A Good Sunday in Primary

About a year and 2 months ago I had a great calling. I was 2nd counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. I really enjoyed the RS and found it a privilege to serve in the amazing presidency I was in, especially under an amazing RS President.

Then, on an unsuspecting day, the bishop asked my husband and I into his office after Sacrament meeting. There had been many announcements about getting your temple recommend changed over to the new bar code system, and I thought it was our turn.

As we sat down, he asked us how our callings were going. I do have to insert that I felt amazingly secure in my calling and actually thought (ha, ha) that I would be in that calling for the next year and a half until my husband graduated and we moved.

BA Baracas went on and on about how he enjoyed his calling. In hindsight, maybe I should have done the same. I simply told him I really enjoyed it- his wife did happen to be the RS pres, so I thought he knew things were perfect.

Then, Bishop started in about how in the church we have the opportunity to serve in different areas. I thought- Wow, one of us is getting a new calling. I bet it will be BA Baracas. Maybe if it's me, I can be...the ward music chairwoman, etc. But, I'm pretty sure it's BA Baracas.

"Sister Ford, we'd like to release you from your calling..."

It was a rough week. I was 12 weeks pregnant, hadn't told anyone, and VERY sick. I don't like to tell people until I'm 13 weeks because I hate people asking me how I feel because I either have to lie and say I'm fine, or I sound like a complaining pregnant woman who is sick all the time. I'd rather no one know that I'm pregnant, and fake being fine.

The whole week I struggled to find counselors for my new calling in the Primary as the president. On Sunday when our wonderful, kind bishop looked at me before the meeting started and smiled, I almost burst out in tears. I wanted to smile, but I really didn't want this calling. Not at all. Not even a little bit. And when he announced my name, I stood and used every ounce of will power I had to not start crying. (Remember I was pregnant!)

People congratulated me and most of the time I would simply smile. Why would you congratulate someone for getting a calling they don't want? I hope I remember this in the future.

It took a long time for me to even feel comfortable with people saying that I was the Primary President. Why was that so hard? I don't know. I didn't want people to look at me and want all the answers for over 50 kids every Sunday. I really wanted to be back in Relief Society.

It's been a long year. I had a beautiful baby that came out normal, even though I came home almost every Sunday from 6 months on and had to lay down for hours before my contractions would stop from the stress of my calling. I have a wonderful husband. I'm so sorry he had to do so much- so my body would calm down and not try to have a premature baby. But he did it. And he helped every week with primary in any way, shape, or form he could.

And, after all this, I realized a few months ago that I actually do like the calling I am serving in right now. I love the challenge (ok, now that things seem to be under control, I like the challenge). I love the children. I am amazed at the dedication of some of the teachers. But what I love most is teaching the children the gospel. I love when a sharing time goes good. I love when the children are all kind of wiggly and I am conducting closing exercises and I start a story. It helps that this story happened to me and it has the word "blood" in it several times (hey, I'll use whatever I can.) And I tell them of a prayer that was given by me and my children years ago that possibly saved my mother's life after a surgery. And the Spirit is in the room. And none of the children are talking anymore. They are all listening. All 50 of them. And I testify that prayer can protect us, that it can save lives.

This is why I love serving in the Primary. Thank you Heavenly Father for knowing that I would love this...eventually, and for knowing that I needed this calling.