Never Done

So obviously we are never done learning and even worse is that the older I get the more I forget so I have a really long way to go!
I think the majority of people try to avoid as much as they can when it comes to scouting.  Im not sure if people avoid it because if you know anything about scouting it becomes your eternal calling or if people avoid it simply because they don't understanding what scouting really does for boys.
I can honestly say I fit in both of the above categories.  I was thankful when we started scouting that my boys are so close together because we could get scouting done asap.
Well...in a round about way I am become very involved in scouting.  I attended 5 pack meetings in the past two weeks and I have created all kinds of chaos in our stake about the cub programs.
---Why can't I just coast in my calling and not make waves!!!! (I blame my parents)
After 5 pack meetings, hours of meetings and countless emails I have got myself mixed up in all kinds of cub scouting programs.  Sigh, I just hope we can get all our leaders trained so that our 8-11 boys have a fantastic experience in scouting.

Until I started my blog I didn't realize the time commitment and focus I have spent on the 8-11 year olds recently.  This past week was our stake activity days program.

Let me just say, primary is the best calling!  It is exhausting but the rewards far out way the time and effort.  

I have received a lot of feed back today about the activity and it was a great success.  Our theme this year was Anchoring your life to the Savior.  As a presidency we are trying to stress the importance of helping the primary kids work on and achieve their Faith in God.  We pray that each child will graduate from primary with a testimony of their Savior Jesus Christ.  "That they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  John 17:3

We had 3 activities set up:

1. A game set up with questions where all of the girls had to go around in their group and ask questions to each other and get to know each other better.  This was an example of just how well we "know" our friends and we get to know new people.  We taught that we need to get to know our Savior better than any one else.  We discussed ways in which the girls could come to know the Savior.

2. We had a scripture hunt where a list of scriptures were compiled that hopefully will help answer important questions the girls may have in their lives.  We wanted the kids to be able to personally apply the scriptures to their lives.

3. The girls made "Stomp Books"  These are books that are a combination of a journal, scrapbooking and a keep sake book.  

All of the activities helped in fulfilling different portions of the activities in the Faith in God book.  We gave the girls a list of those requirements and encouraged them to go home and complete the remaining requirements.

We also had 2 young women in the stake come and share their personal testimony and experiences about what the scriptures mean in their lives.

Each girl received a sugar cookie shaped like and anchor and a little bracelet with an anchor charm on it to remind them to Anchor themselves to Christ.  

We had over 60 girls attend but we were short around 20- 25 girls in the stake.  It was exciting to see so many new faces from recent move ins within the stake and we were very excited to have a couple of girls attend that were not LDS but have been fellowshipped by the activity day girls.  

It is truly an honor to work with these pure and innocent children of our Heavenly Father.  I am so thankful for this calling and for the overwhelming love and joy I feel for each of the children in the Stake.

 

We had our 2nd to last ward conference yesterday.  I must admit...overall we have some great primary teachers in the stake BUT I can't believe what some kids have to go through weekly with a few teachers within the stake.  I went to a primary class yesterday and after 10 mins of watching sunbeams run around like wild animals (they were literally pretending to be wild animals) and watching the teachers barely contain their anger (I believe they contained themselves because I was there) I took over the class.  I never have taken over a class like I did yesterday but there was no way anyone was going to survive an hour of what was happening.  After I took over the class it was a blast.  The teachers learned a lot and were applying the things I had taught the kids by the end of class.  All the children invited me to their house after class to play.  I LOVE SUNBEAMS!

The question is...how am I going to reach those teachers that need the extra training.  I know that is what the ward presidencies are for but I think that if it is working just put your head down and run is the attitude most take.  (Good, Better, Best)

To finish off a wonderfully busy and uplifting week we had and outstanding young men/women fireside last night.  They invited a 70 named Chris Monday (Im sure I didn't spell his name right).  He is from england.  He was called as a stake president at the age of 30!  He was an amazing speaker, even Avram had to admit it was good.  

February is almost over

Even my kids are saying that time is going by so fast.  I never remember the days going by quickly when I was in the school year but summers alway flew by.  

Valentines day came and went.  We had a double date at our house and watched a movie.  They brought their kids and it was a big party.

This time of year is very busy with my church calling.  We are in ward conferences so I am busy visiting other wards and I have a lot of meetings.

I spent 1 1/2 yrs as a counselor in the Stake primary presidency and I now have spent 1 1/2 years as the Stake primary president.  I am on my 6th high counselor and I have been in the stake as long as the longest high counselor.  I guess the thing that is weighing on me is that when I entered the primary presidency we spent several months training primary presidencies.  Every primary presidency was replaced within the first 6 months of my service.  I am now watching those ward primary presidency begin to change.  I have learned to love these women and the gifts and talents they use to fulfill their callings.  I will be sad that I can't serve with these women any longer and because they are in different wards then me I don't see them much.  

I am extremely thankful for the opportunity I have to serve the children in the stake.  It is so rewarding to go sit with each of the primaries and feel the love that naturally radiates from them. 

life is always busy as mom.  Ila has recently lost her front two bottom teeth.  I actually got sad when that first tooth came out because it made me realize that Ila is growing up faster then I want.   

 Luckily two teeth were already gone when Ila fell and hit her chin.  She had a tooth go threw her lip. We thought she was going to need a couple of stitches but we iced it well and put some super glue on it.  It was amazing how quickly her lip healed.

Suessical the Musical

This week we spent every night at Brighams play performances.  Briggs tried out for this play last May.  The director has had them practice once a week since school started.  January was a tough month because they spent many hours at practice each week.  This was something that is out side of Briggs comfort zone.  Im so impressed that he worked so hard and did this.  

 It was so cute seeing Briggs face when he finally spotted us in the crowd.  He would get a big smile on stage.  It just melted my heart watching him on stage.  I think it took 3 nights of seeing him perform before I stopped crying.  It was so cute seeing him on stage, each night he got a little more comfortable and let loose a little more.
One night I turned to Avram and said, "Isn't Briggs doing a good job?"  Avram answered, "he's not acting any different than he does at home."

 Im not being biased when I say Briggs was the best whickersham brother (monkey) on stage.  He was so cute dancing on stage.  He would often get carried away and pulled back into his spot my another monkey.

 Im so thankful for the family that came to support Briggs.  Dennis and Cheri came and watched his play, Nicholle and her boys, and Crystal and her family.  We had a big group of Briggs neighborhood friends come one night.  They all said, "Briggs is the best monkey."
I doubt many of seen briggs dance but he's got some moves!

Im kind of sad the play is over but after going every night last week we are all exhausted.