Primary Program

The kids had their Primary Program at the end of September and they all did a great job.  It was a momentous occasion, being Cat's last time participating in a Primary Program.  Next year, she'll be sitting in the congregation, watching her THREE younger siblings speaking and singing on the stand.  For this year, she did a great job.

Back in May, Cat learned 2/3 of an arrangement of "I Am a Child of God" to play at Jack's baptism.  The Ward Music Director was in attendance and asked if Cat would play the piece as a special musical number in Sacrament Meeting soon afterward.  As the Primary Program approached, the Primary President asked if Cat would play the same arrangement as part of the program.  Cat had enough time to learn the last part of the piece, so she was able to play the whole thing for the program and did a great job.  She got lots of compliments from friends in the ward afterward.  She had two or three tiny mistakes, so it was even better than this video I made of her practicing in the chapel the day before the program.

Cat wasn't excited about playing piano, but one of the ways I was able to talk her into it was to suggest that she might not have to give a talk (as is customary for the oldest group in our Primary) if she played.  I was wrong.  The presidency still wanted her to give a talk.  Oops.  Her topic was the importance of keeping your standards in the things you read and watch.  She wrote the entire talk herself with only minimal guidance from us and she did a good job of delivering it, acting confident and natural.

During the songs for the rest of the program, she looked borderline bored, but that's exactly what I expect from 11-year-olds.  Almost all of the oldest kids looked as thrilled as Cat to be part of the Primary Program.  That's one of my favorite things, though, the contrast between the unpredictable antics of the youngest kids, the excitement of the middlest kids, and the "you should be glad I even showed up" attitude of the oldest kids.

Jack said his part very well.  This was his part (partially written by him): "Confirmation is another ordinance of the Gospel.  When we are confirmed we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost will comfort and guide us in our lives.  I felt the Holy Ghost one day at my house.  My little brother and I were fighting about a toy but I decided to share.  A few minutes later I felt the Holy Ghost and I was really happy."

Jack was sitting in the perfect place: in the farthest row on the farthest end on the right.  This was a great spot because he used interpretive dance through many of the songs, probably demonstrating actions the chorister had used when teaching the kids the songs during the year, but which nobody else was using.  At one point when he was being a little silly, I did the "I'm watching you" action, pointing my fingers at my eyes and then at him, and he did the same thing right back to me.  Because, what am I really going to do to him??

Eliza spoke well when it was her turn.  Her part (again, partially written by her) was: "I know the scriptures are true because they tell the stories about prophets and other heroes from a long time ago.

My favorite scripture story is Daniel and the Lion's Den.  I like this because Daniel survives by the power of God." 

Eliza was... slightly less distracting than Jack, but had the unfortunate seating placement of being in the very front row.  When Cat was playing, Eliza, who was sitting directly in front of the keyboard of the piano, turned around and stared directly at Cat and probably had her face a centimeter off of the piano.  During the songs when she was supposed to sing, she did a lot of good singing.  But she also turned around to see what was going on around her, played with the sash on her dress, and just acted very young.  That's okay.  She is still very young.