King Benjamin Visits Sunday School

April 15, 2012

This is the class photo with King Benjamin after he had finished his sermon, and he is still standing on his tower.

As you can see, the lesson in Sunday School was about the sermon that King Benjamin gave his people. 

King Benjamin was a righteous King in the Book of Mormon, and he talked to his people of the need to become like little children, to put off the natural man, to be of service, and to keep the commandments of God.

And today, he visited our class!

The kids were excited....I heard from several during the week, and then today, they came into the room wondering where the King was....guess I got their attention.

So I talked to them just a little about what kind of man King Benjamin was....how he was righteous, how he worked beside the people, he didn't charge them taxes and take their gold and silver.  He didn't take advantage of his place, he didn't confine the people to dungeons, and he strove to obey the commandments of God.  He was making his son Mosiah the new king, and giving him the sword of Laban, the liahona, and the brass plates.  Mosiah was to keep them safe, and the keep the people moving in the paths of righteousness...

And then I brought in the King.  The kids couldn't believe that he was actuallly wearing a king's robe and crown, and was carrying a scepter. (I think that's how it's spelled)

He climbed up his tower and delivered his sermon right out of the scriptures.  (I had given him beforehand what the lesson covered, so he knew what I needed him to say.)  AND, he did a tremendous job!!  He told the people that they needed to obey God's commandments, be of service to one another because when they were serving others they were serving their God.  He told them they needed to put off the natural man, and to become like little children.  He said that they needed to not trifle with his words, but to teach them to their children, and to remember them and use them.  He taught them about the Savior's atonement, and what it means to them.

When he was finished, we posed for the above photo, and he left.

Then I talked to the kids about service, and how it can be of great benefits to us in our lives today.  We talked about how serving others makes us feel, and even how ofter we had performed an act of service during the past week.  We discovered that we are sadly lacking in the service department as a class this past week.  Then I gave them each a kitchen towel.  I explained that the Savior had used a towel to perform a simple act of service, but to set the example of how to serve.  I told them that during the next two weeks (we have Stake Conference next week) that they had to go out there and use their towels to perform acts of service.  Then after they did, they are to text Cooper to let me know what they did for their service.  And in two weeks, they are to bring the towels back to show me, and they better not be neatly pressed and starched when I see them again.  I also told them that the towels were not to be used to hit others.....

And then an interesting side note from Relief Society.

The teacher asked a question to the people that worked with teenagers or kids for some ideas on how we teach the kids something that is important to us....several people gave some ideas:  asking the kids why it's important, and teaching FHE lessons, repetition of teaching.  I raised my hand and said that I teach the priest and laurels in Sunday School, and before I could answer the question the teacher asked, the moms of the kids in my class interrupted and said and you can never retire, the kids love you, we look forward to hearing what you've done in class on the way home from church, the kids look forward to class each week.  None of which had anything to do with the question that had been asked....but I must admit, it made me stop and think about the time I spend each week preparing, and pondering, and rethinking, and more preparing so that those kids can have a spiritual experience each week in class.  It makes all the time worthwhile.

And I must admit, that with all the trauma and cruel things going on lately, it made me feel good about myself for just a moment.  Maybe Heavenly Father knew I needed that today.

Here's the Video of the girls Sr. Tap Group!

Click on the link below and it will take you to "You Tube" to watch it.  They won Lightning Gold and 1st overall....



Don't Stop Believin" tap group with Cooper and Cymbre

Just Some More Dance Photos!

April 12, 2012

Here's just some misc. dance photos....

Baby You Got What It Takes....Mark Goodman's tap solo

For You I Will.  Senior Contemporary Small Group

They have received Elite gold, 8th overall at the first competition, and at the second they got high gold.

Don't Stop Believin'  Senior Small Group Tap

At the second competition they received lightning gold, and 1st overall!   That means they won money!!



Cooper's Can't Buy Me Love Tap Solo

April 12, 2012

This is Cooper's Can't Buy Me Love tap solo by Ms. Andee. 

She got elite gold and 9th overall at the first competition, and lightning gold and 2nd overall at the second competition.

One of the easier costumes this year.....thank goodness, Mom needed a break!

Almost the big finish!

Cymbre's Tap Solo...Ain't We Got Fun

April 12, 2012

Here's Cymbre's tap solo done by Ms. Andee.  Ain't We Got Fun!

At the first competition she got high gold and 8th overall.  At the second competition, she got high gold, and 8th overall.....guess she's consistent!!



And no, Mom didn't enjoy making the tulle cumberbun....but it looks great!  It was Cymbre's idea.



This is Ms. Andee's favorite picture.

Just a pretty smile....but now it doesn't have braces on the top!

And now, the big finish!   Not pictured.....just saying

Cooper's Standing There Jazz Solo

April 12, 2012

Here's Cooper's Standing There jazz solo.  Terrill Mitchell is the choreographer, and he is tough.  She LOVES him though!

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Boy am I glad this forest creature costume is finished.  Talk about an abundance of hand-sewing!  All those little leaves and birds and butterflies and feathers are hand-sewn on it.  And the rhinestoning took FOREVER!!!   Looks great onstage though.

And My Favorite Costume!

April 12, 2012

This is Cooper's Mark Goodman solo costume.  It's my favorite costume this year, and I think it's hers too!

This is Baby You Got What It Takes

At the first competition she got high gold and 10th overall.  Second competition she got high gold.

There's nothing like turning on a sticky floor in tap shoes.....something I don't ever want to try!

I've Been Thinking.....

Lately I have been thinking about what to do in my Sunday School class to make it more interesting to the kids.  Sure they like going outside to build a ship with Nephi, becoming literal branches on an olive tree in a vineyard, and now engraving their personal testimony on small sheets of copper.  The part I think I need to make more intersting in how all this relates to today.....what is the purpose of all this stuff being written in the scriptures by ancient prophets for us today.  How do we implement it into our lives today? Why did all those ancient prophets even care anyway?  AND, are they feeling the Spirit as we talk about all this stuff?...you know, you can see it in their eyes when that is happening.  It is at those small moments when you see the ideas dawn on them, and how they apply to their personal lives, and the Spirit tightens my throat and my own eyes sting with tears that I feel they really learn, and the learning is not from me.  I try each week to provide a way for this small moment to happen....some weeks are more successful than others.  I wish it could be the most successful moment those kids have all week every week in class.  No small undertaking I know, but that's why all the lesson preparation during the week, the listening to spiritual music while I think about things and prepare, and all the trying to go the extra mile in attempting to do creative things.  While I have quite the adult following at church, and the younger kids are begging to come to my class.....and that feels good, that isn't what I really desire in my heart.  I really want those kids to feel the Spirit so abundantly that they instantly know that what we are talking about is true, and that it really does apply to their lives, and that these things can help them return to their Heavenly Father.  If I could really remember all those scripture references so I could recall them when I need them, I really could just leave the manual at home.....that's when the Spirit takes over and things come out of my mouth that I have never planned to say.  Normally, I don't use the manual much.  But remembering those references is "nigh unto impossible" for some of us.  You would think after being a teacher for what seems like a hundred years, I would have learned to remember the scripture references....however, it's like an elusive creature that just isn't a talent I have.  I really must speak to Heavenly Father when I see Him again to see if there is something He could do to fix it.  Ah well, can't have everything I suppose.....so I guess it's time to dig into my little stash of stuff and come up with something to make King Benjamin's visit to my class something special for the kids.  The guy helping me already has the king's robe and crown, and the basic text of what I want him to say.  Too bad we can't pitch tents in the relief society room!  There is the possibility of building forts on chairs with blankets like we used to do with the kids though.....Guy would probably think that's a bit much for a Sunday School class!  But just between you and me....I think those teenage boys would LOVE it!!

The other stuff I've been thinking lately is just stuff....like why do all the ironing when it will just all end up back in the basket in the near future?  Why don't I have enough hangers to have all the laundry and the ironing done at the same time?  Why do the squirrels in the back yard insist on digging up the pinwheels Cymbre has out in her flower garden to scare them away?  Why does the stapler always run out of staples when I am stapling paper?  Who is responsible for using the last black ink cartridge and not telling me?  Why can't dishes load themselves in the dishwasher?    Who gave the dust particles permission to gather for meetings on my blinds?  And finally, why is the box of tissues ALWAYS empty when I need one?

Well, on that note, I need to get busy.  You know, load those lazy dishes in the dishwasher, go buy those hangers and finish the ironing, get the new zipper sewn in Cooper's jeans (she broke it yesterday), and the ever eternal question to answer....what will we eat for dinner?  I think I need a robot to just spit out dinner at the right time each night....no thinking on my part involved!  Just saying!!

Well, before I totally lose my mind, I must get those dishes corraled in the dishwasher....and just for spite maybe I will turn it on delayed wash....then they won't know when the hot bath will commence....serves them right don't you think?

And Then There's Cooper!

April 10, 2012

And then there's Cooper and her dances this year.....

She is doing very well at competition again this year.  She has placed with one of her solos every competition so far.  All her rehearsal time has paid off once again.

Standing There...she is a forest creature.  She got high gold twice with this one.  And the second competition, she got the "Attack" award....not sure what that one means, but she got a beautiful plaque to hang on the wall upstairs in the dance studio.

This is Can't Buy Me Love

She got elite gold and 9th overall at one competition, and the lightning gold and 2nd overall at the second competition.

This is For You I Will....her contemporary group this year.  The picture has ...back row...Ms. Andee, Ms. Traci, Ms. Amy.  Front row....Hannah, Caitlyn, Loren, Brooke, and Cooper

They have also done well at competition, although I can't remember everything they have won.



All Cooper's awards from one competition.....she's just a bit happy, don't you think???

I still have to find a picture of her Mark Goodman tap solo, and the girls tap group....guess I'll keep looking.

Engraving Testimonies

April 9, 2012

Yesterday in Sunday School the lesson was about all the plates that were abridged by Mormon and Moroni in the Book of Mormon.  So we briefly talked about Enos, Jarom, Omni, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki and what they wrote on their plates.  Then I told them that they needed to experience what engraving on plates was like.  I got the silliest looks from the kids!

So I handed them each a sheet of copper and a big nail (which I found out in Guy's stash in the garage).  I told them that I wanted them to use the nail to engrave their personal testimony on the plate of copper.  I told them they could write it any way they wished, but it had to be able to be read, and I wanted them to put it in their "plates of...." journals I had given them at the beginning of the year.  I gave them 10 minutes.

Those kids soon discovered that engraving on a thin sheet of copper wasn't as easy as they thought.  My point exactly.  Most of them finished in the 10 minutes, but some wanted to take their nails home to finish there.

Then we talked about how long it must have taken Mormon and Moroni to abridge the plates.  They didn't use a nail...they had to chisel it out.  Their plates were much thicker.  So then why is it important to think about why they included the things that they did on the plates?  What should we learn from it today in the world that we live in?

We also talked about the prayer of Enos....how he prayed all day and night.  We wondered if we could actually pray for 15-30 minutes without getting distracted....let alone all day and night.  Would we get to the point of praying for others, let alone our enemies?  Would we be concerned that our enemies be given the chance to come unto God?

I told them I wouldn't be able to kneel for all those hours, and that I probably at some point would fall asleep.....given my age and all....just saying.  Guess that says something about my faith compared to Enos.....however, I am not the prophet of the time.

We talked about the wars and contentions that were in the land at this point.  The cycle of pride....and I mentioned that teenage boys really like to drive fancy trucks, but in reality those trucks are just things that get them from one point to another just like the beat up VW bug some kids have to drive.  That kind of hit home with some of the boys in the class.

We talked about contention and what some of the things that cause contention for the kids today....dressing modestly, using drugs, cheating, not getting along with others, use of computers to the point that we forget to interact with people.  And we related all this to what we are being taught in the scriptures about centering our lives on the Savior.

Then I told them that the things that were engraved and abridged on the plates were the things that the Savior intended for us to have in our day.  Remember the Book of Mormon was actually written by ancient prophets for our day.  So, those men spent countless hours writing to a people they wouldn't even know, and all for the benefit of those people.  It is amazing to me that we can learn so many lessons in how to deal with things that we live with in our world that the ancient people would have no idea about, and all from a bunch of war stories, and righteous people versus unrighteous people.

Then I told them that next week we would have a special visitor.  King Benjamin is coming!  I wish I could get the real King Benjamin, but just like getting the real sword of Laban or liahona, that doesn't seem like a real possibility.  So I am having a man in the ward that the kids like come and dress up like a king and give the sermon from the scriptures.  I have chosen the parts for him to use, so it should be fun.  At least it isn't just sitting there answering a bunch of questions by looking up scriptures.....always something I try to avoid doing for an entire lesson.

And so, on to another lesson....it's a continuous cycle that begins every Monday morning!  And, if I am really lucky it is ready by Saturday night in time to go to bed.  But frequently, I am led to change things in the middle of Saturday night....funny how the Spirit works! Guess he knows I'm not sleeping anyway....just saying..



Cymbre's Solo

April 8, 2012

I finally got a minute to find the pictures of solos and get them on the blog.

This is Cymbre's solo:  Ain't We Got Fun.  It's a tap solo that Ms. Andee put together for her.  She is doing very well at competition with it already this year.  She got High Gold, and 8th place overall at the Starbound competition.

Her costume....made by mom, of course!

Her awards:  High gold trophy, and 8th overall medal.

Great job Cymbre!!!