Liken the scriptures unto us

Last week during our family scripture study one of my sons asked, "How come miracles don't happen to us like they did in the scriptures?"  This gave me a chance to explain some of the recent blessings our family has received.  I proceeded to tell him that some miracles are dramatic like are shown to us in the scriptures, but most are very simple such as when our washing machine broke down and our neighbor helped us fix it, or when we were in need of some money and someone that owed us money, out of the blue, shows up on the doorstep with cash in hand.  

Children need to be taught that the scriptures are for them.  They need to know that they can learn things from the scriptures and that the scriptures do apply to their life.  It is our job as teachers to help them relate the scriptures to their world at home and at school.  Reading a scripture story is good, but great teachers will expand on the story so, the children in their class will feel like the gospel of Jesus Christ is for them, and not just for the people back in the "olden days".  

Autumn McClellan

Second Counselor

Arlington Stake Primary

Dare to Do

"President Monson taught that we should love everyone and learn to see how we can help them." (The Savior's Call to Serve)

I was reminded of an experience this morning.  On the Sunday of our ward conference my boys decided it would be funny to sit in the very front row of the chapel.  Normally, we sit on the very back row because well, my kids can be a little noisy.  They ran in first and I came in and sat on our row.  Pretty soon I am thinking, where are my kids, and there they were front and center.  I tried to talk them into sitting in the back, but they were not budging.  My husband and I caved to their will and sat in the front row.  I thought this would be sheer torture, but guess what it wasn't that bad.  I made it through one Sunday sitting in the front row.  I ventured out of my comfort zone.  The next Sunday we were back in our comfort zone, but I learned it is okay to step out once in awhile.  

I would encourage you to step out of your comfort zone on occasion.  Say Hello to someone new.  Send a note to a child you have not seen in awhile.  If you feel the spirit prompting you, go and bring them some cookies and let them know you miss their family at church.  Talk to the parents and find out if there is anything you can do for them.  What is the worst thing that can happen?  All they can say is "No".  Love that family until they come back and keep loving them so they want to stay.  Be bold, and be brave, the Lord will help you.  

"The Lord will not permit us to fail if we do our part.  He will magnify us even beyond our own talents and abilities...It is one of the sweetest experiences that can come to a human being."  Ezra Taft Benson

Autumn McClellan

Second Counselor

Arlington Stake Primary

Activity Day Camp 2012

Saturday August 4th was our Stake Activities Days Day Camp.  The camp was for all girls ages 8-11 in the stake and their friends.  We had 70 girls pre-register.  It was held at Cascade Park.  The primary theme for 2012 is "Choose the Right".  We tweaked that theme to "Choose the Light" for our camp.  We chose a day that turned out being the first day over 80 degrees in 11 months.  It ended up being the hottest day in the Puget Sound since 2010!  We were all really feeling the heat!  The camp had a slip and slide right next to our area.  I bet a lot of girls were wishing we'd chosen that as one of our classes.

We used the first half hour, when we knew girls would still be arriving, as a campfire.  We asked our older daughters who were one day back from girls' camp to teach the younger girls songs.  We'd planned on having a campfire but the day was already so warm at 9:00 am that although the wood and cardboard was ready to go, we chose to not light it.  This photo was taken at 9:10.  It's a good thing we allowed for a long start since you can see not very many girls were there yet!

Lydia Yancey, Elizabeth Dickson, Anastaya Dickson, Rae Lee Yancey, Tony Nieman

After our campfire, the girls got into their groups.  We'd divided out the girls so that each group had a mix of ages and wards.  Each group received the same color t-shirt to wear.  The first thing they did was decorate a flag for their group to carry around.  Then they rotated through 6, 45 minute classes.

The six classes were:

"Sharing the light"

Sister Mary Levesque helped with the class.

A service project for Cascade Park.  The girls got to ride in this trailer to the area where they were watering trees.

"Follow the Light"

Sister Heather Griffin taught the class.

The girls used GPS devices to do a treasure hunt.  They learned how the scriptures act as a compass or GPS in our lives, giving us direction.

"Shoot for the Light"

Brothers Bill Colburn and Steve Edmonds kept the girls safe.

The girls got some BB Gun instruction and got to learn how they need to set goals and aim for them.

"Shining Examples"

Sisters Tamara and Shelby Hintze did a wonderful job teaching this class.  

They began by sharing with the girls how many different types of light are like the savior.  Then the girls got to make a craft.

The girls made these glow in the dark "lanterns".

They filled them with scripture verses about light.  

They were told when they saw their lantern glowing, it was their reminder to take a scripture out and read it.

"Choose the Right"

taught by Lisa Johnson

The girls played several different games.  In this game, they had to make it across the field stepping only on the paper plates. Each girl had one paper plate and they needed to pass them forward as they went.  They also played Twister and with a large cage ball.  As the day heated up, later groups opted to go down to the river and dip their feet in to cool off.

"Beacons of Light"

taught by Ron and Betty Olcott

A cooking class where they made bannock (biscuit on a stick) and rolled it in butter, cinnamon and sugar.  They also talked about how temples are beacons of light and bring nourishment to our souls.

Enjoying lunch.  Our high council member over Primary, Alan Pehrson, organized some helpers to prepare  BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, veggies, and watermelon.  The girls sat at tables that coordinated with their t-shirts.

hard at work prepping lunch

We had three riddles the girls could solve.  If they solved them, they got a kiss (Hershey's)

Can you solve them?

Easy:

I can not exist without light, but when light lands on me, I take flight.

What am I?

Medium:

A REBUS, also known as “Frame Game” or “Word Picture Puzzle”, is a picture representation of a name, word, or phrase. Each "rebus" puzzle portrays a common word or phrase.

Can you guess what it is?

Knee

Light

Hard:

You live in a three story building. In the cellar there are three light switches, in the attic there are three responsive lights. You have to find out which switch belongs to which light.

There are a few restrictions though: You can't see anything at the outside from the cellar where the switches are. You are alone, normal, human, etc. You do know however that from the beginning all the switches are in the "off" mode. You can only go up once to check the lights in the attic. Then you are allowed to go down to the cellar and you must know which light switch belongs to which light! 

Good luck!

We gave each of our leaders a thank you treat.  The warm weather meant eating the chocolate was more like eating go-gurt.  The label said, 

Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify to your Father which is in the heaven.”

Thank you for sharing the light of your testimony with the girls at Activity Day Camp 2012.

Closing ceremony

Giving their group cheer at the closing ceremony

Our opportunity to serve

"Are you ever guilty of murmuring when a calling comes to you? Or do you accept with thanksgiving each opportunity to serve your brothers and sisters, knowing that our Heavenly Father will bless those whom He calls?  May we ever remember that the mantle of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a cloak of comfort but rather a robe of responsibility. Our duty, in addition to saving ourselves, is to guide others to the celestial kingdom of God."  Thomas S.  Monson (The Saviors Call to Serve)

What a wonderful opportunity you have to serve in primary.  Jesus loved the little children and you have been called to teach them and love them as He did.  

Elder M.  Russel Ballard (Teaching No Greater Call) said, "Clearly, those of us who have been entrusted with precious children have been given a sacred, noble stewardship, for we are the ones God has appointed to encircle today's children with love and the fire of faith and an understanding of who they are."  

*  Teach them correct doctrine simply and clearly

*  Teach them that the peace , love, and warmth they feel at primary come from the Holy Ghost and are the beginnings of their testimony.  

*  Help them understand the gospel and how it applies in their world, home, and family.  

*  Teach with variety and ask, what will the children do to learn and how can I help them feel the Spirit?  

Cherish your calling in primary.  You receive special blessings as you teach children.  You have an opportunity to learn the gospel in its simplicity when you give lessons and the spirit will testify to you and the children that these simple principles are true.  Remember when you study and pray about each lesson you will be  prepared and the Spirit will be with you.  When you teach with the Spirit you guide others to the Celestial Kingdom.  I know I feel the Spirit each time I come to your primary.  I know you love the Lord.  

Autumn McClellan

Arlington Stake Primary

2nd Counselor

Pioneer Heritage

I found this little article on lds.org and thought it fitting for this week.

More than a century has passed since tens of thousands of pioneers sailed across oceans to heed a prophet’s call to gather to Zion. They left family and friends; they pulled handcarts across the plains; they grew a city out of a desert. Most important, the pioneers left a legacy of perseverance, faith, and sacrifice.

Today most members are not asked to make the same physical sacrifices as the pioneers, but Saints in every nation can be “pioneers all,” President Thomas S. Monson has said, as they meet suffering with courage, inspire faith in others, and do hard things that are necessary to gain eternal salvation and build the kingdom of God on earth (“Pioneers All,” Ensign, May 1997, 93).

In a conference address titled “Modern Pioneers,” Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles paid tribute to the “rank and file” members of the Church who “face hardships, overcome obstacles, and follow the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ as valiantly as the pioneers of any age.”

Thank you Sisters for being pioneers and teaching the sweet children of our Stake, they will learn to be pioneers through your example.

Happy Pioneer Day!

Michelle Nieman

1st Counselor

Arlington Stake Primary

Weekly Teaching moment: Teaching children the Doctrine

Here is a quote that I love from Sister Wixom

“The world will teach our children if we do not, and children are capable of learning all the world will teach them at a very young age. What we want them to know five years from now needs to be part of our conversation with them today. Teach them in every circumstance; let every dilemma, every consequence, every trial that they may face provide an opportunity to teach them how to hold on to gospel truths.”

—Rosemary M. Wixom, “Stay on the Path,” October 2010 general conference

I found this page on lds.org when looking for information on how to best teach children the gospel. I thought it was wonderful and gives great ideas to reach every learner and help them put the gospel into practice in their own lives.

Ideas  to Help Children Identify the Doctrine

IDEA	EXPLANATION
State It	Ask the children to state the doctrine.
Write It	Write the doctrine on the chalkboard.
Scramble It	Scramble the words of the doctrine. Ask the children to arrange the words so they make sense.

Ideas to Help Children Understand the Doctrine

IDEA	EXPLANATION
Discuss the Doctrine	Have children search scripture passages or quotations of latter-day prophets and discuss what they learn about the doctrine.
Look for Answers	Invite the children to look in the scriptures and teachings of latter-day prophets for answers to questions about the doctrine.
Make a List	Have children search the scriptures and teachings of latter-day prophets and then make a list of what they have learned about the doctrine.

Ideas to Help Children Share the Doctrine

IDEA	EXPLANATION
Music Games	Have the children pass an object around the room as they sing. Randomly stop the music. Whoever is holding the object shares an application. This will keep everyone thinking of an application they might share.
Dramatizations	Have some of the children role-play an application of the doctrine, and the rest of the children guess what they are doing.
Visual Reminders	Make a paper chain. Make road signs. Make class banners. Make salt dough figures. Draw a picture. Make bookmarks.

Thank you sisters for all you and your teachers do to love and serve the sweet children of our Stake.

Michelle Nieman

1st. Counselor 

Arlington Stake Primary

Weekly Teaching Moment: Selfless Service

I found this profound quote this week in my studies.  It helps me focus on what is most important.  “You wonderful sisters render compassionate service to others for reasons that supersede desires for personal benefits.  In this you emulate the Savior, who, though a king, did not seek position, nor was he concerned about whether others noticed Him.  He did not bother to compete with others.  His thoughts were always tuned to help others.  He taught, healed, conversed with, and listened to others.  He knew that greatness had little to do with outward signs of prosperity or position.  He taught and lived by this doctrine. ‘He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.’”  Dieter F. Utchdorf (Daughters In My Kingdom)

“The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”  William Arthur Ward.  The Savior, our greatest teacher, inspires us with His selfless example of love and service.

Thank you! You wonderful sisters for your examples of selfless service-

Love, Tanya  Yancey

Arlington Stake Primary President