Fridays

(I started this post on Friday, Feb 7.  But didn't get a chance to finish it as someone called on Skype.  But this all happened this past Friday.)

I feel that I should write down what happens in Primary almost every Friday. (fyi Primary is the children's organization at church for kids age 18 months -11 years.) This Friday was crazier than normal, but almost every Friday there is something that is not running smoothly.  One week two teachers called up sick Friday morning, so the other counselor and I quickly prepared lessons and taught. I am not complaining at all.  But it does keep us on our toes. We never know what Friday will bring.

I actually love being in the Primary.  The kids say the funniest (and smartest) things.  For example today the other counselor was teaching the lesson to the younger group (ages 3-6 going on 7).  She was teaching about the Plan of Salvation, where we lived with Heavenly Father before coming to earth, we came to earth to get bodies.  She asked the group what we called the step after mortal life (she was looking for the spirit world where we wait for Resurrection). One boy called out "For Heaven's Sake!" :)  All the adults got a good chuckle out of that one.

(For those who don't know how primary is set up, I'll explain.  There are two groups, junior Primary and Senior Primary.  Junior is for kids 3-7 and Senior is for 7 turning 8 this year - 11.  The Junior primary meets as one group, sitting in individual classes for the first block.  We have singing time where they learn songs.  We have a wonderful music leader.  After singing there is a lesson given by on of the presidency members (explained below).  After the lesson the kids have a break to use the restroom and get a drink of water.  They younger kids then go to class, separated by age, for about 40 min.  Then the Senior Primary comes in and we do it all over again. While the Junior primary is in the primary room doing singing time and lesson, the Senior Primary is in individual classes for lessons.)

I am a counselor in the Primary Presidency (there is a president, 2 counselors, and a secretary). So I see everything that goes on behind the scenes. Coming to church we never know what is going to happen. This Friday was no exception.  Two teachers were out of town traveling during the break.  They had both found subs, thankfully, for their classes.  But one sub fell sick Thursday evening and posted on the women's group's facebook page if anyone could take the class.  No one responded.  Friday morning I get a text from the President saying that she is not feeling well and won't be able to come, and by the way, one of the nursery (for children ages 18 mon to the January after they turn 3) teachers wasn't going to be there.  (We've had lots of trouble filling in the spots for nursery.  So this isn't anything new.)

Steve had a meeting at the church at 7:30 am.  Church doesn't start until 9am.  So he leaves the meeting in time to come back to get us and get to church on time.  We got there just after it started and I knew that I had to find someone to take the class that had the sub fall sick. But I didn't have time to do it before church started.  So as soon as the first meeting (we call it Sacrament Meeting as that is when we take the bread and water of the sacrament to renew covenants we've made) ended, I got up and asked the girl that is called as a Primary Substitute if she could cover the class.  She couldn't as she was leaving right then.  During Sacrament meeting I noticed that our pianist is not sitting by her husband.  So after talking with the first girl, I saw a friend who fills in for piano frequently.  I asked her if our pianist had contacted her about playing.  She said no, but that she would play today.  She is such a life saver.

As I was scouting the crowd for someone to sub, Steve told me the room that we use for the nursery was not available.  There was a board bolted to the doorway of the Sacrament meeting room that led to the nursery room.  I was also told that the door to the nursery room was locked.  Lovely. Both of the small plastic tables were in that room, the carpet squares for the kids to sit on for lessons and songs, and the cabinet of toys were still in that room.  Thankfully there is another room, but it's smaller and with 9 small kids, some of whom have not adjusted to being in nursery yet, and 3 adults, it's a bit of a squeeze. There are thankfully toys in that room, but there was no where for the kids to sit and eat snacks since both tables were locked away.  No one knew this was going to happen.  Not even the leader of the congregation that was there that day.  Thankfully I didnt' have to find anyone to cover for the absent nursery teacher as there was enough adults.

We meet in a villa rather than a normal church building.  After finding a wonderful sister to fill in for the class that had a sub fall sick, I made it up stairs to the landing where the kids were being led in wiggle releasing activities by the other counselor.  I dropped my bags off in the Primary room and helped the kids make the transition into the primary room.

I told the nursery teachers that I would check on them after getting the Junior Primary into the primary room.  As I left the primary room, a teacher and the congregational leader came up to me.  Two kids who were supposed to be in the primary room were not. So after asking them to go to the room, the teacher asked were a younger kid went.  He was supposed to be in the nursery room, but had somehow wandered into his class room.  He also told me that the class across the hall from him didn't have a teacher.  I knew that the teachers were going out of town, but when we did a training for all the teachers at the beginning of the year, we asked the teachers to find their own subs when they are unable to teach their class.  So either the sub they asked didn't show up, or they assumed that by telling the presidency that they would be gone, their job was done.  Really??? So the congregational leader sat in the class room while I went down to the adult Sunday School (actually it's Friday school here :) ) to scout out someone to teach the class.  I found the husband of the primary president and asked him if he could teach the class.  He was willing.  I think he had the harder job than the other person I asked.  He didn't get any time to at least read the lesson.  I handed him a manual and told him the lesson number they were on and then it was all his.  At least the first person I asked to sub had time to read the lesson as that class had group time first, so she could read the lesson while they sang songs.  I then went down to check on the nursery. Things were going as well as expected.  A new kid (he just turned 18 months not long ago) was crying and the other kids were oblivious and playing happily.

I had a minute then to sit down and eat a snack.  I listen to the lesson the other counselor gives and then I head out with the Sunbeams ( the 3 year -olds, who will be turning 4 this year). Three weeks ago their teacher poked her head in the primary room and with a frazzled look asked for some help. I went in and all the kids were bouncing off the walls.  She is an elementary teacher and this class was a huge challenge for her.  So I've been sitting in with them to help with crowd control.  They've made vast improvements with a sticker chart and lots of positive reinforcement.  She is doing a wonderful job with these kids who for the most part are not in school yet. But the whole of the last 45 minutes of church I was in that class, which was not hectic for once.

After class I sorted out a few last things, like trying to find out who to talk to about getting the things out of the closed nursery room (the answer: no one knows), I breathed a sigh of relief.  Friday was over with and was only 12:15 pm.