Beneath the Wraps

The primary program was today.  Definitely the earliest time ever - especially with this ward.  The song leader, pianist, primary president and one of her counselors were on the stage along with the ten children who make up the primary.  It was fun watching Jenna sing along with as much as she was able. I am not the only one who has seemed to lose track of this month.  Each third Sunday there is a linger longer - but not today.  It was announced in the program, but evidently we were not the only ones who had forgotten.   I had gone out to the car to put my bag in the trunk and Jenna came out before I had the opportunity of returning to the building.  Jenna LOVES linger longer but told me that it had been cancelled.  Tough break.  I should have retrieved my camera from the trunk, but did not - otherwise I'd be sharing a picture of the seven turkeys I had to wait to cross the road before I continued on my drive. taken 09/...

     I remember one Mother's Day when the primary children were on the stage singing various songs.   One was LoveIs Spoken Here , a song that is done in two parts.   After the primary children finished up with the first verse, the members of the priesthood stood up and sang the second part.   It touched my heart and my eyes started leaking.   It was so awesome hearing them sing together.   I wondered if I would ever be awed like that again.               Today, toward the end of the program, the audience was asked to sing the second part of A Child's Prayer .   I thought the request was a bit odd as it doesn't even seem that the majority of the congregation would even know it.   And as our chorister was having such a hard time with teaching the song, how did the leaders think it was possibly going to connect?          ...

          Primary programs seem necessary, but I loathe practicing for them.   I always have. As a child, my primary day was on Thursday right after school.   I was then a part of the Midvale East 4th ward.   I can remember on days when it would snow, an announcement would go over the intercom: there will be no primary for such and such a ward.   Never did they announce Midvale East 4th would be cancelled - not even once!   And some days we were faced with more severe snow!   I did not appreciate nor understand it at the time.   I have since thanked my former primary president for her love and devotion.           However, practicing for the primary program, for me, was worse than crossing the street in the snow.   Though I do enjoy singing, I did not enjoy practicing them or keeping still or staying reverent while others took their turns. I would actually play hooky from pr...

         I don’t know if I had met Kelly prior to the being called to serve on the activities committee.  The first activity I remember being involved with was a “food storage/budgeting made-fun activity” Kelly played Betty Barker and I became the emcee who drew the names of contestants and invited them to “come on down”.          Even then she was struggling with the Church and her family life – desiring to connect the two but feeling torn with her beliefs.  Her husband showed no sign of ever wanting to be involved with the Church or even anybody who belonged to it.  Perhaps Kelly wasn’t even active when they met but gradually came around with a desire for having God and direction in her life – perhaps not necessarily the “Mormon Church”          That was five years ago.  And she continues to battle with herself and her maintaini...

        Many of us have sat through primary programs that have had participants who would never make it to poster child for illustrating reverence.  Sometimes we laugh at the misfortunes; some roll their eyes and come up with all the answers for how to discipline.  Some parents take it with a grain of salt.  Some are mortified and embarrassed.  I don’t remember Jenna being so ill mannered in our last ward, but she was making faces during the program last year. This year she displayed her fidgety fingers as she bit her nails (while waiting in line at the pulpit) and fussed over her hair band and seemed to create a different hairstyle with each adjustment.  The hair band fell off her head as they stood up to perform one of the songs.  She did sing, but frantically looked all around to see where it had gone.  Jenna’s among the tallest girl – if not the tallest – which made it more obvious. Still not as bad as my bro...