Teacher (a.k.a. Mother)

Wowsers! It has been a long time since my last post and I don't even know where to begin so I won't even try. Suffice it to say that my life has gone into extra busy mode since I started teaching preschool two mornings a week. I've been staying up until the wee hours of the morning trying to develop educational, effective and fun lesson plans which involve several different types of learning opportunities because not all 12 kids learn the same way and not all the kids are at the same level. I try to make sure we do some science and math type of activities each day but then need to make sure we do writing and alphabet and reading and music and...you get the picture. I know that once these kids get to kindergarten, they will do worksheet after worksheet and be taught the information they will need in order to pass a test. But for now, they aren't needing to take any tests and I've learned that the neuropathways in their brains need a whole lot more than just worksheets in order to form correctly. 


Anyway, that was a whole bunch of stuff spilling out of my brain...I am still teaching (and studying and preparing for) two institute classes each week (LOVE that - wish I could do it every day!), volunteering at Lizzy's school one morning a week, fulfilling my church responsibilities, trying to give Family Home Evening the attention it needs by creating better lessons each week, give my kids all the attention they need and deserve, clean the house, make some sort of healthy meals for my family to eat, do the laundry, get Lizzy to dance and Ben to Karate each week, oh man the list just goes on. But I'm not complaining, I'm just recording this for the future. When I have a nervous breakdown, no one will wonder why because I have laid it all out right here. :)


Institute will conclude at the end of April so I won't need to worry about that any longer - although it isn't a worry whatsoever. It is a joy! An absolute joy!! 

Okay, enough of that, now to the real reason I finally sat down to write on my neglected blog...

Elizabeth is very sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. She came that way. Maybe we have helped her develop that talent but, honestly, she's a natural. Sometimes she likes to share her testimony in Sacrament Meeting on Fast Sundays. This morning, I told her that today was the day to do that if she felt a desire to do so. She immediately said, "Nope. I feel too shy today." "No problem." I said and that was the end of that.

But before the member of the Bishopric could get the words out, "The time is now yours to share your testimony." in Sacrament meeting this afternoon, Lizzy was rearing to head up to that podium and share whatever was in her heart.

I have to be honest and say that I'm always a little nervous. I will not whisper in her ear what she should say so we've talked about what is appropriate for a testimony and what is not, but I still wonder if she is going to say something that is going to make me want to crawl under the bench. Why do I worry?! She has proven her ability to share her testimony before. I just need to trust her.

So the minute I let her go she was headed toward the podium as fast as she could go without running. Two people had made it before her so she sat and waited. She didn't sit very still, in fact she was bouncing on her chair. I was so embarrassed.

Once it was her turn, she bolted to the podium. For some reason they didn't give her the platform to stand on so all anyone could see was the top of her head - I couldn't even see her eyes. She shared the most touching testimony about how she had finally learned not to be afraid of the dark because Jesus is bigger than anything she could be afraid of and that she is going to remember that lesson through her life. I wish I could remember word for word what she said. She was amazing. I couldn't stop the tears from coming as this sweet 6-year-old taught us all a very important lesson. Someone came up to me after church and said, "Your daughter's testimony rocked this chapel." I thought that was a fun compliment. :)

That is a wonderful story but there is more...

Tonight as I was tucking her in I asked her about her experience with sharing her testimony. She said that as the counselor in the Bishopric was sharing his testimony she had a very strong feeling come over her that the Savior needed her to share the lesson she had learned about how He is more powerful than anything we could ever be afraid of. It was such a powerful feeling that she was ready to run up to the podium but she made herself walk. When she was bouncing around in her chair it was because the feeling was still so strong that she could hardly contain herself.

When it was finally her turn, she headed up to the podium and her heart began to pound but she wasn't afraid. She felt strong and courageous and that she was doing exactly what the Savior wanted her to do. Once she started speaking her heart started pounding even harder but she said that she felt Jesus standing right next to her telling her to keep talking and that He would help her be strong. She was taught in those moments that the Savior is even more powerful than a congregation of people so there was no need to be afraid.

This is not the first time that Lizzy has felt that close to Jesus Christ. She has had a couple of experiences with the Holy Ghost of which she has actually asked me not to ever share because they are so special to her. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that spirituality is the most important gift of the spirit we can ever develop. Lizzy is developing this talent every day. I feel confidant in saying that every single child has great spiritual capacity. They have to...look at the world they are growing up in.

I am so touched and strengthened by these experiences with Lizzy. Mine is a great responsibility - as is every parent's. Yes, I am teaching preschool to 12 wonderful kids (13 on Friday's when I take Ben with me). We all have so much fun together and I do put a lot of time into my lessons for them. I teach institute twice a week which requires me to study daily so that I can be prepared for whatever the Spirit directs me to say in class. I have a church calling which gives me opportunities to be up in front of groups of people, teaching the Gospel and they expect that I know what I'm talking about, so I better.


But here's the thing...all those people I teach, preschool children, men and women in institute and other church meetings, are not my number one stewardship. My responsibility to teach my two wonderful children is my most important teaching assignment EVER! Yes, I need to take Family Home Evening more seriously. Our morning 5-10 minute family scripture study must continue and never stop. Our family prayers morning and night must continue. My scripture study must include making room for the Holy Ghost to help me know what and how to teach my children.


In the eternities to come, I know that I will never regret taking my teaching assignment, - a.k.a. motherhood - more seriously and with much, much more joy!