Combined Priesthood and Relief Society Meeting

Today was a special combined Priesthood Relief Society meeting in our ward. (Usually these meetings fall on the 5 Sunday of the month, but because of a Stake meeting on the 30th, our ward decided to combine this week) As Primary President I feel a little bad that our Primary teachers don't get to go to these meetings since they are "stuck" teaching the children. This week I decided that we would combine all the kids for Sharing Time and let the teachers go to the meeting. Waaaaa.

We had all the teachers teach their lessons during the Sunday School hour, and all the kids came together for the last hour. I was very tense about this, but it worked out okay. The music leader did a great job reviewing our program songs, and it was nice to hear all the kids singing together. Then the children acted out the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. It was nice, especially because I wasn't the one teaching today!

The children did suprisingly well with just 4 adults in the room. Several families were on vacation, so we had just 45 kids in Primary, not our usual 60, and I think that helped. I felt like a yard duty lady, though, as I stood in the back and walked forward to shush any loud children. Maybe I need to get a whistle.

We also had some visitors that were unfamiliar with Primary and not very interested in being there or participating. Their parents wanted them to stay with us, but it was a little uncomfortable for them (and me.) I don't know what the best thing to do in that situation is. Take them to their parents? Make them stay even though they are making it hard for the other children to hear? Try to engage them? Let them wander the halls and splash in the drinking fountain? Invite their parents to sit with them? We will see how things go next week.

I didn't make any special arrangements for our nurseries, simply because I couldn't think of a way to keep the children in our 3 nurseries safe while their teachers attended the combined meeting. It turned out that only 1 of our usual 6 nursery teachers actually sat with his class, though, anyway.

Things got a little crazy in our nurseries. First, one man who team teaches in the downstairs class was gone as his wife had a baby last week - I was prepared for that and had arranged for a sub.

Then, both men who teach one of the upstairs classes were called into the Elder's Quorum Presidency, and were then unable to be in their class, and will need to be replaced. I knew about one of them, but the other was a suprise - I am really excited for him in his new calling, but I don't know how we will be able to replace him.

And last, the couple that teach the other upstairs nursery class had to go to the combined meeting for some reason.

This is the kind of week that makes me a little loonie - even without the added stress of that combined meeting. In the end we were able to find some good nursery helpers to fill in, and divided up the children from the one class into the other two. I guess everything was okay, not splendid, but okay.

I'm glad these meetings only happen quarterly. It all worked out - the kids were safe, we taught our lessons and sang our songs, but I didn't really have fun. I hope that the teachers enjoyed the special meeting (darn it), but I'm not sure if we will try this again next time. How does your ward do Primary during a combined RS/Priesthood meeting?