had 5 kids, from 10 to 6 months old when this happened. I felt I could share some of my reflections on this family event. He passed away on my birthday. It was so sad to think about my sister and how she was alone with her children. I selfishly thought this was a very sad thing to have to remember on my birthday each year. A couple years after he passed away, I realized that we now kind of shared a birthday--mine for my birth into this life, and his for his birth into the next life. It helps me to think on the eternal nature of our lives, and how though he probably mourns not being with his wife and children, he probably also rejoices in being able to do the work he needs to be doing now in his next life.
*Today at church I went to the Gospel Doctrine class in my ward for the first time in a couple years...for five minutes, until they needed a sub in Primary. I was happy to help out, as it was for my 7-year old daughter's class. We got to talk about Jesus' resurrection.
It was awesome!
*Today at church I went to the Gospel Doctrine class in my ward for the first time in a couple years...for five minutes, until they needed a sub in Primary. I was happy to help out, as it was for my 7-year old daughter's class. We got to talk about Jesus' resurrection.
It was awesome!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
November 2014, Week 5
*Today at church I was able to accompany a beautiful musical number. I had been practicing for a couple weeks, on my own and with the singers, and it was so nice to hear it all go smoothly. The words were all about Jesus and his suffering, but how his tears were tears of joy. It was a nice thing to reflect upon the week of Thanksgiving. We are able to point out the things we are grateful for, but I reflected that our Savior was probably grateful that He was able to sacrifice everything for us, because He knew that was the only way we could be saved. I am eternally thankful for Him.
*Today I didn't have any Stake responsibilities, so I took the time to enjoy being in my ward. Of course, I checked in in Primary, and they needed a substitute for the Sunbeams, so I volunteered to teach them. Our new Primary President gave her first Sharing Time, and she did a great job. She ended with testifying of her love for the Savior, and how we should follow His example of forgiveness. If all her lessons go as this one did, the Primary is in good hands.
It was awesome!
*Today I didn't have any Stake responsibilities, so I took the time to enjoy being in my ward. Of course, I checked in in Primary, and they needed a substitute for the Sunbeams, so I volunteered to teach them. Our new Primary President gave her first Sharing Time, and she did a great job. She ended with testifying of her love for the Savior, and how we should follow His example of forgiveness. If all her lessons go as this one did, the Primary is in good hands.
It was awesome!
November 2014, Week 4
*Today began with my first Stake Council meeting at the Stake Center. My husband was out of town, so it was also the first Sunday my children had to get up and ready for church by themselves. All seemed to go well, until I got a call in the middle of Stake Council from home. I was excused to return their call, but the kids had left the phone off the hook. I called my husband, who was driving home from a business trip, and asked him to investigate. He finally got a hold of them and found out one child called to complain about another who had roughly made her get out of bed. The meeting was good--I noted some items that I will be using later--but it ran late, so I got home right as our own church meeting was starting. Thankfully the kids were ready, except my 2 1/2 year old, who let me dress him quickly, and we made it just before the Sacrament hymn began. (My sweet 9 year old even did the younger girls' hair.)
*Today I was released as the Primary President of our ward! This is why I was trying to get to our ward on time, but they (thankfully) went ahead and released me without me being there anyway. I generally feel bittersweet about being released, but I think this calling had been a huge weight for a long time, and since I'm already immersed in my new calling, I was thoroughly ready to let it go. I am pleased with who they called to replace me. I got to talk with her for a couple minutes after Sacrament Meeting before I left to go to the Spanish Branch for their Primary Program. My husband had arrived during Sacrament Meeting after driving for four hours, so I turned the kids over to him. He is such a blessing.
*I attended the Spanish Branch with my first counselor, secretary, and the Stake Primary Music Leader. Going to these programs has been a wonderful way to begin our tenure in the stake. We are getting to know each other and the primaries much faster than if we had started at a different time of the year. The program was so sweet, even though I only catch about 20 percent of the Spanish. Most of the children speak English as well, but the Sunday meetings are all in Spanish for the sake of the adults. I am amazed at how the Spirit was just as easy to identify without knowing exactly what the words meant.
*Today I realized what a gift the Stake President gave me with this presidency. I didn't know any of these ladies before we were called. He suggested their names, and we discussed them a bit, but I had to have faith in his recommendations. I'm so glad I did. I also realized that he took us from major callings for our new callings, so we need to make it worth those changes. We need to do good work and not just be a "presence."
*Today I was able to go home for some lunch and spend a half hour with my kids. My husband was asleep, and rightly so, after his business trip. Our house is generally a wreck after Sundays, but I consider it worth it, since the kids are playing together (and we get a nap, though I didn't this day).
*I went back to the Stake Center for an interview with the Stake President. He wanted to check in with me to see how things were going. He is a wise man. I'm thankful for his advice and I'm excited to try to make his desires for the Primary children of the stake come to pass.
*I was able to come home for another half hour to have dinner with my family. We raided the freezer and came up with a decent meal--taquitos were involved. I love to have a stocked freezer for days like these, but I think we need a refill.
*My husband and I went to our Stake choir and orchestra practice for the upcoming Christmas concert. I was looking forward to the time with him as we drove. I love the music. I love having it in my head all week, coming up at random times. I love doing something with him that we both enjoy.
*Tonight I passed off all of my Primary things to the new president. It is a hard time to start this calling, since there is much to do in December to finish the old year and prepare for the next. She is taking it all with grace and willingness, so that is comforting.
It was an exhausting day. It was awesome!
*Today I was released as the Primary President of our ward! This is why I was trying to get to our ward on time, but they (thankfully) went ahead and released me without me being there anyway. I generally feel bittersweet about being released, but I think this calling had been a huge weight for a long time, and since I'm already immersed in my new calling, I was thoroughly ready to let it go. I am pleased with who they called to replace me. I got to talk with her for a couple minutes after Sacrament Meeting before I left to go to the Spanish Branch for their Primary Program. My husband had arrived during Sacrament Meeting after driving for four hours, so I turned the kids over to him. He is such a blessing.
*I attended the Spanish Branch with my first counselor, secretary, and the Stake Primary Music Leader. Going to these programs has been a wonderful way to begin our tenure in the stake. We are getting to know each other and the primaries much faster than if we had started at a different time of the year. The program was so sweet, even though I only catch about 20 percent of the Spanish. Most of the children speak English as well, but the Sunday meetings are all in Spanish for the sake of the adults. I am amazed at how the Spirit was just as easy to identify without knowing exactly what the words meant.
*Today I realized what a gift the Stake President gave me with this presidency. I didn't know any of these ladies before we were called. He suggested their names, and we discussed them a bit, but I had to have faith in his recommendations. I'm so glad I did. I also realized that he took us from major callings for our new callings, so we need to make it worth those changes. We need to do good work and not just be a "presence."
*Today I was able to go home for some lunch and spend a half hour with my kids. My husband was asleep, and rightly so, after his business trip. Our house is generally a wreck after Sundays, but I consider it worth it, since the kids are playing together (and we get a nap, though I didn't this day).
*I went back to the Stake Center for an interview with the Stake President. He wanted to check in with me to see how things were going. He is a wise man. I'm thankful for his advice and I'm excited to try to make his desires for the Primary children of the stake come to pass.
*I was able to come home for another half hour to have dinner with my family. We raided the freezer and came up with a decent meal--taquitos were involved. I love to have a stocked freezer for days like these, but I think we need a refill.
*My husband and I went to our Stake choir and orchestra practice for the upcoming Christmas concert. I was looking forward to the time with him as we drove. I love the music. I love having it in my head all week, coming up at random times. I love doing something with him that we both enjoy.
*Tonight I passed off all of my Primary things to the new president. It is a hard time to start this calling, since there is much to do in December to finish the old year and prepare for the next. She is taking it all with grace and willingness, so that is comforting.
It was an exhausting day. It was awesome!
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