June 1988 - from my journal

June

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: 

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.

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.