Saturday, November 28, 2009

Rita Primary Children

One Saturday I was asked to teach a Christmas Primary song to the Rita Ward primary.
The inspiration came to use Amelia's and Laurie's baby dolls that we make in Alpine, Utah on Wednesday Humanitarian Night. None of these children has ever seen a baby doll. I explained that Jesus came as a baby, just like they did. And he grew up, just like they are. And some of them have been baptized, just like He was. There was only one thing they can't do like Jesus - He suffered for all of our hurts and sins and pains so that we could go back to Heavenly Father if we would repent - we can't do that for ourselves. He was the first to be resurrected, and because He did, we will be resurrected after we die, and we will live again. He wants us to be just like Him.
We celebrate His birth at Christmas. I told them to take their babies home to remind them that Jesus was a baby, just like they were, and he grew up. The baby can remind you that we can be just like Him if we repent and keep His commandments.
What they taught me as I taught them is something hard to describe - I will always remember their eager faces, beautiful voices and quick, intelligent learning in a language that is not their own. Mostly I will remember what the Spirit helped me feel - how much the Lord loves them. I will never be the same, I hope, after this chance to serve in the Marshall Islands.

2 comments:

  1. Oh Mom that was so perfect! I love their faces and how some of the girls are already cradling their baby dolls. What a wonderful lesson with a physical reminder.

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  2. I loved seeing them holding those dolls and I know how much they loved them because my kids love them, too. How awesome that you were able to teach them with something tangible that they can remember. They may not remember exactly the words that you said, but they will remember how they felt when they look at those dolls in the future.

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