The first week I came to primary, we had three classes without teachers. No substitutes had been called, the presidency had not been notified. So one of the counselors and I sat down with the CTR4 A and B classes. Caleb is in the B class.
When the call to work in primary had been extended, I had a moment of mild panic, imagining myself being mauled by children every Sunday for two hours. I couldn't help but imagining all those young hands, noses, and mouths, and the traffic between those three and everything else within reach. But, I told myself, I will be the secretary. My job is to be organized, right? Not teach... right? OK... I said. No problem. I can handle that.
So Summer and I sat down in strategic positions between the noisiest, most boisterous children whose teachers hadn't shown. It wasn't long before my lap was occupied by a blond little princess in purple chiffon. As I had sat down next to this lovely creature just moments before she plopped herself in my lap, she had been digging ferociously in her delicate nose with a delicate finger. Resigned, I thought to myself, "And so it begins..."
It turns out that was the worst moment of the morning. Coming in a close second was the enthusiastic but rather grating "singing" of a young lady directly behind and to one side of me. I could find no position, and I tried, where her voice didn't hurt my ears. But, at the end of the two hours, I was surprised to find I had actually enjoyed myself.
And since then, it's only gotten better. At our presidency meeting, we discussed children and families who are in particular need of help. At a training meet on Sunday evening, the emphasis was on loving the children. And I found myself all the more excited to be part of it all. Children are irritating sometimes, yes. But I was a kid once, too. And these kids... they'll all be adults one day who will be trying to figure life out just like I am. That journey has already begun, and I'm part of the effort to guide them, to love them, to teach them and support them. That's a humbling prospect. It's one that I'm more and more honored to be a part of. Just like being a good parent, maybe being in primary, or any other calling in the church is primarily about love.
2 comments:
This job is good for you.
last year I was called to be the first counselor in our primary presidency. I have never served in primary before and there I was being asked to assume a leadership position. Panic is too mild a word for what I felt. I can completely relate to this post. And it does become almost second nature after a while. Almost.
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