2
- Dr. Paulos
2-
4-H horse show
3
- Zoo with the Rich's
3
- Tonya died
5
- Darrin's birthday
6
- Horse show
6
- Tonya's viewing
7
- Tonya's funeral
7
- Horse show
8 - Zac summer school, on Wednesday's
6-10
Appraisal course (I didn't go)
9
- Dance Review
10
- WIC
17
- Amanda went to Nicole Cook's b-day party
19
- Father's Day
20
-Swimming lessons start
21
- Primary party
21
Dr. appt's for me allot
23,24,25 Morgala Days
25
- Dawson Reunion
26
- speak in Sacrament meeting
27
- Tonks Family Reunion
28
- Linda and Bruce in California (coming back from Okinawa)
30
- LuAnn leaves to California to meet Linda and Bruce
June
1988 - Letter from Todd
Dear
Roger and Gwen,
Hi,
How is everything going? I hope it's
fine. Thanks a lot for the money and
card for my birthday. I can't wait to
get home. We only have 28 more days left
on island. I love and miss you all
alot. Love Todd.
June
3, 1988 (postcard) from Darrin
Hi
you guys! How are all you doing? I am doing just fine. Thanks for the card and money. I am going to get a souvenir spoon with
it. I can't wait. Only 19 days left. I started driver's ed the day after my
birthday. We have to take our driving
with a standard. I think I can handle it
though. See you soon. Love, Darrin
June
8, 1988
Well,
this is hard to write, but I must. My
sister Tonya, age 17, was killed in a car accident last Friday night (June 3,
1988) We are all very sad, and so sad
and missing her. Even though I didn't
see allot of her lately, she was always running here and there. I took her for granted, that she was
somewhere, and I'd see her sometime. I
feel I failed her. I judged her too
harshly, and now I regret it so much. I
should have been more of a friend to her, and talked to her, and let her know
how much I loved her. But it's too late
now. She's gone, and it will be a long
while before I can see her again. I love
her, and it hurts so bad. I feel bad for
mom and dad and my kids. They will not
get to have her spoil them. She loved
them so, if only I could go back and change the way I was when she wanted my
kids to visit. Oh, I'm so sorry now. I
hope she can forgive me. I hope I can forgive myself.
June
9, 1988
I
am so low, and tired. I feel so bad
about Tonya. I know only time can make
this pain go away. She loved so
freely. We all need to love everyone
like she did, and does. I love her so
much. I can sit here in my kitchen and
look up to the cemetery. Oh, to go back one week!
June
10, 1988
Today
is better. Mom and Dad went back to
work. I'm gonna work this afternoon. I'm
still low, but not as bad as yesterday.
I went to the temple yesterday with mom and dad and Erika. It was nice.
I need to keep thinking that Tonya is happy and without cares or worries
now. I love her.
June
26, 1988 (Gwen gave a talk in Sacrament meeting - this was right before the Primary Presidency was released)
Presiding--
Bishop Errol C. Nelson
Conducting
-- Bishop's councilor Don P. Russell
Chorister
--- Betty Rose
Organist
--- Lacy Russell
Hymn
136 - I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Invocation---
Ward
Business---
Sacrament
Hymn 182 We'll Sing All Hail To Jesus'
Name
Sacrament
Service
Theme: "Come Unto Christ"
Talk
--- Gwen Rich
Talk
----Roland Sinfield
Song---
"Search, Ponder and Pray" by the Primary board
Talk
----Susan Wiscombe
Talk
----Lory Birt
Hymn
116 Come Follow Me
Benediction
Gwen's
talk---------
Children
need Primary. They need the gospel
learning that takes place there. Parents
are counseled to teach their children correct gospel principles. In the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 68,
Verses 25-28, we read:
26 For this shall be a law unto the ainhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized.
27 And their children shall be abaptized for the bremission of their sins when ceight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.
28 And they shall also ateach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.
Primary
leaders and teachers can help parents reinforce these principles. A father tells of a time when his family was
learning in family home evening about resurrection. His 7 year old daughter was puzzled about
death and resurrection, even though the family had discussed it at length. After the lesson, the father asked,
"Honey, do you understand this?"
She replied, "I guess so," and nodded with a puzzled
frown. She continued to be
troubled. One day her mother found her
with tears streaming down her face studying a picture of the Savior in the
family home evening manual. Again, she
explained the concepts to her daughter and asked her if she understood. "I guess so," was again the
reply. The next week, her Primary
teacher taught a lesson about the resurrection.
She came running to tell her mother, "Oh mother! Now I understand! And it's even better than you said. Not only do we live again, but our spirits
never die. They live forever and
ever!" We hope that we can make a
significant difference in the lives of children as we help you parents to teach them the gospel. This year in our primary we are following the
prophets council in teaching the children.
Primary
begins with the Nursery where children enter when they are 18 months old, and
continue until they turn 12 and are advanced into the young men and young women
programs. Throughout these years as they
advance from class to class there are specific concepts they are taught. They all center around our Heavenly Father
and Jesus.
For Example:
For Example:
In
the Nursery and Sunbeams, each child is helped to have a positive happy
experience at church, and to know they are children of God, and that Heavenly
Father and Jesus love them.
The
4 and 5 year olds in the STAR classes learn that Heavenly Father and Jesus
planned for them to come to earth, and that they can express their love for
them through their behavior.
The
6 and 7 year olds in the CTR classes learn to CHOOSE THE RIGHT and to prepare
for baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost.
In
the Valiant classes the 8 and 9 year old children are helped to grow in the
understanding of the gospel plan, and to keep their baptismal covenants and to
remain true to them.
The
10 and 11 year old girls and boys are helped to follow God's plan for them,
either through womanhood or in the priesthood.
Along
with what is presented to the kids as they attend their individual Primary
classes, we also have the opportunity to join together as a group of teachers,
leaders, and children, for a sharing time presentation. I think personally I love this most about
Primary. It is here where we the leaders
get to really know your children and see them interact with others and learn
the gospel principles. We have had some
really great sharing time presentations.
Some of the most memorable have been when we have gone outside of our
Primary for help. I'm sure all of the
kids can remember when Elder Rod Hinck, who had recently returned from his
mission to Thailand came and spoke to us last year. I think the teachers asked as many questions
as the kids, an oh what an influence and example!! I think all of us wanted to go out and serve a
mission after listening to his testimony and experiences.
We
all had a great learning experience when Sister Shelly Winn came and taught us
the First Article of Faith using sign language for the deaf. And we all enjoyed Sister Louise Waldron's
presentation on journals. This past
month the kids all colored a picture depicting their favorite Book of Mormon
story, and the pictures were sent to Salt Lake to be displayed in the Church
Museum this coming September. We have
also done some role playing. I know that
Blake Nelson and Cris Spencer won't soon forget their roles of Alma and Alma
the Younger. We had some great sons of
Mosiah, and Holly Whimpey was the perfect angel. After acting this story out, the Senior
Primary kids then presented it to the Junior Primary, and they just loved.
it. Another story from the Book of
Mormon that Sister Vicki Rose presented to us was the story of Enos and the
power of prayer. In many of our sharing times, we do different games such as
Tic Tac Toe, Concentration, or crossword puzzles, using different questions and
answers pertaining to the gospel. You
can usually tell when we are doing some of these games because it gets pretty
loud down at our end of the building.
Hopefully you will bear with us and know we are trying our best to teach
your children. Once a month a class gets
to present a sharing time. The teachers
put allot of work into this, and they really do a good job. The reason the General Board has asked us to
do this is because as we all know when we have to prepare something, it is us
that learns the most from it. So it is
with the children, and when they get a chance to participate in giving a
sharing time, they are the ones who benefit the most. I'm sure many of the children in the audience
remember these pictures and props and the sharing times that their class did.
The
CTA A Class - Helping hands
Sister
Joanne Nelson's STAR B class - Michael and Reverence
The
CTR A class - Travis learns to repent
Sometimes
we make crafts to take home for you parents.
Hopefully many of you received a bottle decorated similar to this and
filled with messages of love for Valentine's Day. I know many of the kids were so excited with
their creations that they wanted to keep them for themselves.
President
Benson has told us not long ago "God has saved for the final inning, some
of His stronger and most valiant children, who will help bear off the kingdom
triumphantly."
Sister
Dwan Young, who was recently released as the Primary General President
explained in her conference address this past April, that children WANT to be
taught, they DO UNDERSTAND the quiet whisperings of the spirit, and that as
they learn they are a great influence for good.
I
have here, two silver dollars. One is
old and dull with accumulated dirt and grime.
The other is shiny new. The old
one is still very usable and has the same amount of value as if it were
new. If we rub these two together, an
interesting thing happens. The old
silver dollar will lose some of it's grime and will be polished by the new
one. That's what happens to adults who
associate with children in Primary. We
rub against shiny, newly minted souls.
Not only are we polished, but they are further shined as they respond to
the Spirit and to the gospel truths we
teach them.
I
love working in the Primary. Sometimes
it's allot of hard work, but overall Primary is FUN! It is so special to see these young people
grow and mature physically and spiritually in the gospel. It's exciting to see the new little Sunbeams as they come into
Primary, and exciting to see the young men and women who grew up so fast, leave
to go into the young men and women programs.
We
hope that we can make a significant difference in the lives of children as we
help you parents to teach them the gospel.
This year in our Primary we are following the prophets council in
teaching the children to "Come Unto Christ". We are placing special emphasis on the Book
of Mormon and the 13 Articles of Faith.
Today in our Primary we will be giving certificates of achievement to
those children and teachers who have memorized all of the Articles of Faith. We know this takes allot of hard work and dedication,
as much from the parents as well as the kids, and we surely appreciate all of
your help.
Hopefully
we as teachers and leaders have done our part to influence them for good, to
help them learn and grow in the gospel and to supplement the teachings you as
parents are teaching at home.
This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
This is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
June
29, 1988
Well,
it's almost here! Only 6 more days!, and
baby Landon will be born. We are all
really excited. They gave me a baby
shower at work today, and gave me an infant seat.
