Today we had our Primary program. This was June's 2nd time in the program and it was my first primary program as Primary President.
I want to tell you a little bit about the whole experience. But first let me tell you about June and her part in the program. June is in the CTR 4/5 class. She sang great and delivered her line perfect. She had it memorized and didn't need help at all. Her line was: "Through Heavenly Father's plan I was given a body, to live on this earth and learn to take good care of it."
So now a little bit about my experience on the Primary Program. It is so much freaking work. Holy crap. As a parent with a child in primary I never really understood what it takes to run a primary and what it takes to make and deliver a primary program. It is intense.
We started planning back in August. We didn't want just some lame program where we write the kids parts for them or just sing the songs. We wanted to add a little extra. Thankfully I have the most amazing music leader ever!! I will be crushed when she moves, but we won't be far behind her so maybe that will be the new Primary Presidents problem. Hahaha. Just kidding.
We planned for the children to write their own parts. We prepared for this and had the teachers help us. We have some pretty awesome primary teachers. And some not so great ones. I honestly have never heard full grown adults complain so much about the pettiest things. AH! So annoying. Sorry, off topic.
The children wrote their own parts and then I spent the next couple weeks making them fit into a primary program. Then we practiced and practiced and practiced. Our music director didn't just stick to the songs in the outline, she took the time to study different music, get permission from the bishop and then teach them to the kids. She was amazing at putting all the songs together. We had musical numbers and instruments that were included into the song. It was a lot to put together.
Then it finally came and we were ready to put on the program.
I was a ball of nerves going into church today. I was worried about the time, if the kids would deliver their parts and how everything would go...
It went pretty darn well. A few hiccups put the kids put on a fantastic program. We did great on the time and most of the kids delivered their parts beautifully. I was basically in tears the whole meeting. I was sitting on the pulpit, front row to help kids who needed their lines, so I tried to stay strong. But the tears fell anyways. The spirit, the relief that it was over and the joy I felt in my heart from my primary children. It truly was a great Sacrament meeting.
Our presidency had made invites for the children to take to their non member friends or less active friends who would enjoy coming to the program. The kids loved it and our Bishop loved it. We also held a small reception with refreshments, after the program for those who were visiting the church or weren't members. The missionaries were there to talk to them and answer any questions that they may of had. It was a total success and even though it was a bit more work to put together on top of already planning the primary program, I am so glad we did it. I received an email from the Bishop which I will always keep. It was such a kind email, but in it he mentioned how we had over 300 people in the congregation that day. He said it was a new record! He was really excited about that and hearing that made all the stress and effort worth it.
With all that said I want to say how grateful I am for this experience to be Primary President. It is so much work and sometimes so intense that I wonder why I was chosen. But I was and I am leading in the best way I know how and what I feel is right for the children. Sometimes it's such a thankless job. People just don't understand what it takes to keep 53 children prompt and ready. To some children that is the only time that they hear church related topics so we are teaching them everything. It's scary and overwhelming and I truly love it.
So if you are reading this and have a child in primary, go thank your primary presidency. Thank them for their hard work, thank them for putting that primary program together that your child sang and shared their words, that made your heart swell. It started with your primary presidency. Thank them. Reach out to them. Trust me, I have never loved some random person in my ward more, than those who have reached out to me today and said thank you.
And now I feel I can breathe.
