CHURCH CALLINGS

Well it finally happened...the Bishop called and asked if they could stop by for a "quick moment" (may be quick but it always stings)...so he and Brother Perry came over and extended a calling to me...and after a 10+ year layoff from Primary I have been called as a Primary worker...he said that it was either the Valiant's or the Sunbeam's and I sure as heck hope they call me as the Valiant Teacher...in this Ward things are different ...they have 2 teachers to a classroom and you switch off each week teaching. It use to be that you were the only one teaching a class so when you needed a substitute and made that call...well everyone avoided your call because they knew you were calling them to be a substitute (I know this because that is what I use to do!) Also they keep the class sizes manageable here...I have had the 15 kid class where I was wishing that the parents weren't so diligent about coming to church EVERY Sunday!

Over the years I have had some of the most inspiring Primary moments and also some pretty darn funny ones...One class that I had was one that no one would accept being the teacher for...it seemed like there were some pretty high strung spirits the Lord sent down that year and all in the Standley Lake Ward. Some days I would think that it made the ward on One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest look sane and even reverent! I ended up loving those kids so much...it was the most diverse class that you would ever see...several had some learning disabilities, one was ADHD (and the parents were in denial and thought that little Johnie would just grow out of it, wasn't he so cute! NOT!) and one had some major emotional hangups. In Colorado our Wards take in a large geographical area so it was not uncommon for kids to come from 4 or 5 different schools...that always helped in the mix of things. At least with all in the same school the pecking order has already been established. Each Sunday we had a contest for who was going to be lead dog...because we had a class full of lead dogs! One young boy who challenged my patience (A LOT), must of heard one of our lessons on kindness and each week started carrying my church bag to primary for me...we had another lesson on manners and another young boy started to hold the door open for me, one young girl started to help me clean up after class each week, we must of had a lesson on helping, and one young girl would save a seat in Primary for me...this class turned out to be a very special class that touched my heart and made me realize that the scriptures have so many great life lesson stories...I think that year it was based on the New Testament...anyway the point is you just never know what is going to happen when you accept the Lords calling. This was a win win for all of us...I learned to believe in the Spirit, Prayer and the possibility and potential that each young spirit holds. In turn these sweet young spirits learned that they were loved and were children of our Heavenly Father.

When the Bishop and Brother Perry extended the calling my heart sank...I really wanted to be in Relief Society...but I accepted on the faith that my experiences will be the same as they have been in the past. I have already heard about the Valiant class and I do believe that I am ready for the challenge. The most difficult thing about being called to Primary in a Ward that I haven't been in very long is that I really don't know the children. In my other Ward and Stake I had been in them for over 20 years...so most of the children I taught I knew them before they were a twinkle in their parents eye!!

OK one of my funniest Primary moments was when I asked

" Does anyone have any questions?" We had just had a story from the Book of Mormon and a hand shot up from one of my 10 year old boys. I was pretty excited because he was not one known for participation let alone to be so forward as to ask a question. My joy sprang forward, I beamed to feel that perhaps I had inspired this young man through the spirit to be so bold to have a question. So here was the question..."Hey has any one ever seen the hair in a girls armpit?" "You know they shave it don't you?" What can you say to that...but Amen!