Primary Dissed?

[Guest Eve]

In our ward, our primary is always the last to get callings filled. The other auxillaries get to take who they want for positions, they can take them from anywhere but we cant get them if they already have callings. We pray about different people and talk to the bishop about it but seem to always be turned down. We have had the bishopric pull people out of the primary and put new ones in without even consulting the pres. I am the first counselor so I am not as frustrated as the president. She gets so frustrated that she gets to the point of asking to be released. We are always trying to scramble for subs because we dont have teachers. My husband has had to fill in a number of times at the last minute. We feel that the bishopric does not find the primary as important as other auxiliaries. We love the children and that is what keeps us going. The "politics" can be difficult.

[juliejalago]

Primary does seem to have a reputation for being last on the list, but I suspect often it is a misconception. I currently serve in my ward's Primary presidency, and no, we don't get everyone we'd like for every calling. We sometimes have teachers who cause us grief. But I've served in YW and RS auxilliaries, and they don't always get who they ask for either. The bishopric cannot force people to serve and should not be blamed for the shortcomings of ward members who fail to keep their promises. Hopefully as auxilliary presidencies, we are all in this together for the same ultimate purpose. There is no unity when jealousy exists between the auxilliaries. It may not be easy -- often who we are given to work with may be a "diamond in the rough" -- but Satan would love to divide and conquer us, using this as an excuse not to support our bishopric or to give in to an erroneous belief that we can do no good in our calling.

[Guest lt]

I thought this was suppose to be so you could post primary lessons and advice? I didnt realize it was going to become a place to complain about what our wards are doing wrong... Excuse me for a minute while I vent......

I'm tired of all the stupid complaints.....stand up in your wards and make a difference for goodness sakes, ask to help out, make suggestions, but waiting for someone else to come up with an idea or waiting for them to fix it is a joke.....Our primay is so jazzed to have people offer to help, get involved and make it happen...Things don't happen until people like you and I make them....

just my thoughts....

Laureltree

ps...any good lesson ideas? I would love to hear some.

[Guest Ammon]

I believe the parameters of the forum re Primary were not clearly defined, but were instead left flexible to allow for all types of relative or productive discussion. And discussions regarding the needs of one's Primary not being met surely seem relevant, if not productive, to me.

[Guest lt]

Actually I dont find it productive brother ammon, because if you wanted to be productive you would go to the bishop or the primary president instead of posting it on the website. I would try the first two, it were me.

Laureltree

[juliejalago]

Wow, LaurelTree, you better guide me to find the rule where it says a post must be productive, because that is not how I would characterize a good portion of the posts here at LDSTalk. Since when is that a requirement? And how do you measure it? I left posting for about a year due to the overwhelming anti-LDS sentiment that flourished here, and only came back recently. I commend the board for getting somewhat stricter on all the anti crap, but you still have to allow a little freedom of expression. I don't necessarily agree with Ammon, but I understand the feeling of frustration. Perhaps something productive could occur from this topic if we used gentle persuasion instead of harsh criticism.

[Guest Ammon]

Originally posted by LaurelTree@Apr 14 2004, 08:52 AM

Actually I dont find it productive brother ammon, because if you wanted to be productive you would go to the bishop or the primary president instead of posting it on the website. I would try the first two, it were me.

Laureltree

Been done, and no results have been forthcoming... the bishop is one of my best friends. It is better to vent here, or yell there? You decide.

[Luzia]

Our primary gets all the teachers and there is nothing left for YW or YM. But, that`s not the case.

Since we were getting less attention by the bishop for YW, we had to go and write a letter why we need the teachers and we had to show the bishop, in one visit to the class that girls are leaving because of the lack of teachers and a secretary, we made him see with his eyes that is a necesary thing. We are still waiting for them, but soon we`ll get them.

But, are you sure your ward has enough people to do the job? Mine doesn`t that is why we have to wait so much.

[Guest Ammon]

Originally posted by Luzia@Apr 23 2004, 08:23 AM

Our primary gets all the teachers and there is nothing left for YW or YM. But, that`s not the case.

Since we were getting less attention by the bishop for YW, we had to go and write a letter why we need the teachers and we had to show the bishop, in one visit to the class that girls are leaving because of the lack of teachers and a secretary, we made him see with his eyes that is a necesary thing. We are still waiting for them, but soon we`ll get them.

But, are you sure your ward has enough people to do the job? Mine doesn`t that is why we have to wait so much.

That is certainly part of the problem.

[Luzia]

What we were trying at some point is to activate some old members with callings.

That can be a good idea.

Good luck

[Guest lt]

I'm sorry ammon if I sounded harsh, we just get alot of people in here who complain and most of the time they are anti trying to pretend to be lds.

We had to actually on several occassions ask parents to help....If that fails I would suggest to your bishop to give a talk on the importance on accepting a calling....I think people forget the real importance of it all

[broadway]

I agree with you ammon. I am a primary teacher and we are running low on teachers (not the church's fault...everybody got pregnant at the same time) It is more difficult for a primary teacher to take on multiple classes and for the teachers to change each week in primary than it is for the RS pres to have to lead, conduct and teach...I am sure the ladies would understand.

What I would do, though, is get the parents involved. When I had to 'call in sick' one sunday, I got one of the parents to teach the class. Yeas, that was temporary. Maybe you could talk to the Primary pres (unless you are the primary pres, in which case I would not adivse doing so in public) and see if she would support you in getting the parents more involved in the classes. Ask some parents to start teacing the class, even for just one hour, then another parent can come in and teach for the second hour.

Kids need a steady teacher. If the teacher changes every week, the kids are not going to take the lesson seriously. And if the teacher is new each week, then the teacher has no chance of getting to know her students way of learning better. This is important.

[Lindy]

Broadway has a good point

Kids need a steady teacher. If the teacher changes every week, the kids are not going to take the lesson seriously. And if the teacher is new each week, then the teacher has no chance of getting to know her students way of learning better. This is important.

VERY important that the kids take the lessons seriously...knowing that someone cares enough about them to take that interest in them. Sometimes, it is sad to say, that the Primary class may be the only place that anyone even listens to a certain child. There MUST be quality teachers for the children.

I agree with getting the parents involved....but don't stop there...some of the best teachers could be the older ward members....some who are overlooked because they are "old". You know what they say about age....older and wiser.

I bet that if it was printed up in the ward program, a notice pinned on the ward info board, etc... that those ward members who love to teach...no matter what their age.. would be willing to step up and help out.

How big is your ward? Any chance of involving the older saints?

As for interesting lessons.....

I remember my primary class loving the lesson on the Plagues of Egypt......and learning the names of the sons of Abraham was another one they liked a lot (that surprised me.)

The older kids like to think...and share their thoughts with me....we would build a lesson discussion on what they thought was important to talk about. We would deviate a little off the lesson....but I would make sure that the important things were incorporated into the discussion. It worked...

I ran into a 18 year old a month ago that I had as an 11 year old in Primary and she told me some things she remembered about that class that were important to her. Making the lessons interesting to learn was something she remembered...that and the treats I brought every week

[twisted_pretzel]

I'm lost.. What's primary and all this other stuff of which you speak? haha, don't mind me I just don't know this stuff.

[Beatley]

Endure to the end means we can not quit even when it is hard to fill positions. Send around a sub sign up list in RS and Priesthood. Have a training meeting that encourages your teachers. Call a teacher and find out why he/she is not showing up to teach. Begin talking only positively about your calling and everyone will want it. The best calling I have ever had is the one that I have right at the moment. Whatever that is!

[MorningStar]

I think Primary has become more of a challenge because when men are called, we are required to call two people. Our ward usually calls couples, but sometimes two men. It's too bad it has to be like that, but I understand.

[MorningStar]

I'm lost.. What's primary and all this other stuff of which you speak? haha, don't mind me I just don't know this stuff.

Primary is the children's Sunday School. We have junior Primary, senior Primary, and each has an hour of class time and then they meet together for singing, activities, and another lesson. At the beginning, everyone meets together and the children give a scripture and prayer, there is an opening song, and two talks from children. :)

[Flyonthewall]

When my wife was Primary President, she went through the same emotions - everyone was being pulled from primary to fill other positions. It seems that way, but here are some things to consider:

There are only so many members in a ward that will fill callings.

Primary is the single largest organization in the ward(positions to fill wise).

Presidencies will have top priority to be filled.

While you must work on keeping the primary filled, the Bishopric must keep callings for the entire ward filled.

The Bishopric should not leave the Primary president out of the loop when filling callings for primary, that is bad form, though not out of his stewardship. At the very least, the PP must be informed of decisions coming down the pipe that affect her organization so she can prepare for them.

Get the Bishopric counselor over primary on your side, that can be a big help(if you haven't already)

Sorry if this wasn't much help, but if nothing else, you are not the only Primary leader that has a tough time with filling positions...kind of the nature of the beast. (some beasts are wilder than others.)

[Elgama]

Our Stake has changed things - the branch were counselled to take their strongest leaders from Relief Society and make them Primary Presidency - its great to see for the first time in many years our Primary is entirely made up of people who have been right through primary from Nursery up

That hasn't always been the case, I know I was called a few years back because I wasn't wanted in RS and Gospel Doctrine - I was pregnant, had no counsellors or teachers (admittedly only 4 kids but they ranged in age from 18mths to 11 and here we have to have 2 with the kids at least) and most awful morning sickness and I kept getting told off for not teaching enough or taking my husband out of priesthood (we had a little boy who desperately needed a male role model and because I was alone I could only have my husband) - my husband was Branch Mission Leader. Then when it was my daughters turn at 18months she had no nursery there was 1 primary child - 3 leaders, and my daughter had nobody to sit and play with her - as a result my family had to attend for sacrament only for a year.

-Charley

[WillowTheWhisp]

I love Primary. I have served as a teacher to all age groups from nursery through to valiants and been on the Primary Presidency. I'm not saying it isn't a challenge and when we have had children with special needs and learning difficulties it can be even more of a challenge. Add to that all the burocracy now about not being able to take a child to the toilet and not being alone in a room with one child (how the heck do you have confidential interviews under those conditions?) it sometimes gets very difficult indeed but the rewards are worth it when you know the children have learned something and they remember it and tell you about it months later. Yet people who have never been in Primary still fear it.

We have an old joke which may amuse some of you.

A rabbi, a Catholic priest and a Mormon Bishop were chatting together about a problem they'd all had with an infestation of pigeons. Pigeons had been nesting on the roof of the synagogue, the Catholic church and the LDS chapel. What made it worse was that they would sit on the edge of the roof just above the porch and often people entering the buildings would find themselves the unfortunate recipient of pigeon droppings. The three leaders had tried everything to get rid of these birds but they had always come back again. Now however the Bishop said he had solved the problem. The other two looked at him in amazement and asked what on earth he had done.

"Well", he said, "I called the missionaries to come around and preach the gospel to them."

"And that got rid of them?" the rabbi asked in amazement.

"Oh no", the Bishop replied, "We got them inside the chapel after that and we baptised them."

"So being plunged under water scared them off?" the Catholic priest asked.

"Of course not." The Bishop replied, "But the following week I gave them all a calling in Primary. We haven't seen them since!"