Church Callings

About 4 months ago, Arturo and I were called to teach Institute for our ward. Now, I must explain that we attend a Spanish ward. It is a good sized ward and the church they meet at is very close to our apartment, so it is nice. We are attending this ward to hopefully help me learn spanish. I wasn't sure how much it would help, but it is helping A TON. I know that without going to this ward, the chances of me learning Spanish would be very slim. The first month was really hard for me because I just felt completely lost. I felt like words were swirling around my head and I had no idea what was going on.

Thankfully, I became friends with a girl that is my age and is from SLC. She married a guy from South America and she also served a Spanish speaking mission. She and I get along really well and so we always sit by each other in Relief Society and she helps me.

So about a 3 weeks after we started going to this new ward, the Bishop called us to teach Institute. It is Tuesday nights and I really think they reason they have it is so that new converts in the ward can learn more about the gospel. Many of the members of the ward are recent converts (within the last 5 years)so they are just learning.

To say I was scared about our new calling would be an understatement. Teaching is usually no problem for me...but in Spanish? What I end up doing is writing down everything I want to say. I copy things from the Spanish manual and then I write what I want to say into www.freetranslation.com and write down the translation it gives me. Most of the time it is correct but I always have Arturo proof read it and make the needed corrections.

It is going pretty well. I can read pretty well now. I feel like I can pronounce things correctly and I can actually read an entire senctence witout having a bunch of odd pauses here and there. :)

Now that I am getting comforatble in that calling, Heavenly Father decided to mix it up again. So three weeks ago I was called to also be the Primary Chorister. The lovely thing about the primary is that most of primary is done in English and the kids all speak English, so I can teach in English. However, the songs are all in Spanish.



Thankfully, the Church is wonderful and they have recordings of all of the hymns and primary songs in Spanish on the website. I listen to the songs over and over again trying to make sure I say the words right and trying to memorize it. I called my mom and talked to her about this calling and asked for any pointers. I loved her advice: the most important thing is to make sure I am teaching the kids doctrine through the music; don't worry so much about making sure they sing the songs perfectly. That is what I am focusing on and it is true, I can feel the mood of the room change when I am teaching them doctrine and testifying. Thanks Mom!

I am learning a lot about teaching little kids! I realize 12 and 13 year olds are still young, but they do not have to go to the bathroom every two seconds and they don't make the random, incorherent comments that some of my primary kids make. (Ok, they do still make random comments, but not quite like these.) But let's be honest, those are some of the things that make primary such an adventure.

So now I feel like an official grown-up. I am attending a family ward and I am the Primary Chorister. Craziness. But I know Heavenly Father will bless me to be able to learn Spanish so that I can fulfill my callings. Check back for stories of the random things my primary kids do and perhaps in the near future I will post a little something in Spanish.