Primary Program
For weeks the Primary has been working on the program and asked if...let me back up...
As I mentioned before we moved Ella sang with her primary teacher during sacrament meeting in our last ward. She loves to sing and does so angelically. (We always sing at least one song at bedtime and she learns new ones very fast. Right now, her favorite is "I see my mother kneeling" especially when I sing with her for the girls and Daddy sings the boy part.) One of her first Sunday's in our new ward she sang a solo "I am like a star" in her new Primary and everyone was so impressed that she would be willing to do so. She wasn't shy at all.
So...one of the teachers in there was put in the Stake Primary Presidency. This lady also works at Ella's school and I happened to run into her in the office and she told me about this meeting she had and how she keeps thinking of Ella and her song. She asked if Ella would sing for her meeting that night! Ella said yes, but was a little unsure since it would be all adults there :) With a trip to the park promised, she agreed. Ella found a white, ruffly shoulder dress that "drags" like a princess. James, Ella and I all dressed up and went to the Stake training (which I might add, was only for the Primary Presidency and music leaders). Our ward primary secretary kindly informed I didn't need to be there and I could leave...she didn't know about Ella's special number :) We stayed and Ella sang "I am like a star" a Capella for about 40 adults. So adorable. James really wanted to sing with her, but he didn't know all the words to the song. He was hoping she would sing "I am a child of God" because he loves that one.
Well, the music leader from our ward heard Ella sing that night and kept thinking about her for the Primary Program. She called and asked what songs Ella would be willing to sing from the ones in the program. When she said, "I Love to See the Temple" I mentioned James knows that song really well. She said just have them sing one verse, but James FAVORITE verse is the second verse about going inside to "obey." So they agreed Ella and James would sing both verses and we started working with them to keep the verses straight.
Every time we drive past the temple or see it from the highway, the kids start to sing "The Temple" song as we call it. Ella knows the first verse and James the second, so if the listen to each other, they should do great. Last night, we had them practice one more time and as they started to sing Ella got the hiccups and tried to sing through them. So cute, but not exactly what we were hoping for, for a final practice :)
TODAY Aunt Donalyn came and sat with us for Sacrament. (My mom couldn't make it and asked her to go "dote on her grandchildren for her" And she did!) Ella went up on the stand and sang the songs in the program very well. At one point, one of the teachers handed out candy/gum, so when she stood up to sing with everyone, her cheek was bulging and we got worried it was gum. (which we do not give our kids :) Thankfully, it was fruit snacks and was swallowed by the next song.
James tried to sit patiently and wait for his turn to sing. He was being so reverent, he started to fall asleep. So Donalyn volunteered to take him out for a drink and a walk. That did the trick.
Bob carried him up to the stand and put him on the step stool, so he would be tall enough to sing into the microphone, as Ella joined at his side. James started singing the second verse loud and strong...during the intro :) Intros are for amateurs! A counselor in the Primary Presidency helped to start them at the beginning when the intro ended. They were cute as ever! They remembered almost all the words and got the verses right. Donalyn leaned over and asked "can I cry?" with tears streaming down our faces.
Several people said their solo was their favorite / so sweet. One of the high priests said that was closest he has ever come to wanting to take a picture during church! (But he didn't...we'll see if anyone else did.)
After they sang, instead of causing a stir, trying to get James to comes down...he followed Ella to her seat on the stand and they shared the seat for the rest of the program (two more songs and some lines). At the end, although he didn't know the final song, he got off his chair and proudly stood by Ella trying his best to sing the song "We'll bring the World his truth." Seeing all the primary kids sing about being future missionaries, reminded me of the blessing, honor and responsibility it is to raise these sons and daughters of God. The youth are remarkable and I love listening to the questions and comments the kids give as their understanding of the gospel increases. What a joy. The gospel surely is good news.
As I mentioned before we moved Ella sang with her primary teacher during sacrament meeting in our last ward. She loves to sing and does so angelically. (We always sing at least one song at bedtime and she learns new ones very fast. Right now, her favorite is "I see my mother kneeling" especially when I sing with her for the girls and Daddy sings the boy part.) One of her first Sunday's in our new ward she sang a solo "I am like a star" in her new Primary and everyone was so impressed that she would be willing to do so. She wasn't shy at all.
So...one of the teachers in there was put in the Stake Primary Presidency. This lady also works at Ella's school and I happened to run into her in the office and she told me about this meeting she had and how she keeps thinking of Ella and her song. She asked if Ella would sing for her meeting that night! Ella said yes, but was a little unsure since it would be all adults there :) With a trip to the park promised, she agreed. Ella found a white, ruffly shoulder dress that "drags" like a princess. James, Ella and I all dressed up and went to the Stake training (which I might add, was only for the Primary Presidency and music leaders). Our ward primary secretary kindly informed I didn't need to be there and I could leave...she didn't know about Ella's special number :) We stayed and Ella sang "I am like a star" a Capella for about 40 adults. So adorable. James really wanted to sing with her, but he didn't know all the words to the song. He was hoping she would sing "I am a child of God" because he loves that one.
Well, the music leader from our ward heard Ella sing that night and kept thinking about her for the Primary Program. She called and asked what songs Ella would be willing to sing from the ones in the program. When she said, "I Love to See the Temple" I mentioned James knows that song really well. She said just have them sing one verse, but James FAVORITE verse is the second verse about going inside to "obey." So they agreed Ella and James would sing both verses and we started working with them to keep the verses straight.
Every time we drive past the temple or see it from the highway, the kids start to sing "The Temple" song as we call it. Ella knows the first verse and James the second, so if the listen to each other, they should do great. Last night, we had them practice one more time and as they started to sing Ella got the hiccups and tried to sing through them. So cute, but not exactly what we were hoping for, for a final practice :)
TODAY Aunt Donalyn came and sat with us for Sacrament. (My mom couldn't make it and asked her to go "dote on her grandchildren for her" And she did!) Ella went up on the stand and sang the songs in the program very well. At one point, one of the teachers handed out candy/gum, so when she stood up to sing with everyone, her cheek was bulging and we got worried it was gum. (which we do not give our kids :) Thankfully, it was fruit snacks and was swallowed by the next song.
James tried to sit patiently and wait for his turn to sing. He was being so reverent, he started to fall asleep. So Donalyn volunteered to take him out for a drink and a walk. That did the trick.
Bob carried him up to the stand and put him on the step stool, so he would be tall enough to sing into the microphone, as Ella joined at his side. James started singing the second verse loud and strong...during the intro :) Intros are for amateurs! A counselor in the Primary Presidency helped to start them at the beginning when the intro ended. They were cute as ever! They remembered almost all the words and got the verses right. Donalyn leaned over and asked "can I cry?" with tears streaming down our faces.
Several people said their solo was their favorite / so sweet. One of the high priests said that was closest he has ever come to wanting to take a picture during church! (But he didn't...we'll see if anyone else did.)
After they sang, instead of causing a stir, trying to get James to comes down...he followed Ella to her seat on the stand and they shared the seat for the rest of the program (two more songs and some lines). At the end, although he didn't know the final song, he got off his chair and proudly stood by Ella trying his best to sing the song "We'll bring the World his truth." Seeing all the primary kids sing about being future missionaries, reminded me of the blessing, honor and responsibility it is to raise these sons and daughters of God. The youth are remarkable and I love listening to the questions and comments the kids give as their understanding of the gospel increases. What a joy. The gospel surely is good news.
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