If you’ve ever been in the primary presidency before then you’ll know one of the toughest assignments for the first councilor is to head up the annual Primary Sacrament Meeting Program. I was tagged with this job this year (You’re It!) and felt the typical feeling: daunted. Back when I got the assignment I was wishing I could say, "I'd love to do that for you but I will unfortunately be on the big island of Hawaii for the entire month of November. Darn."
Instead, I was available, so I rolled up my sleeves and figured women have been doing this for decades. Now its my turn to figure it out. Truthfully, somebody needs to make a little manual focusing solely on this task because you learn so many things along the way. Tip # 1: If two kids are apt to talk to each other, do not put them next to each other in the script, because you’ll want them to sit in the order they’ll be presenting. Tip # 2: Make sure you have several extra copies of the script for the day of the program as there will be many a teacher who will need them. Tip # 3: Be flexible as kids may wake up sick that morning and be unavailable for their part even if it is a key section. Tip # 4: Say your prayers. Say a lot of them.
Like any greenie, I learned all this along the way and by yesterday it was do or die. The show must go on.
I was amazed at how well it went. I sat next to the podium, script in hand with my back to the audience. This was good. I got to look into the smiling happy faces of the children and make eye contact with the next kid to come to the podium. The people who watched their mothers and fathers getting emotional in the audience had a harder time keeping the tears from flowing. Me? I didn’t even cry during “A Child's Prayer” That in and of itself proves that miracles have not ceased as I balled during all the practices.
Number of problems? Zero (okay, we did have one little Sunbeam crumple to the ground in terror, but really this was only endearing and not at all problematic—Save your Sunbeams for the finale dramatic ending is my Scripting Mantra). Those kids didn’t even need me there! They knew their parts perfectly, and even “enunciated their words” as my mother is fond of saying. I must confess, the parts weren’t the easiest. . .the lady who wrote that program did not dumb down the doctrine for the little ones! But they rose to the occasion. And they belted out their songs with all the heart and soul of a heavenly choir! The spirit was so strong as these little ones testified of eternal truths!
So to my primary children, I say 1,000 thank yous*! For being so good, for learning your parts and for being the angels that you are. To show you how proud I am of you, I want to give you each a big tight squeeze and an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii. The cookies I gave you on Sunday during sharing time will have to do.
*10,000 thank yous to their parents & teachers for practicing them and to their awesome music leader!
5 comments:
You did a great job! The singing was great (even from my seat in the cultural hall) and the children did so well in presenting their parts (especially mine!). Hopefully you get to use all this new found experience again next year!
It was BEAUTIFUL...
My kids worked so hard on their parts, it was a blessed thing to watch (as their mama) and to see how much they have improved over the last few years.
Thank YOU for all that you did to help prepare for the day. It was lovely.
Endearing? Okay, I guess. He usually won't even step up to the microphone so I guess the fact that he got there in the first place is a miracle in itself. They did great and I thought it was very smart of you to sit where you were sitting.
Congratulations! Becky, on a job well done. Sounds like all the hard work, worry, and prayers paid off.
Nothing is as sweet as the Primary program. I don't know why we stress so much about it because there just isn't any way they could "mess" it up.
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