Today marks 143 years since primary, the children's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was organized. Sister Camille N. Johnson, General President of the primary, asked on social media today, "What's something you love about primary?" I thought about this for a while and wanted to leave a comment, but I couldn't really consolidate my thoughts into a small Facebook remark, so I decided to write a blog post about primary instead.
First, let's start with my own history of primary participation. My “primary resume,” if you will.
I attended primary as a young child, but then from age 6-12, my attendance was minimal. I started becoming active in the Church again when I was 14 and out of primary.
Right after Scotty and I got married (I was 19), we were called to be primary teachers, but not in the same class. I hated the calling with a passion! I was so miserable. We only served in primary for about three months before we decided on a whim to move.
When I was 27, Scotty and I subbed in nursery (the primary class for children ages 18 mos - three years). We were just covering while they found new nursery leaders, but everyone just kind of forgot that we weren't actually the nursery leaders, and they left us there for six months. We didn't mind. During that time, I was serving in a stake calling, and I knew I was going to be released soon. One day at church, I was watching a little boy in sacrament meeting, and he was being a little naughty. He had a stream of gooey green boogers trailing from his nose to his mouth, which he kept sticking his tongue in. Instead of being totally grossed out, I watched this little guy and felt an overwhelming sense of love toward him, and I thought, "By golly! I'm going to primary!"
I ended up being called as the second counselor in the primary. A few months later, our presidency was reorganized, and I was called to be the first counselor to the new president. One year later, I was called to be the president. I am always thankful to the Lord that He allowed me these baby steps toward being the president rather than just throwing me to the wolves. I served as primary president for just over two years.
During my time in the presidency (as a counselor and as president) I had two babies - Zoe and Eva. Zoe has been in primary her whole life. She was raised in the back of the primary room until she was old enough to go to nursery. Scotty was a primary teacher, so we tag teamed with Zoe. Then I was released shortly after Eva was born.
A while later, Scotty and I subbed in a primary class of four-year-olds for a few months.
My most recent primary gig is my current calling as primary music leader, where I have been serving for just over three years. Each Sunday, I present a twenty minute "singing time" to the kids ages 3-11, and then I do a ten minute singing session with the nursery. I wasn't thrilled about this opportunity when it first came, but now I love it!
And that is a quick run-down of my involvement in primary!
Primary is currently where my heart resides because that is where I’m serving. It's a challenge to work with children, but it's also a great joy. Phases of life have a lot to do with it. Sometimes, as a mother, primary is the easiest place to serve. Other times, it's the hardest. When I was called to be the music leader, I hadn't yet recovered from being the president, and the thought of having to be with my kids through three hours of church was painful. Luckily, the big move to two-hour church happened after my first year as music leader. It has been such a positive change (although I was opposed to it initially).
While I was wrestling with my hesitancy to serve as primary music leader, I felt a promise from the Spirit that I would be immensely blessed if I would serve in this calling - specifically that I would have an increased musical ability. I have found this to be true. Not only have I been blessed with musical talents I didn’t previously have, I have also been blessed with increased patience and creativity. Just last week these blessings were manifested while the kids were having a bit of a rough week, and I found myself feeling very calm and capable of handling it. I didn’t get annoyed or frustrated, as is my nature.
One of the joys of serving in primary is that the kids will amaze you, surprise you, and have you cracking up. Here are a few of my favorite primary happenings:
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Back when we still did “sharing time” (a short gospel-centered lesson), the teacher asked “How to you get to heaven?” A child raised her hand and said, matter-of-factly, “You die.”
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That same teacher once asked, “What happens when we hide our light under a bushel?” A kid responded, “The bushel catches on fire!”
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On the 4th of July, a member of the bishopric came to primary and asked, “What do you love about the 4th of July?”
The answers included:
“Fireworks.”
“Fireworks that go up in the sky.”
“Fireworks that spin on the ground.”
“Staying up late to watch fireworks.”
I hope he wasn’t expecting any answers beyond fireworks!
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A few weeks ago we were going to sing “Do as I’m Doing,” and I invited a child to the front of the room to choose what action we would do. He suddenly folded over into a backbend.
We did not “do as he was doing,” but I respect his efforts!
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A little six-year-old boy was getting new church shoes from Amazon, and he was counting down the days til they were delivered. He told me three times that week how many days were left until he got his new church shoes. Then on the day he finally got to wear his church shoes, he walked into the chapel beaming from ear to ear, then stuck his foot out and circled his ankle to show me his flashy kicks. Then he wanted to show everyone in primary, so I let him come to the front of the room to show off his new shoes.
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A few weeks ago I held up a picture of Joseph Smith and asked the kids if they could tell me who it was. “The Greatest Showman” was their answer. Pretty sure that’s what they said last year, too.
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One little guy I refer to as my “heckler.” He’s always hollering at me during singing time, “WHY DO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO SING THIS SONG?” “THIS SONG AGAIN?” “WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT TO US?” He heckles me to no end sometimes, but then when I see him outside of primary, he is the most loving child and is always so happy to see me.
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Some of the kids call me just be my last name. My favorite is a little girl who walks past my house all the time and says, “Hey, what’s up, Brittish?” This same girl asks every year at Christmas time if we can sing, “Mary, Did You Know?” by Pentatonix (she specifies “by Pentatonix”).
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Primary can be exhausting and sometimes, as a primary leader or teacher, you can feel quite isolated from the rest of the ward, but nowhere else in the church will you laugh so hard or feel the same kind of Spirit as you do in primary. The most rewarding part is when the kids demonstrate that they have actually listened, and that they “get it.” Or when they when they fall in love with a primary song, and they sing their little hearts out.
If I were to answer Sister Johnson’s question of “What’s something you love about primary?” my answer would probably include the following:
-I love experiencing the gospel through the perspective of children
-I enjoy witnessing the children’s testimonies develop and grow
-I appreciate a good laugh
-I love the ways that I have grown personally through serving in primary
So Happy Birthday, primary! I’m glad I can play a small part in those 143 years.
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