May Music Moment

I have been so blessed lately. In December, I had the opportunity to work with your Primary children to present music at our Stake Nativity Festival. Through March and into April, I had the opportunity to assist the children in presenting music for Stake Conference. The children are so good, and I want to take this opportunity to say "Thank You" for the lessons that you have taught them. We couldn't have accomplished these wonderful events without you.

You helped me from day one. Some you were my sounding board as I tried to figure out how to organize an entire stake's worth of children. Thank you.

You accepted the challenge to add one, two, or more songs to your already full schedules in Sharing Time and Singing Time. Thank you.

You show up every Sunday with smiles and love. Thank you.

As I think about these wonderful people that we work with in Primary, I am so grateful that you said yes: you accepted your calling. Thank you. You may have accepted it with full confidence in the talents that you have been blessed with and the talents you have developed. Or you may have accepted your calling with trepidation, unsure about the talents that you have been blessed with and unsure whether your development was up to a weekly presentation. Thank you.

I encourage you to think about your music partner. Often, when we are first given the opportunity to work together, we accommodate the needs of the other, because they are fresh in our minds. But as time goes along, we will naturally slide back to our comfort levels, to our normal routines, and to the level of preparation that works best for us. I encourage you to think about your partner. Are you providing that person enough information to allow them to be most prepared for Sunday? Are you as a music team doing everything that you can do to bring the Spirit and teach the gospel to the children?

I encourage you to take a few minutes next Sunday, or even pick up the phone or send an email this week, and check in with your counterpart. Are you on the same page? Are you providing enough information and enough time? Is there anything that you need to help you be most prepared and ready?

If you are uncomfortable asking for more time, more information, or anything else that you might need to magnify your calling, please talk to your ward or stake primary presidency. You are part of our stewardship, and we want to do everything that we can to help you succeed. Because when you succeed, you share your testimony and your love. And you feel and share God's love with his children. That is the true measure of success.

Sara Hammond

Arlington Stake Primary Music and Nursery Leader

The Strength of Our Youth

I have been amazed lately at the strength of our youth.  At our combined stake women's conference in March I was in awe at our primary age girls.  Again, at Stake Conference at the adult session when a discussion was opened up the youth were not afraid to stand and witness.  Our youth are intelligent and thoughtful.  They are brave and bold.  Our primary children are not afraid to open their mouths and share their experiences and their testimonies.  

Recently, we had the missionaries over and were re-doing our mission plan.  My 9 year old son made a commitment to invite his neighbor friend to scouts and to church.  Did he wait or, think about what he was going to say?  No, he went to school the next day and opened his mouth to invite.  His friend went to scouts that Wednesday.  

President Southworth stated in Stake Conference, "The teacher is the Holy Ghost, open your mouth".  President Flake said, "As the world grows darker, the light of the gospel shines brighter".  I know this to be true.  Jesus was found at the temple at age 12 teaching great men.  Our primary children and youth live the gospel and love it.  They teach me every week.  The gospel and the Spirit can touch every man, woman, and child.  Even a child can speak with the Spirit of God.  Let us be part of the 12th man advantage President Flake was talking about.  Let us assist parents in teaching our children the stories of Jesus and other prophets.  Let us teach them to recognize and feel the Spirit in primary.  Teach them about testimony.  If we are stronger in the gospel, our children will be stronger in the gospel.  In Alma 56:47 it says, "Yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." Those stripling warriors (really just boys) about to face death believed their mothers. "We do not doubt, our mothers knew it", is what they said.  Let us teach the children to trust God.  He has the best plan for us and will always protect His children.  

Autumn McClellan

Arlington Stake Primary President

Hastening His Work

At the Saturday night session of Stake Conference last weekend, President Flake talked to us about hastening His work. He asked some in the congregation to share their missionary efforts. Wonderful stories and thoughts were shared, like one brother hands out pass along cards each time he gets gas. President Flake then asked us at the end of his talk about what message we might take away and again asked some to share their thoughts. There was no way I could speak on the spur of the moment to answer his question, but had I the courage I would have said just one word....preparation. I need to be prepared to share the gospel. Not just carrying pass along cards or Books of Mormon with me, but to prayerfully and spiritually prepare to share the gospel each day. Do I pray for someone to talk to? Do I practice what I'm going to say or sharing my testimony? Do I prepare myself to have the Spirit as a companion so that I might say His words and do His works? Am I willing to be guided by the spirit?

How does this relate to Primary? Well, each week the gospel is shared with the primary children. Each week we are teaching future missionaries, fathers, mothers and church leaders. It seems like it is a part of hastening His work! Each week we must prepare lessons, games, activities and handouts. (pass along cards and Books of Mormon) But do we pray for guidance? Do we practice what we are going to say? Do we prepare ourselves to have the Spirit as a companion to know what say or to do or to know what a specific child might need? Do we have the courage to guided by the spirit even if it means to set the lesson book aside to answer a child's question that may not be in the lesson?

I wonder if it works the other way? Have our the preparations and teaching we do each week in Primary prepared us to share the gospel with friends, neighbors and even strangers!

Thanks,
Elise Simbeck
Arlington Stake Primary
First Counselor

Yoked with His Power

This week I’ve been pondering the various callings in primary, the teaching tips I might want to pass along and Cub Scout or Activity Day ideas I could share. But my thoughts return to one idea-how important our callings are, no matter what the calling is. When we accepted our callings, Heavenly Father entrusted us with a great responsibility. Our efforts in Primary can make THE difference in a child’s life. We are helping parents to give children the tools they need in this life and hopefully we are helping to head them down the right path. My words are not to add a burden or make anyone feel guilty, but to show how much Heavenly Father loves and trusts us and how much faith He has in us.

I also ponder about the one single thing can we do to succeed in our calling. The answer is to come unto Christ. Read your scriptures, say your prayers, attend the temple and take time to be still and listen. When you fill your lamp, your calling becomes easier and it begins to feel more of a blessing than a job to do. Christ said, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30)

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “You come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that you’re not pulling life’s load alone. You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and suddenly your problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter.”

I don't need to pass along activity ideas or teaching tips, because each of us can succeed in our calling when we are yoked with His power!!

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/09/take-my-yoke-upon-you?lang=eng

Elise Simbeck
Arlington Stake Primary
First Counselor

Are we teaching the children to be courageous?

I love General Conference weekend. How blessed we are to have such opportunities to be able to hear the Lords words directly from the mouths of prophet and apostles. One talk that I keep thinking back to was the talk that President Monson gave during the priesthood session on Saturday night. It spoke of being courageous when we are alone as well as in public. Are we courageous to make the right choices when no one else knows except for the Lord? It Are we doing everything to ensure that we are teaching the children to be courageous like the 2,000 Stripling Warriors. Are we teaching them with the spirit so that they know that what they are learning is true like the Stripling Warriors testified of? We live in a wonderful and terrible time; we need to make sure that we are teaching these incredible spirits how to be courageous even in those quiet moments when no one else is looking.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2014/04?cid=HPSU040614654&lang=eng

Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor

Hastening the Work

I have been thinking about how the lord has been hastening the work in our times. Naturally, the most obvious event was the lowering of the missionary age that was announced just short of a year and a half ago. You may ask how this pertains to primary. Elders can leave just 6 years and sisters just 7 years after they graduate from primary. Where are these past, present and future missionaries gaining their strong foundation in the gospel? Where are they learning how to feel the spirit read their scriptures and pray? We hope and pray that all of these missionaries are being raised in a member home where they are having FHE, family and personal prayer and scripture study. Primary should be a wonderful supplement to what the children are learning in their home but for some Primary will be the main place that they gain that strong foundation in the gospel.

Our Heavenly Father loves us very much and wants us to return to live with him again so he has helped our leaders develop great programs in the church that will help build that strong foundation to help us return to him. Some of those programs are YMYW, Seminary, Sacrament meetings, Priesthood, RS, Sunday School, and last but definitely not least is Primary. Here in conjunction with the parents we help these wonderful children gain the foundation that they will need to make it through their second estate. How blessed we are to have the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. We know where we came from, why we are here and where we are going. We need to help these choice spirits gain a testimony of our Heavenly Father’s Plan so that they will be prepared to go out into the world and share it and someday in the near future teach their own children. We are living in a time when the lord is hastening the work and we have all been called to assist with that work in many ways and most especially through our callings. May we all help with hastening the work of the Lord.

Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor

20 Minutes

My dear Music Leaders,

We are busy people. That seems to be a common theme in our church, and especially in our female members. We do a lot, and a lot is asked of us. We hold ourselves to high standards, and we expect to present an organized and successful experience.

Children have a different view. Their perception of time is very different than ours. Where we may feel like we just haven't spent enough time reviewing that song, or playing this game, the children we work with often thrive with the variety that we can manage to fit into 20 minutes of singing time. 

If you are struggling to fit in everything that you feel like you need to do, or that is asked of you, it may be time to sit down and review what you want your 20 minutes to look like. Review the Handbook and the Primary Songbook. Get ideas from your ward and stake leaders. We are happy to assist you in arranging a schedule that will work for you. A good schedule includes time for 3 things: getting the wiggles out, Primary program learning ("this month's song"), and a game or other fun activity. In Senior singing time, there is often time to teach a second song each month as well, as the older children are capable of reading to help them memorize the words.

Remember that you are blessed in this calling. Heavenly Father loves good music - we know this because it is seemingly everywhere in our church gatherings. You are happy women who love music, and you are in this calling to share that love with the children. As they grow, they will always remember the love and the Spirit that they felt in Primary, and they will sing the songs that they learn now for the rest of their lives. Thank you for sharing your love and your testimonies with the children in your ward.

Sara Hammond

Arlington Stake Primary Presidency

Music and Nursery Specialist