Release

Today I was released as the Primary president.  It has been four years since I was called, and with the two previous years I served as the Primary chorister, that makes six years since I began working in Primary.  Six wonderful, fulfilling, very fun years.  I have served with Cinda Morgan and Heidi Tanner as my first counselor and secretary for all four years, and with Christine Gleave, Fran Jensen, and Char Doman as my second counselors.  As a presidency, I have felt that we were united in vision and friendship; we have worked together so well.  I feel so blessed to have been in Primary that long, and to have been uplifted and inspired by the children in our ward.

When I was first called, we had about 40 kids in Primary.  Our ward has grown and the Primary has doubled in size.  I have been so impressed by the powerful testimonies of the young people, by their faith in Heavenly Father.  Each week this year, we have given the children the opportunity to share how they know Heavenly Father loves them.  Each person who shares has been able to put a puffball in a large glass jar we have in the front of the room.  It has been sweet to listen to their testimonies.  Sometimes, especially in junior Primary, eighteen kids will stand up to share and eleven of them will say, "I know Heavenly Father loves me because he gave us trees."  Trees and the earth have been very popular.  But other times a child will share something like this, "I know Heavenly Father loves me because I was having a hard time learning to ride my bike without training wheels.  I said a prayer and asked Him to help me, and then I did it!"  Blythe, age 5.   (That would be my Blythe.)  Those moments of sincere, real testimony have made me weep.  And quite frankly, I wept regularly.

The music in Primary made me cry too.  I was so moved when the children sang, "I know that my Savior loves me," or "If I listen with my heart I hear the Savior's voice," or "I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."  Primary songs teach the gospel so profoundly and yet so simply.  I love them and I love hearing the children sing them.

I will miss being in Primary.  I told the children today that I knew Heavenly Father loved me because He let me stay with them for so long.  I have to go back to Relief Society where everyone is old.  I have felt young and vibrant surrounded by young and vibrant Primary children, and I will miss that.  I think Primary is where it's at spiritually at church too.  If you ask me where the Spirit is hanging out at during our meetings, I'll confidently tell you it's in Primary.  All good things must come to an end, and as Kent pointed out, I need to share the blessings around.  I have enjoyed them for a long time--it's someone else's turn.  I suppose he is right, but it will be strange to not be there.  And I think the kids will find it strange too.  I have been a part of their Primary experience from the beginning; they have never not had me in Primary.  I hope we can all adjust to the change.