This is me every day for the past 7 weeks. That's how long I've been Primary Pres, and for 7 weeks we haven't had a teacher for the Sunbeam class (Or CTR 5, but that wasn't so bad). The Sunbeam class that has 8+ boys (depending on the week) and 2 girls. It is one of the craziest bunch of kids ever. Every single week I've had to ask someone to teach them. Jason taught them for two weeks until he got another calling. I thought they were trying to kill me that week. I think we've used up all of our favors in the first month of the year. One Sunday all but 1 class had to have subs. It was a tough tough first month. The last president had asked for this couple who we all thought would be perfect for the Sunbeams, but they were Relief Society secretary and Elders Quorum counselor, and the bishop did not want to release them. So for a month and half my counselors and I have been praying and thinking and praying some more about who could possibly be called, and we came up with nothing. Then today at church the RS secretary came up to me and said, "The Bishop just called us to be the Sunbeams teachers." AHHHHH!! It's a happy day is all I can say. AND the new CTR 5 teacher was sustained in church today. Now we just need a chorister.
9 comments:
That sounds like a nightmare. May I never have yours as a calling. I am serious, I would be a haggard mess. When we were in the Charlottesville first ward the summers and all holidays meant no teachers (since all the teachers' husbands were in medical, business, law or graduate school) but since I lived there I often got 3 age groups or more. I actually loved teaching primary very much, but being in Young Women is nothing but joy every week. This week Valerie gets to go to the ski resort for snow tubing. What a lucky girl!
Dana, you are so awesome. I am seriously so impressed with you and proud you are my sister. I have bragged to a few people about my 24 year old sister who is the PRIMARY PRESIDENT!! I mean, when I was 24 I was pretty much a loser who only thought about myself. I think that great things are going to be done by you!! Thanks for being such a good example to me! I love you!
Does Colby happen to be one of the crazy 8? If so, I can only imagine him multiplied by 8! Those teachers are going to have their hands full. Hahaha! (But I would personally LOVE it! If I were there, I'd teach for you, Dana. Crazy kids are my favorite!)
Inspiration is inspiration, right? They were obviously supposed to be your teachers. I'm also proud of you (24 & primary president...geez!), and you're doing such a good job. Keep up the good work, sis!
Thanks guys, but I still don't feel like I'm the right person for the job. But I'm trying anyway. And YES Colby is one of the crazy ones. In fact, I'd say he's #2 on the crazy list.
And Crystal, pretty much since I got out of YW my dream calling would be a YW advisor/teacher/counselor. I loved mine so much I wanted to be one of the young fun teachers. But that hasn't even come close to happening for me! I've been in Primary for like 4 1/2 of the 5 1/2 years we've been married.
interesting that you say that, dana. when the young counselor (sterling mennear) bore his testimony in our ward yesterday, he said he has felt the whole time like there were about 100 people better than he to be a counselor. in his priesthood lesson the teacher said--maybe it was a quote from someone--that you are not necessarily called because you are the best person, but you are called because you bring something to the calling that no one else can bring. i have total faith in inspiration. your bishop was inspired, you know that. you are awesome, as also are your supportive and loving sisters and sister-in-law. we always need to remember to support each other like this. mom
Huzzah for the new Sunbeam teachers!!!
I think as long as you keep thinking you're not the right person for the job, you'll be a GREAT person for the job. If that makes any sense. And I echo the rest of the sisters - you are AMAZING. All I could lead at 24 was a small group of visiting teaching adults. And that was a killer!
Dana,
You have many talents and skills that will help you with this calling. It's always hard when we feel out of our comfort level, but I am sure you are doing a great job. You always get things done and can take charge. One of the many talents I admire about you. On Christmas, Dana got a blender and we had orange julius' for breakfast. She got some software for the computer and by the afternoon she had it loaded on the computer and was figuring out how to use it. (My things usually sit in the box for a week or so.) Not Dana, so it's no surprise to me that she will just jump right in there and take care of things in Primary. It's hard to recognize what our own talents are. And Dana you are mature for your age. Taking such great care of three littles ones is no easy task, and she decides to go back to school! You are awesome and a great example. Love, Patty
You've got to have at least one guy comment - Dad here. The priesthood comment mom referred to was actually a quote from President Uchtdorf's conference talk, "Lift Where You Stand." You should read it if you haven't already. The exact quote was, "You may feel that there are others who could fulfill your callings and assignments better than you can, but the Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason. There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch. Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way."
He also said, "Most [members] are eager to roll up their sleeves and go to work, whatever that work might be... They magnify their callings... However, there are those who struggle with this concept... They fall into one of two camps: either they seek to lead, or they seek to hide. They covet a crown or a cave. Those who seek to lead may feel they are capable of doing more than what they are currently asked to do [or, I add, more than what the present leader is doing.]... They believe there capabilities far exceed their callings... Those who seek to hide may fell that htey are too busy to serve in the Church... they always seem to have a ready excuse... There is a better way, taught to us by the Savior Himself: 'Whosoever will be cheif among you, let him by servent'... [The Lord] is pleased with the noble servant, not with the self-serving noble... No calling is beneath us. Every calling provides an opportunity to serve and to grow."
I think that this blog post and the comments verify that you, Dana, are neither seeking to lead nor hide, but you're doing you best to serve where called, difficult though it may be. I appreciate that and I am very proud of you.
In that light, when you ask someone to sub in Primary, particularly in a a difficult class, you are not using up favors, but are offering favors to those who are willing to accept your request to serve along with you. You are giving them an opportuity to serve the Lord in a very important capacity, teaching His little ones. Blessings will come to those who are willing. "Those who are humble in this life will wear crowns of glory in the next."
Dad
You're all way too nice. I'm just praying I don't screw it all up. But I realized last night, I'm not so worried about everything now that I have all my teachers. It might even seem easy once we get a chorister.
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