Today was our first attempt practicing our upcoming primary program, so now I am sweaty and exhausted and my mind is spinning because I need to try to rework the seating chart again!
I have spent many hours on this chart and am rather proud of it, but it's still a logistical nightmare because the tall kids have gotten taller and the small kids seem to be smaller this year, so making sure everyone can be seen is a huge challenge. But even with all the work and frustrations involved with getting this put together, I am overwhelmingly grateful for primary. I feel the Spirit there every week as we sing wonderful songs and teach the kids the gospel.
Our music leader (who is awesome) has a son and a daughter on missions in Germany right now and she often tells us interesting stories about them. Her daughter recently wrote home and said that she was facing the challenge of teaching a Chinese woman living in Germany the gospel, and that she started by teaching her the primary songs! Songs like "I Am A Child of God", "I Lived in Heaven", and "Families Can Be Together Forever" teach the gospel simply and with music...I thought this was a brilliant idea!
**Thoughts??**
Comment Window Tidbit: I caved (easily) and took a delicious Sunday nap. I just had to after yesterday's crazy rodeo day and today's program practice, I was physically spent. I hope I will still be able to sleep tonight!
25 comments:
Actually I have several thoughts on this post, Jill!
1. You have a lot of men teaching in your primary. That's incredible.
2. It's cute to see that little girl on the first row posing/smiling for the picture.
3. That is so true about the basic doctrines of the Church being incorporated in the Primary songs. What an incredible way to transcend a language barrier. I hadn't ever thought of how powerfully they could actually teach the gospel. I had thought of them as reenforcements, but not as the primary source. And yet, we start the kids in nursery on the songs, I guess I should have known how powerfully they could teach.
4. I have missed a Primary program for a few years while we've been serving in the singles' ward. I appreciate the hard work you and others in your position across the world put into it. Happy sweating. It's worth it.
What a wonderful story about your music leader!
All of the time you have put into the program doing that chart is impressive. I'm sure it will be a success!
My legs would be sore after all that too! It rained here AGAIN today so all we did was church and then Wal-Mart and I rather enjoyed another low key day. Oh, and I am hooked on Here Be Dragons as of today. The 1st 200 pages were slow going but I'm into it now, esp. with all of this rainy time inside-although I have had enough of the "mounting the mare and prolonging the ride" talk.
I can't get over how big your primary is! Must be Utah eh?
I love primary for the simple yet straight forward ways they have of teaching. Today we had regional stake conference with a broadcast presided over by President Monson.
It was interesting to me how Russell M. Nelson had his grandchildren and the primary children stand and sing Follow the Prophet as a pre-cursor into his talk.
I just love primary. Good luck on your program!
Your seating chart is amazing! I agree with Jane, all the sweating and prep work is worth it once the kids are seen by their parents and the congregation.
I love the spirit that the program brings each year. Last night at our adult stake conference meeting 3 primary songs were sung and they teach and testify of the Savior in such a powerful way. I love so many songs because they describe my testimony and my tender feelings.
Hey Jane, 18 of 28 teachers in our primary are men! We have 2 teachers for every class so it's either 2 men or 2 women or a married couple, but that means we use lots of men. They do a great job and are total softies with the kids!
I am in the nursery so I get sweaty every single week. Our primary program is next week and I'm so excited for it. It's the best Sacrament meeting of the year. I know it's a ton of work, and stuff like seating doesn't just work itself out even though people don't always notice it! Good job!
I caved too and slept for 3 HOURS today!! Hope you can sleep tonight!
I remember the days of planning the program and the seating. Seating is a HUGE job with as many kids as you have! Wow.
The best part about the CSMP is that no matter what happens on that Sunday, it will be great because its the kids and they are so cute and sweet. So no sweat ;) It'll turn out great!
I'm so impressed you take the time to work out a seating chart like that. I was substituting my son's class today as we practiced for the program and our ward basically just sends classes to different sections and they don't give a rip if someone can't be seen.
Luckily for me, my kids are still small so they are near the front.
I, too, am impressed with the number of men in primary in your ward.
Our program is next week and I can't wait.
... forgot to add... I have a huge testimony of the power of Primary Music. It teaches the gospel, it invites the Spirit, and we remember it our entire lives. I often think of my brother in law who left the church as soon as he left for college 20 years ago... but I bet he remembers the words to I am a Child of God and the truths taught in there!
Wow, that seating chart is amazing. Really, I hope you post that on Sugardoodle. Could anyone copy it and edit for their own Primary? All your work should not be wasted. I can't count how many different versions we went through for our program last year. We would have loved to have had a template to work with!
That's a cool story about the missionaries. I remember singing a lot on my mission (which is funny b/c I can't sing at all, but luckily Thai people are kinda tone deaf due to the tonal language- ha) Anyway, we sang those songs a lot. I definitely feel the spirit strongest through music.
Oh a nap sounds delicious!
I agree with Robyn - post your seating chart idea on Sugardoodle. It's the only way to approach such an event - gotta know where the littles will be.
I LOVE the Primary Program! I only have one little in Primary now -sob- I think it is the best time to invite neighbors and friends to church. You cannot help but love the simplicity of the littles and their great testimonies through song!
Loved the idea of singing to feel the Spirit and to testify on your mission! Love, music and the gospel have no boundries...
Happy Sleeping...
I know what you mean about the little kids being seen. So for our program last year, we placed small chairs behind the half wall (the one that separates the stand from the congregation) on either side of the pulpit. Not good! Our sweet little ones had their arms hanging over the wall laying their heads down on the wall, squirming around. It was kind of funny, but too distracting. Oh what to do?
I love primary songs to teach the gospel. I can't tell you how many times singing time reinforces what was taught in sharing time, and we didn't coordinate with the music leader. It's a testimony that the Gospel is true!
Good luck with your program. Ours is in one month. (with no little ones in small chairs!)
I avoided a Sunday nap because my Saturday nap wrecked havoc with sleeping last night.
Your chart is the prettiest primary presentation seating chart I've ever seen.
Ok---that is the best seating chart I have ever seen! We are getting ready for our program too (Sept 27th)---can't wait. I love primary too and get warm fuzzies every week. I don't get it when I hear people feel spiritually "malnurished" when serving in the primary. I just love it!
Jill you are amazing! I've never seen someone that has so much love for their calling. Those kids are so lucky to have you! Do you want to move into my ward??
That chart looks fantastic!!!
PS-Congrats on going to Paris. I can't wait to read your Paris's posts!
How did you make that awesome seating chart?? Totally impressive. I love how dedicated you are to your calling.
The only time I felt the Spirit at all at church yesterday was when singing the Primary songs. Thank heavens for those songs!
I took a two hour nap yesterday and it was glorious. I couldn't sleep until 3:30, but I think it was due more to the fact that I had to take Excedrin right before bed. Usually naps don't interfere with my nighttime sleep at all.
We just had our program yesterday and I am so happy it is done! That is a very impressive seating chart. We had wrote ours out but we had everyone sit as families since that was the whole theme and we had them go up and speak as families. It worked out really well. I do love primary songs. We had our kids singe the baptism song accaupela and it was so pretty.
The primary program is seriously one of the best sundays of the year.. but also one of the biggest miracles of the year! It is a huge task that always comes off looking like a breeze.
Ours is in two weeks & I can't wait- I also CANNOT believe I only have one kid in it??
I spent a few weeks this last summer playing the piano in primary, and those weeks were some of my favorites. I love singing and playing the primary songs, and I felt so much love and appreciation for the children after spending just a little time with them. Primary children and their annual programs are definitely something that I miss now that I'm back in a student ward.
Primary makes me HAPPY!
I am going to tell our music leader to relate the story of the primary songs as missionary tools! I can't wait for our kids to hear this!
We're practicing for the program also, and I agree that it is EXHAUSTING. I was wasted when i got home.
I am SERIOUSLY impressed by your seating chart. You have now given me an inferiority complex.
Your primary chart is FABULOUS!!!! I have been working on our seating chart as well...but it is nothing campared to this! Wow!
Love your chart! I just recently got called to do the music and I LOVE IT. Church goes by so fast- and I just love being in with the kids in primary and nursery. It really is the best calling for me right now. But- I am a little nervous about our program. I am feeling way behind in teaching the songs- and wondering how in the world to teach/motivate these kids to get into it. We have a smallish primary so there is not a lot of umph to our music.
That chart makes me so happy. It's so cool!
Something about Primary is so fulfilling. Every week I leave nursery I feel like I've actually done something good and made a definite mark in someone's life.
Good heavens, what a huge Primary you have! That is truly an awesome seating chart. Did you have to write the program for your ward as well? No wonder you were exhausted after trying to keep all those little bodies focused during rehearsal!
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