I'm the Primary chorister in our ward at church. I absolutely LOVE my calling. Each Sunday I have the blessing of teaching kids between the ages of 18 months -11 years old songs about our Savior, their diving nature, and the plan God has for us. Not only do I get to share my testimony with them through reverent songs, but we have fun too! I can completely be myself, even act a little crazy. Having taught 4th grade for 3 years, I'm far more comfortable with the older kids, but with my 19 month old daughter around, I've been learning how to teach and relate better to the little guys too. There's the background story.
Here's the point.
I am teaching the kids about how we can choose the right by following Jesus Christ by being baptized. There is an amazing song that compares baptism and its cleansing power to the earth being cleansed after a rain. Love it. But I realized I wanted to teach them where baptism fits in with the plan our Father in Heaven has for us. On Saturday (kind of last minute), I decided to also teach them the 4th Article of Faith song that teaches what the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Usually, I head to my favorite blogs by other Primary choristers for inspiration - but an idea came to me rather quickly and clearly - so I went with it. Inspiration. I would start by talking about the different steps and stairs in our life (I use a step stool to do laundry, gardeners use ladders to trim trees, we go up the stairs at church, etc), and then related that to our there are steps that our Heavenly Father asks us to take in order to return to live with Him. I decided that I would make this great poster of a ladder with printed text and pictures to go on each rung that taught the 4th Article of Faith.
Although I had prepared my lesson plan, and even added in my last minute song, I didn't get around to going to the store for all the materials until 7pm. It was then I encountered a problem: Staples CLOSES at 7pm on Saturday. ???!!?!? Who knew? After taking a few deep breaths, I realized I could find the essentials at my grocery store: poster markers and poster board. What I knew I wouldn't find was velcro squares or tape. I had this idea of using velcro to add the pictures and text as we learned each principle/ordinance. I stood in the office supplies aisle for probably 10 minutes, but another solution didn't come. The nearest WalMart or Target would be at least a 35 minute drive each way with traffic, so I was stuck.
Sunday morning came. I got an early start to put together my poster. Ladder created and colored and pictures/text printed and laminated, but still no ideas about how to add them to my poster. Sure, Staples is open on Sundays - but I'm focusing on keeping my Sabbath days holy - which means, no store runs for me (I don't really think velcro constitutes as a necessary/emergency reason). I decided to give my craft cupboard one more try, hoping to find some old velcro somewhere. No velcro. But then I saw my massive box of giant popsicle sticks. Instantaneously, an idea came into my head. I could cut slits in my poster board, attach my text/pictures to the sticks and put them in as I taught the song. Genius.
I'd love to take the credit for such a creative idea - but I know it came as inspiration from a very loving Heavenly Father - one who is acutely aware of even our smallest, most insignificant needs. I was overcome with gratitude and rather giddy to try it out. Of course, it worked even better than the velcro would have - no ugly velcro circles! My lesson was a success.
How grateful I am for the direct line of communication we have with Heavenly Father. He hears every prayer. I made the choice not to go to the store and to improvise, and consequently I was blessed with an even better idea. Makes me wonder how often I settle for my own ideas rather than consult Him who is omniscient.
I should have taken a picture of my ladder poster, I'm rather fond of it, but failed to do so and I left it at church. Perhaps another time. Again - one poster for one Primary chorister in one small ward - and yet God heard me still. Amazing.
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