I KNOW THAT MY SAVIOR LOVES ME

Once again, I have been blessed with an amazing spiritual experience with the primary music.  I was asked to be in charge of the Roadshow for our ward.  If you have never been in a roadshow or do not know what one is, it is basically a 15 minute musical production - like a mini broadway show.  Depending on the director and the creativity, it can get pretty involved.  Well, if you know me, then you know it is involved.
Right in the midst of this, I got a call from Brother Gibb asking me to have the primary children sing in church....the day after roadshow.  I, of course, accepted.  I know the kids can do it.  I just didn't know what song we would sing.  I figured we could choose one they all knew, like "The Church of Jesus Christ."
Once again, guided by the spirit, the song, "I know that my Savior Loves Me" came to my mind.  We had done it with sign language a few years ago.  I knew instantly that this was the song.  Ironically enough, the song for the month is "My Heavenly Father Loves Me."  This month I have been able to testify to the children that not only does their Heavenly Father love them, but also their older brother, Jesus Christ.  The words, the music and adding the sign language have made it a complete package...a beautiful testimony that the children will bear on Sunday.
I am so grateful for these experiences that bring me closer to my Savior.  I am also grateful that I can express with my hands the words to the song when the words get caught in my throat because the spirit is so strong.  Those little voices get me every time.  They bring the spirit in and I am overwhelmed.  I am so blessed to still have this calling.  I am so blessed to have the promptings and I am grateful I followed them and have been able to learn and grow from this experience.  I know that my Savior loves  me.  I know.

Singing in the Chapel

I have had several discussions about singing in the chapel with several different people.  It is like asking for advice on parenting.  As many people as you ask, that's how many different answers you get.
Now, I am not one for a "holy roller" type singing, but children are enthusiastic and I think they can be enthusiastic when they sing.  I think if you teach them about reverence and the spirit, they can still sing, as I always tell them...."loud, but lovely."
This primary program has several different songs that are "loud, but lovely" songs.  "Choose the Right" and "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man" and "Stand for the Right" are the ones I can think of off the top of my head!
I think the bigger issue is preparing the children to sing.  If they know the words to the songs, then they can sing them.  If they are just trying to make noises, then it will become disruptive.  So many times, as the children have sung the songs and know the words, the spirit comes in the room.  Even if it is a rowdy song.
My opinion?  I'm all for singing loud!  Loud, but lovely, that is.

A Child's Prayer

Instead of practicing ONLY the songs for the primary program at nauseam, I try and add some other ones to break it up a little bit.  So, for September, I had the kids practice "A Child's Prayer." (CS12)
We have had a lot of children move out and some move in this summer, so when we sang it, it was pretty sad.  The next week, I had the substitute practice the song with them.
During this time, I was also asked to have the primary children sing in sacrament meeting.  It was going to be the last week in September. Because I have been so busy, I hadn't made time to figure out what we were going to sing.  I was thinking an easy song they all knew like "I am a Child of God."
So, the next Sunday, the primary pianist told me that the kids did a pretty good job on "A Child's Prayer" last week.  So, I decided to sing it first.
The first few words brought the spirit in so strongly that I could not contain my tears.  Those little voices singing about talking to our Heavenly Father was almost more than I could take in.  I cried the entire song.  I knew that it was the song we were supposed to sing the next week.
I had no idea what the talks were about.  I didn't even ask.  I emailed the music chairman to change the song.
I know Heavenly Father is aware of everything.  The subject given to the speakers was appropriate for the song, but each speaker spoke specifically about prayer and prayers being answered and knowing that their Heavenly Father answered them.
As the children sang, once again I was brought to tears.  How grateful I am for the spirit that I felt.  I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and he hears and answers my prayers.
I bore my testimony to the children after sacrament meeting.  I testified that their Heavenly Father listens to their prayers and their voices brought the spirit into the meeting.
I love my calling!  I know I say that a lot, but I really love my calling!

Choose the Right

I never cease to be amazed at the response I get from my kids in primary! This last Sunday we learned "Choose the Right" (hymns 239) and they did fabulous!

For the younger children, I made CTR shields and every time we sang "Choose the Right" they held up their shield. They loved it!

I passed out hymnbooks for the older kids and we sang from the hymnbook. I told them that every time we sang "Choose the Right" to sing it fortissimo! I was blown away with how great they sounded! I had them hold their books up like a choir so they could see me, the conductor. Then I had them stand and sing. They followed me so well! It was so amazing!

Even the primary presidency was impressed! I got some thumbs up from them! I give all the credit to the kids!!!!

As a Child of God

Over the past year there have been some events that have happened in my life that have caused me to spend a lot of time in either preparation, recovery or the actual "living through" the event. It has been stressful and, yet, at the same time, good to grow and learn this year.

I have become a better person and that is what this life is all about.

Becoming a better person.

I have felt the power of my Heavenly Father's love through the whole thing and I know He loves me.

Many times I have wanted to post on this blog. I even promised that I would last year, but sometimes life takes over and children and husbands and friends need my time more than I have and so something has to give. And it ends up being the blog.

As a Child of God,

I receive special light:

The Holy ghost helps me to know what is right.

As a Child of God by Janice Kapp Perry

How many times have I felt that special light? It was my quest last year to teach the children how to recognize when the spirit was in the room. It was my goal to bear my testimony to them every Sunday and let them know that I KNOW. It was not my intention to cry as much as I did, but the spirit was so strong in the primary room so many times and my heart was so full. Those primary children make the spirit come in with their sweet little voices and I cry. I cry because I know that I am a Child of God. I cry because I have made good choices and felt the spirit in my life. I cry because the children know when the spirit is in the room.

And I am grateful I am the chorister for primary.

Because I have the best job in the church.

As I teach this song on Sunday, I am going to bring several different types of light. I am going to show them different lights and ask them if this is the special light the song is talking about. Then I will remind them about how we have talked about the Holy Ghost and how it feels to have the Holy Ghost in our lives. This is the special light. You can't see it, it doesn't have a shape, it doesn't need to be plugged in. It is the Holy Ghost and the feeling you get from making right choices.

Some of the events of the last year in my life have been resolved. Some are ongoing. Some still puzzle me and I am working through them. I am grateful for a song like this one to remind me that I am going to make it. That it is going to be ok and that I always have the gift of the Holy ghost to rely on in my life.

I came to earth with power to choose.

Good choices bless me and my family too.

As a child of God, I receive special light:

The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right.

I feel so safe and happy because

Such feelings of peace come from family love.

As a child of God, I receive special light:

The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right.

In my own home I'll happily serve.

Ill strengthen my family by my good works.

As a child of God, I receive special light:

The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right.

As a Child of God

Words and music by Janice Kapp Perry

Primary Program Planning.....

Yesterday I was at a party and the member of the primary presidency in charge of the program came up to me and asked about writing the primary program. We started talking and another friend joined us. She was surprised we were already talking about writing it.

I think about the primary program every Sunday, if not every day! I am always "writing" the primary program in my mind or with the songs.

Having written many primary programs in my life, I assured my friend she would be ok and that I would help her. (She is really nervous - this is her first time doing this!) I told her the most important thing to remember is that it is not you writing the program. The children are bearing their testimonies of the things they have learned and know throughout the year and you are just organizing their thoughts. Heavenly Father will let you know what the ward needs to hear from the primary children.

I have had many experiences where I have started writing the program and been overwhelmed by how strong the spirit is and how much Heavenly Father loves these children and also the members of the ward.

The music is icing on the cake for the primary program. Bearing your testimony through music is so amazing. It can bring the spirit into the room. The children LOVE to sing and they do a great job! And my job as the chorister is made easy by those wonderful little voices singing praises to their Heavenly Father!

So, now it is primary program writing mode! I can't wait to see what amazing things the children come up with this year!

Some thoughts.......

"The music leader is the gospel doctrine teacher for Primary."

Gordon B. Hinkley

Some things I have learned being the primary chorister for almost four years.....

• Never underestimate the power of a child's musical ability.
• It's always good to have a wiggle song.
• Even the eleven year old boys like to sing.
• The sunbeams may just stare at you during singing time, but they know the songs by heart.
• Expect more out of them and they will rise to the occasion.
• Crying when you feel the spirit is good for them to see.
• Always let them know when you are feeling the spirit so they learn to recognize how it feels.
• Always bear your testimony to them.
• Singing a song "opera style" is the best way to sing fortissimo.
• The nursery children learn songs faster than we give them credit.
• You can achieve "rock star" status if you do your job right.
• Never take credit for a great performance...it's all about their voices.
• Never ask them if they want to sing the song "one more time."
• Loving your calling is what it is all about!!!

Thank you, Fast Sunday!

Sunday was fast Sunday. It was a time where the members could bear their testimonies. It was a meeting where the testimonies talked about the Plan of Salvation and how our lives are so important. Adults and children alike repeated the blessings from living the gospel and knowing where loved ones have gone and the happiness they have from choosing the right.

I had plans for teaching "I will follow God's plan" and, instead, I was able to talk about the individuals who bore their testimonies about the plan, about their life being a gift, about how happy they are that they have sought for God's light. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! I was able to tell children that their parent talked about this part and even point to a child and thank them for reminding us of another part. And the best part was that I got to bear them my testimony afterwards!

Really, truly, I have the best calling in the church! :)

If I listen with my heart......

"If I listen with my heart, I can hear the Savior's voice....."

Amazing song!

It was the song that made me cry again in primary! Those words spoke so strongly and so clearly to me. As I taught the words to the children, I explained that we weren't there when Jesus was on the earth, because we were saved for the last days. We can still benefit from his words and more importantly, we can feel the spirit and KNOW that what we are hearing or reading is true!

I am going to be the chorister for this year again, it seems. I am so excited about that! I L.O.V.E. this calling! I am excited about the songs, I am very excited to share some fun ideas!

I am also going to be better this year about documenting my ideas....yes, I am!

So, here's to a new year and a whole new year of teaching the children to know that the scriptures are true!

Last Sunday one of the sisters in the ward came up to me and told me she was so grateful for what I do in primary. She told me her daughter was feeling discouraged about something and didn't know what to do.

She thought about trying to feel the spirit to make her feel better.

Then she thought to herself, "Do I know what the spirit feels like? Yes! I DO! Sister Day always tells us when she feels the spirit and she has told us what it feels like too!"

She told her mom she was much happier after that, because she knows what the spirit feels like.

What an amazing story, that I can be the instrument in the Lord's hands to help the children feel the spirit!

I LOVE MY CALLING!

HERE'S WHY I HAVE THE BEST CALLING IN THE CHURCH.....

Hi Jenna,

You remember when we were talking the other day about the Sunbeams not singing but, you said, if we weren't looking they'd sing the song word for word...

Today after church I heard Ella in her room belting out "I Know That My Savior Loves Me" (is that what it's called?) like she was giving a concert. I loved it! It's so funny how kids so quiet during music time really do learn and, especially, love the songs. You do such a great time with the music and, like I mentioned in our last Presidency Meeting, you're SO good at letting the children know when you're feeling the Spirit and helping them recognize the Spirit touching their hearts. As a parent I want to thank you for that and thank you for your example.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Preparing for the primary program

I know that the mention of the primary program can strike fear into the hearts of many. I love the primary program. (But, I also like an audience....yeah, I'm like that!)

Last week the counselor and I met to discuss the music for the program. I am a firm believer, that inspiration comes when you ask for it....especially when it comes to the primary program. This is the culmination of hard work for almost a year! The children and the leaders and the presidency have all taught the children the concepts and I have taught them the songs.

Heavenly Father wants us to be successful with this! He wants the parents to feel the spirit, to be enlightened and to have the children feel the spirit also. He wants us to have our hearts touched!

We said a prayer and then started talking about the concepts. Then we laughed and discussed and cried. The spirit was so strong!

I love what we are doing this year. (For that matter, I loved what we did last year and the year before....but, I digress!) We are taking parts of the talks children gave and having them repeat certain sections. It won't be by classes necessarily this year. It's brilliant and it is working for our primary program! The music just flowed...the inspiration came.

One talk, in particular, a boy talks about how his mom sang "I know my Father Lives" to his brother. As he speaks, his father will begin to play (amazing pianist!) and his mother ( an amazing singer) will begin to softly sing the song.

We have several young children who are great singers. They are going to sing a song together. I am really excited about them singing! They are amazing!

I will have a child play one of the songs while the children sing. I will have my son play the flute again. I will have my other son play the cello and we will have a violinist. I will cry as those sweet little voices use sign language and words to sing their testimonies.

I am lucky, as I have until November for our primary program. Plenty of time to get ourselves ready, right?!?!?!? Is there ever enough time?

Anyway, for those of you getting ready....good luck! For those of you done....congrats and relax!

Come Follow Me

"Come Follow Me" (116)

Just saying those words can bring the spirit into a room. I had a hard time getting through this song on Sunday without some emotion. The words are not familiar, but they convey a powerful message. The Primary president did a fabulous job with sharing time also, showing the children how Jesus showed love and how we can follow him.

Can you imagine the Savior standing there, holding out his hand to you and in his soul piercing voice saying, "Come Follow Me"? That phrase and "Well done thou good and faithful servant" always bring tears to my eyes.

As I introduced this song to the Senior Primary, we used the hymn books. I had them look at the time signature and we talked about how we would lead this song. We also talked about how fast or slow the song should be. It says at the top, "humbly" and we discussed that this was not like another favorite, "How Firm a Foundation "(#76). This song would be more like a sacrament song. I told them that some songs are songs to shout for joy about the gospel and Jesus and some songs are to represent his humility and gentleness.

We went over several words and phrases, such as "effulgent rays" and as we were doing this, I had the pianist softly playing the song in the background. They, of course, did a fabulous job singing and made my heart want to burst with their sweet singing voices!

I bore my testimony to the children that this song talks about how if we are willing to follow in his footsteps, that we will be blessed with the spirit in our lives and ultimately be able to return and live with our Heavenly Father.

All my hard work has paid off......

I wasn't actually there to witness it...I was at home with a sick little girl.

But, all my hard work paid off!

I have been teaching the primary children to led music.

We practice on random songs.

Some weeks we learn a song and learn how to lead it,

sometimes we lead a song we already know.

I made simple posters from the hymn book

and used them to show the children

the way to move their arms with the beat of the music.

I even taught them the 6/8 time!

So, this weekend when they were visiting some good friends,

they attended church in the branch.

I guess no one could lead the music, so Xander, my son, did it!

I can't believe I missed it!

I am so proud of him and so happy I taught him and the other primary children to lead music!

He told me later, "Mom, it was so easy! Every song was in 4/4 time!"

I am so proud of him and it just reminded me again how important my calling is!

Leading music is a skill everyone should know!

A simple poster and a few practices and the kids will be pros!!!!

Just an FYI, my husband took the picture BEFORE the opening song...he was so proud of Xander he couldn't resist, but promised me it was before the sacrament!

The Holy Ghost

Today the primary president asked me to sing "The Still Small Voice" (cs106) with the children right before Sharing time. This has been our reverence song the entire month. I knew I might get some eyes rolling, as we have sung it many times this month! So, a flash of inspiration hit me....or shall I say, the Holy Ghost was there to guide me to bring the spirit into the room!

I made "dynamics" posters about a year ago. I use them to have the children sing louder and softer in different parts of songs.

I showed them the elephant and asked them if this is how the spirit speaks to us.....
Then I showed them the lion...and no, this was still too loud.
I asked them if the Holy Ghost acts like a monkey to get our attention.....
Or has to bark like a dog......
Then I asked if they liked the sound of purring cats. (I also got a lot of "meows", but we go with the flow, right?) I told them the holy ghost feels soft like a cat and is soft like the purring of a cat.
I also told them that a mouse has soft fur also and is very quiet, just like the Holy Ghost.
I had them sing the song using the dynamics of "PP" and "P" and then reminded them that quietness in the room helps the spirit to enter and you are able to feel it better. I reminded them that the Holy Ghost has a soft feeling, something that makes you feel good inside. I then bore my testimony. The Junior Primary children really responded well. The spirit was definitely in the room. I was very grateful for the Holy Ghost today to guide me in my calling and allowing me to teach the children how to recognize the Holy Ghost!

Love One Another

It's been a bad week.

No, I mean really bad.

Bad to the point that I showed up to Primary with pretty much the same stuff I had from last week, including the granola bar wrapper in the bottom of the bag.

Normally on the last Sunday we play a game to review all of the songs. That wasn't going to happen today, since I have spent two weeks entertaining a baby in a cast.

So, I taught the children "Love One Another" with the sign language.

It was perfect.

They loved it. It was amazing to watch the children try and do the hand motions and also how fast they learned. Then we "zipped" our lips and "sang" our song without words, just humming the tune.

You can teach any song that way. If there is someone in your ward who knows sign language, you can utilize them or you can go to lds.org and watch the video presentation and teach yourself. I've done that several times.

Go to lds.org and click on Gospel Library. Then go to Music and then Music again. Then Other Music and Children's Songbook. It has the video of the songs in sign language.

I try to do at least one song in sign language every year.

I bore my testimony about how we can bear our testimonies by using our hands as words and our voices and even people who cannot hear can understand that we know the church is true.

I love it when a last minute inspiration comes together!

The Suzuki Method of Primary Songs

Eleven years ago, when I was pregnant with Xander, I attended a Stake Conference that changed my life. It was a talk given by the Mission President's wife. She was talking about Family Home Evening with their eight children. She talked about how, since there were so many ages, that she just assumed the younger twin boys, who were just younger than two at the time, weren't really getting anything out of the lessons.

One particular Family Home Evening, they showed a picture of Jesus. The twins were playing on the ground, doing typical almost two year old things. They both stopped and looked at the picture and walked over and pointed and got really excited and said, "Jesus" in their own little way. She emphasized the fact that what we are exposing our children to, they will become familiar with it, they will recognize it and they will know it.

I have never forgotten that talk. For whatever reason, the spirit spoke to my heart about that concept. I think about that talk a lot. I'm sure that Mission President's wife has no idea how she changed my life that day. I already knew the concept, but it was something that I would use throughout my life and the spirit wanted me to remember it!

I have been reminded many times in my life as my children were young about this concept. They are amazing when it comes to spiritual matters. They know and they feel and they recognize.

Interestingly enough, the way my husband teaches violin, through the Suzuki Method, has that same concept. Dr. Sinichi Suzuki taught, that if you immerse a small child in a language, they will learn to speak the language. If you are following the Suzuki Method and listening to the music tapes and practicing and do the repetition, your child will learn the instrument.

Yesterday, we were in the car and I turned on the CD of the Primary songs. Every night when Savannah and Eleanor go to bed, we sing some songs and one of them is the song, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." Savannah had been looking out the window listening to the music and when the song came on, she started "singing" to the music. It was so amazing to listen to her voice rise and fall with the notes, even though she did not utter a word.

She knows the song and she was singing her testimony to me in her little way.

Once again, the words of the talk came back to me. I, of course, started to cry and the spirit spoke to my heart again about the importance of immersing yourself in good things so you will become familiar with them.

I pondered on how I can be a better song leader by immersing the children in things that will help them feel and recognize the spirit. I smiled as I thought about my attempt the day before to help them recognize those feelings. That is what it is all about. Repetition. The Suzuki Method of feeling the spirit!

My job as the song leader is to help them express their testimony through song, to help them feel the spirit as they are singing and know what it is they are feeling. What an awesome responsibility, yet I know I am supposed to have this calling and I will be blessed to accomplish what the Lord needs me to accomplish! That's why I LOVE this calling! It's the BEST!

Helping Children Recognize the Spirit

A few weeks ago I attended our Stake Primary Leadership Meeting. It was amazing, as always. The leaders are so inspired and I found myself taking notes to remind myself how to be a better song leader and primary worker.

One of the things they discussed was how to help the children recognize the spirit. As a song leader, I try hard to bear my testimony at the end of singing time to help wrap up the time and bring the spirit in, but I decided to try it during singing time.

I asked Heavenly Father for guidance in helping me be able to invite the spirit through music.

Today we were doing a review of "I Know My Savior Loves Me" in Junior Singing time. I told them to sing their testimonies during the chorus. Their little voices brought me to tears and I could not finish singing the song. I told them that when I feel the spirit, I cry. I told them that the happy tingling feeling or the warm feeling they had was the spirit. Of course, when I bore my testimony at the end, I reminded them of that feeling and the emotions I had.

During Senior Primary, it was a different experience. They are amazing singers. I told them after we sang "Beautiful Savior" that I was feeling the spirit. I told them if they were feeling something that it was the spirit. When I bore my testimony, I began to cry and told them that was the spirit.

I hope it worked. I know I felt the spirit today. My primary children are amazing! How blessed I am to be the song leader and to have this calling!

A few things that work really well in our primary

There's a couple of things that work really well in our primary....

The first one is our reverence song. I've noticed a huge difference when the children come in and leave. We sing the same song the entire month, so they will learn it. It is sung as the junior primary leaves and the senior primary is coming in. Then we sing it again when the senior primary leaves. We remind them to walk reverently in the halls and enter reverently into the primary room.

The second thing is my testimony. Sometimes things get a little goofy up there! I love to make them laugh and have a good time. But, I always end singing time with my testimony to the children. Sometimes it is as simple as "I want you to know your Heavenly Father loves you and I know the church is true." A member of the presidency mentioned it last week and it made me feel good, knowing that it is somehow making an impact.

And, I've started a new thing. When it is time for singing time, I do a couple of wiggle songs. I've done this for a few weeks now and the kids really respond. I need to wiggle after sitting in sacrament for 70 minutes! I always end the "wiggle time" with a slow-down-and-fold-your-arms song. I realized that they need it when I started giving my own children "decompression" time after school before starting homework. Plus, it gets the blood flowing and the brain active!

Anyway, just a few of the things that are working here!

FEBRUARY MUSIC

Because of all our snow storms, we have not had church for two full weeks. This week was supposed to be stake conference and SLC cancelled the regional broadcast, telling us to try and just have church, if we can. It's crazy here right now! I lost my momentum with singing time since I have had four kids and a husband here every day.

We have had church at our house the last two weeks. It has been interesting and wonderful. We have had the children prepare talks and had a testimony meeting. We sang primary songs and had a special musical number by my awesome violinist husband. It has been a good experience.

The song for February is supposed to be "He Sent His Son" - Since we sang that last year as one of our songs, I chose two songs, "I Wonder When He Comes Again" and "Beautiful Savior" - these two songs are so incredible and powerful! We will re- learn the descant for "Beautiful Savior" for sure!

Now, if I can just get to church to teach it to them!!!!!