Next week our ward(1) goes from the early schedule(2), 9 a.m.-noon, to the middle schedule, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Maybe I'll be able to get up & go to Sacrament meeting(3). I have had a hard time getting to the library at 10:10 this year. I haven't been to Sacrament meeting, which is the first meeting of the block(4), very many times this year because 9 a.m. is too early for me. I am always so tired that it is nothing for me to sleep 10-12 hours a night.
Today Don-Mikel gave Sharing Time(5) in Primary(6). He did a great job of including the children. I went up for part of it. I missed the first part. He had the children sing, "Do As I'm Doing." He assigned the two boys in his class to stand in front of the Primary & do anything they wanted, but not to follow him. The Primary president said she was watching the boys thinking, "They're just goofing off. They're not following him."
When they finished singing, Don-Mike thanked the kids in Primary for following him & not following the boys. He went on to introduce a scripture in puzzle pieces. Then he showed pictures from the Gospel Arts Kit(7). He showed a picture of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus & then asked how the kids could follow Jesus. That was an easy one to answer, but some of the other pictures were more abstract, like Jesus walking on water.
He asked the children to draw a picture of how they could follow Jesus. By drawing a picture the Sunbeams(8) could participate. The children could then share their pictures with the group. One little Sunbeam got up & she described her picture in detail, LOL. It was so cute. I'm glad she explained it, because it didn't look anything like what she was saying. While the children were drawing their pictures, Don-Mike had the song, "I will follow Jesus," playing on his boom box.
There were several times when I thought, "That's not how we discussed it." I thought of jumping in a couple of times, but restrained myself. I reminded myself that I have been in Primary off & on for over 35 years. At the age of 23, I would not have been in front of a group of teachers & children giving a Sharing Time. He has improved so much since the first time he gave Sharing Time two years ago.
Back in the library(9), I was able to hear part of Don's priesthood(10) lesson on listening to the spirit. The Elder's Quorum meets in a room across the hall & down a small hall from the library. They usually have the door open. As he was telling about our Christmas Day, a couple of people came to the library & needed help, so I could no longer listen. During that little noisy bit of time, someone closed the door to the classroom.
EXPLANATION OF FOOTNOTES:
For my friends who are not LDS, let me explain a few of the terms I have used. It seems like LDS people almost speak a different language.
Sacrament Meeting(3) is the worship service for all members of the ward(1) or congregation. It lasts an hour and 10 minutes. A block(4) is the time spent in meetings. We meet in a block schedule(2) of 3 hours & then we are through & can go home. Each church building has at least 2 wards meet in them. Our building has 3 wards meet there. Our ward has had the early schedule this year. We will go to the middle schedule come January 1 & in 2010, we will go to the late schedule, 1-4 p.m.
Don-Mike teaches the 8-10-year-old boys in Primary(6) or Sunday School. Primary meets right after Sacrament Meeting for almost 2 hours. They have an opening exercise where the children will give talks, a scripture & an adult, usually a member of the Primary presidency or a member of the bishopric, the three men who lead the ward, will give a "talk." A story or something like that. They also sing. Then they have singing time for 20 minutes where they learn songs & have fun with singing. After singing time, they have Sharing Time(5). Every 4th Sunday a Primary teacher gives Sharing Time. A 20 minute lesson with activities, songs, skits to the entire Primary. Our Primary is so small that we only have one session. So, it's a challenge trying to give a "lesson" that will involve children from 3 years old to 11 years old. They then have 40 minutes of class time.
The Gospel Arts Kit(7) is a box of pictures on gospel subjects, Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Church History, General (subjects) & Gospel in Action. Some areas of the world do not have a library(9) or a room that is set aside for housing visual aids such as pictures, posters, flannelboard stories & other things like that. There are also TVs, VCR & DVD players w/videos, DVDs, books, office supplies, chalk & eraser, easels, manuals, magazines. All they have is the Gospel Arts Kit. I have been asked to be the ward librarian or the keeper of the library, LOL. Don helps me in this job.
The different age groups in Primary have names. A Sunbeam(8) is a small child of 3 years old.
While the children are in Primary, the adults have their own meetings. Right after Sacrament meeting is Sunday School. After Sunday School, teenagers & adults move into a third meeting. The teenage girls from 12-18 years old are in Young Women. They meet in an opening exercise & then move into class sessions divided by age groups. The adult women from 18 to the elderly, have Relief Society, a women's organization, & are given lessons. The men & teenage boys from 12-18 years old are in Priesthood(10) meetings, also divided by age groups. The Elders are from age 18 to the elderly. They also have lessons &, as I mentioned, Don teaches the 4th Sunday lesson.
How to explain the priesthood? Here is a link to check that out, if you are interested.
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