One of my favorite talks in General Conference was by Elder Edward Dube. I thought he spoke with such power. Some of the things he said were, "It is not where you serve but how." He also said, "In the sight of the Lord, it is not so much what we have done or where we have been but much more where we are willing to go." He relayed a story of an ox pulling contest. In this contest most people thought that the biggest and strongest oxen would win, but it was a surprise when two smaller oxen came out and won. The winning factor was that they had better "teamwork and coordination."
As your presidency works together as a team yoked with God you will have the spirit of the Holy Ghost with you. You will be able to do as Dieter F. Uchtdorf counseled, "stand close together and lift where we stand." You stand in primary and you have been given the responsibility to strengthen the children. Help them know Christ. Help them gain a testimony. The children in your midst are capable of great things. I know as they go out into the community and their schools they will have the courage to be a disciple of Christ. They will treat everyone with kindness and love. They will be a light to those that are looking. Help them know who they are.
Autumn McClellan
Arlington Stake Primary President.
ARLINGTON WASHINGTON STAKE PRIMARY BLOG
Monday, November 18, 2013
Suffer the Children to Come Unto Me
http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng
Watch "Suffer the Children to Come unto Me." In our recent Stake Conference Robert D. Hales said, "You are a powerful image of Christ in their life." You are more like Him then you know.
Autumn McClellan
Arlington Stake Primary President
Watch "Suffer the Children to Come unto Me." In our recent Stake Conference Robert D. Hales said, "You are a powerful image of Christ in their life." You are more like Him then you know.
Autumn McClellan
Arlington Stake Primary President
Monday, November 4, 2013
Importance of a Teachers Role
11.2.5 in Handbook 2 it states, "Primary teachers and nursery leaders remain with the children during the entire Primary time on Sunday, including sharing time and breaks. During sharing time they sit with their assigned classes, sing songs with the children, and help the children participate reverently."
A teachers role is important even in sharing time and music. As children file in from sacrament meeting they look first for their teachers loving face as they come into primary. You are their safe person. Try to be there before they show up. This is a time for you to greet children and ask how their week has gone. It is the time for you to get them ready to be reverent. A gentle reminder is always welcome.
During sharing time and music help children to participate. It is your role to maintain reverence in your row so, that all the children in primary can feel the spirit and the primary presidency can teach. If you need to sit between two children, tap them on the shoulder and give them a quiet sign, or move children to a new seat, do it! We want children to love primary, but these steps are necessary at times to maintain reverence. Children need boundaries and each teacher sets the level of reverence for their class.
You are also an example in primary. If the children see you singing and participating in the activities shared that day they will know what is expected. Encourage and motivate the children to participate. Tell them to get up when there is a movement song. Ask them to sing and do. You and the children will get more out of primary if your minds are engaged in the activities and the words that are spoken.
It takes a lot of energy and effort to be a primary teacher, but the love you receive and the joy you can find from this calling is very great. I see you as Jesus, teaching the little children one by one. You are important. A quote in Teaching No Greater Call by David O. McKay says, "No greater responsibility can rest upon any man or woman, than to be a teacher of God's children." Your influence can last for the eternities. This is His work and you are his ever faithful servants. He is with you and will inspire you to love and care for each child in your class. The children love you. Thanks for all the time and effort you put in to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Autumn McClellan
Arlington Stake Primary President
A teachers role is important even in sharing time and music. As children file in from sacrament meeting they look first for their teachers loving face as they come into primary. You are their safe person. Try to be there before they show up. This is a time for you to greet children and ask how their week has gone. It is the time for you to get them ready to be reverent. A gentle reminder is always welcome.
During sharing time and music help children to participate. It is your role to maintain reverence in your row so, that all the children in primary can feel the spirit and the primary presidency can teach. If you need to sit between two children, tap them on the shoulder and give them a quiet sign, or move children to a new seat, do it! We want children to love primary, but these steps are necessary at times to maintain reverence. Children need boundaries and each teacher sets the level of reverence for their class.
You are also an example in primary. If the children see you singing and participating in the activities shared that day they will know what is expected. Encourage and motivate the children to participate. Tell them to get up when there is a movement song. Ask them to sing and do. You and the children will get more out of primary if your minds are engaged in the activities and the words that are spoken.
It takes a lot of energy and effort to be a primary teacher, but the love you receive and the joy you can find from this calling is very great. I see you as Jesus, teaching the little children one by one. You are important. A quote in Teaching No Greater Call by David O. McKay says, "No greater responsibility can rest upon any man or woman, than to be a teacher of God's children." Your influence can last for the eternities. This is His work and you are his ever faithful servants. He is with you and will inspire you to love and care for each child in your class. The children love you. Thanks for all the time and effort you put in to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Autumn McClellan
Arlington Stake Primary President
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Teaching with the Spirit
After the training last week, I have been thinking a lot about teaching with the spirit. I thought about what I have been taught over the years when it comes to feeling and using the spirit to teach. Three main things came to mind:
1. Daily sincere prayer; where we strive to listen to what the Lord has to tell us when we pray.
2. Daily scripture reading; where we think and ponder on what we have read.
3. Reading our lesson ahead of time; so that we can ponder on the topic. Giving the Lord the opportunity, to give us revelation about what we should be teaching.
These three simple steps seem so easy too easy. So I asked myself if these steps have worked in my own life. My thoughts went back to my mission when I was praying several times a day, reading my scriptures daily and teaching on a daily basis. My answer was a resounding yes that these simple steps have worked in my own life to teach with the spirit. More times than I can count, are moments, where the spirit reminded me of principle that studied that day or week during a teaching moment. Then I thought how are we able to teach with the spirit, if we aren’t filling our vessels with knowledge from the Lord. Like the 10 virgins, on a daily basis we can choose to fill ourselves with spiritual oil, so that we are prepared when those teaching moments come. Or through personal choice we can be empty, when those priceless moments present themselves. The choices, I make, determine whether I have a full vessel or an empty one when the teaching moments present themselves.
Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor
1. Daily sincere prayer; where we strive to listen to what the Lord has to tell us when we pray.
2. Daily scripture reading; where we think and ponder on what we have read.
3. Reading our lesson ahead of time; so that we can ponder on the topic. Giving the Lord the opportunity, to give us revelation about what we should be teaching.
These three simple steps seem so easy too easy. So I asked myself if these steps have worked in my own life. My thoughts went back to my mission when I was praying several times a day, reading my scriptures daily and teaching on a daily basis. My answer was a resounding yes that these simple steps have worked in my own life to teach with the spirit. More times than I can count, are moments, where the spirit reminded me of principle that studied that day or week during a teaching moment. Then I thought how are we able to teach with the spirit, if we aren’t filling our vessels with knowledge from the Lord. Like the 10 virgins, on a daily basis we can choose to fill ourselves with spiritual oil, so that we are prepared when those teaching moments come. Or through personal choice we can be empty, when those priceless moments present themselves. The choices, I make, determine whether I have a full vessel or an empty one when the teaching moments present themselves.
Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Teaching, No Greater Call
This week we had a wonderful leadership training that taught us how great the calling of teaching is. Brother Graver played a talk by David M. McConkie about, Teaching with the Power and Authority of God. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/teaching-with-the-power-and-authority-of-god?lang=eng. The programs that the church has rolled out is teaching us how to teach like Christ taught. If we use this program we will learn how to teach by the spirit.
I want to personally thank all of you for your participation and assisting with bringing and keeping the spirit so strong in the room. I learned so much from all of you and all of your wonderful programs. Sister McClellan, shared a wonderful video that I wanted to make sure you could watch it again. https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/primary-auxiliary-training/2012/03?lang=eng. Please share these links with your primary leaderships and teachers. Making sure that everyone gets the opportunity to learn from them. As we were told we are all teachers and there is no greater call.
Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor
I want to personally thank all of you for your participation and assisting with bringing and keeping the spirit so strong in the room. I learned so much from all of you and all of your wonderful programs. Sister McClellan, shared a wonderful video that I wanted to make sure you could watch it again. https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/primary-auxiliary-training/2012/03?lang=eng. Please share these links with your primary leaderships and teachers. Making sure that everyone gets the opportunity to learn from them. As we were told we are all teachers and there is no greater call.
Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor
Monday, October 14, 2013
Learning from the Children
Today at church, I was reminded that even though we are called to help the children learn, most of the time I felt it was me learning from them. They are so open and honest with their thoughts and feelings, sometimes to the chagrin of their parents. I don’t think that I have ever left a primary that I didn’t feel edified; especially when their voices are raising in song. How can you not feel the spirit when you hear primary children sing “Teach me to walk in the light of his love; Teach me to pray to my Father above; Teach to know all the things that are right. Teach me, teach me to walk in the light.” We need to remember to take those moments to feel the strong spirit from them so that we can strengthen our testimonies. Then we have the strength to help these amazing children of God learn how to gain a strong foundation in the gospel.
I also wanted to remind everyone about the Leadership Training at the Stake Center, this Thursday October 17th at 6:30 p.m. It will be the place to help fill up our lamps.
Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor
I also wanted to remind everyone about the Leadership Training at the Stake Center, this Thursday October 17th at 6:30 p.m. It will be the place to help fill up our lamps.
Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Learning through Music
"As you sing, you may feel good inside. The Holy Ghost gives you warm feelings to help you understand that the words and messages in the songs are true. You can learn about the gospel in this way, and your testimony will grow as you learn. You will remember more easily what you have learned when you sing about it. The melody of a song helps you remember the words and also brings the feeling of the song to your heart. The illustrations will also help you see what the songs teach. Once you know the songs, they can be with you always (like good friends) to help you make right choices and be happy."
This is a quote from the Preface to the Children's Songbook. In this one paragraph that is intended to provide guidance to the children, we learn how we can best present music to the children. There are so many types of children in our Primary, and if we vary our focus on melody, illustrations, text, and singing, along with fun when appropriate, the children will keep these songs with them always. They will learn the gospel and use the songs to choose the right. We know this will bring them happiness in life. Please remember to share this testimony with them. When you bring the Spirit to primary, the children will feel it and take that feeling into their hearts.
Sara Hammond
Music/Nursery counselor
Arlington Stake Primary
This is a quote from the Preface to the Children's Songbook. In this one paragraph that is intended to provide guidance to the children, we learn how we can best present music to the children. There are so many types of children in our Primary, and if we vary our focus on melody, illustrations, text, and singing, along with fun when appropriate, the children will keep these songs with them always. They will learn the gospel and use the songs to choose the right. We know this will bring them happiness in life. Please remember to share this testimony with them. When you bring the Spirit to primary, the children will feel it and take that feeling into their hearts.
Sara Hammond
Music/Nursery counselor
Arlington Stake Primary
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