i am not pregnant

the last post has left me with quizzical glances from family and friends alike.  for that reason i would like to say that although i did take a pregnancy test, it was negative.  there was no intent or expectation that it would be positive but i had reason to be suspicious.  and i also must mention that i would not be needing prozac if i was pregnant.  me, of all people, the girl who was told that i would be lucky to be pregnant once in my lifetime, would rejoice at such a surprise!

on another unrelated note, i have been having the most wonderful sabbath days lately.  i, for no logical reason, was called to serve in our primary presidency.  i was told by a couple of people that logic did not put me there but a really strong feeling that i needed to be in there.  i had the chance to serve as the primary president in new haven and had the most choice experience while doing it.  but, i do have to say, it was VASTLY different there.  here, we have function.  people follow the rules and have real live meetings.  there are forms to be filled out, programs to be run off, serious stuff.  we have a secretary that makes endless lists of classes and changes and scout lists. oh mercy, scouts.  it happens that i have been put over scouts and it is a confirmation to me that i lack humility.  right now i would say that i love what scouting does for my sweet little 8 year old.  in the same breath i would say that i do not love that the scout  program in general feels it necessary to hold a meeting if someone needs to sneeze.  it is time consuming madness.  i feel like my eyes each have holes poked in the sides of them and i just can't see properly.  i don't quite get it.

but, my favorite part of primary is sharing time.  oh, i love spending 15 minutes every week with the kids to tell them about the gospel.  i am not a flowery person, i don't do games, i don't laminate or coloring.  but, how i love to tell.  i love to gather those kids around (my own included) and tell them about those wonderful things that pricked my heart at their age.  i love that sacred primary room and i tear up thinking about all of the wonderful things that happen in that room.  all the tender feelings felt by kids week after week that add that line upon line to their testimonies.  a couple of months ago the topic was to teach the kids about our prophet.  i prayed all week that i would know what to share with them.  i read and skimmed over a few things and after all of that i had the impression that they might enjoy hearing some stories from president monson's book about his life. i loved reading it myself and thought heidi swinton did a remarkable job.  i gathered a few stories about his childhood that i thought would be appealing to all of the kids.

i was reading one story in particular about president monson making the primary president cry because he was being so rowdy with his friends.  it then talks about how years later he visits her in the hospital and finds her memory gone and mind fading.  he is reassured by the other people around her that she wouldn't know who he was.  he continued to feed her and gently speak about her kindness to him.  with the visit coming to an end, she looked up at him and said, "i know you, you are tommy monson my primary boy. oh how i love you."  i of course was teary and let those sweet faces know how much i loved them.  one boy, our "lively" spirit of the bunch, really identified with the story and piped up saying "you mean a kid like me could end up being a prophet?".  i looked him square in the eye and emphatically replied "YES!".  i have thought about that experience many times.  maybe sharing that story was just for ethan, but maybe it was more for me.  his statement  bore testimony to me that it was an ordinary boy that the lord preserved and raised up to be a man of god.  tommy monson was a regular boy, filled with ordinary acts and extraordinary choices. he is a prophet of god preserved to do his work.

 that is why i love primary.  i am quite sure that these opportunities could be given a million of excuses as to why they couldn't perform these callings.  i have come to find out that although the task may seem inconvenient, the rewards are for us.  my testimony has grown vastly as i meet with these kids every week.  it is hard to make it on time with 4 little kids to get ready and a husband at meetings all day long, but i would never ever trade the opportunity.  it is such a blessing to see what the lord will let us become when we have faith and follow!