primary program

Our ward's primary program @ church  was in October. (This is a program but on by children in our sacrament meeting at church.) I have always looked forward to the program because there is always that child who is picking their nose, or is singing above all others, or breathes heavily into the microphone. I love it! This was Josh's last Primary program. (He ages out of Primary next year.) For his very last primary program ever, he was assigned one sentence. This made him a bit upset. Josh reads on a 9th grade reading level. Josh is an A Honor Roll student. Josh was been reading books like Charlie Bone that are 700+ pages for several years now and he is given one line? I hate to complain, but really? one sentence?? There were 4 year olds that were assigned a paragraph length part, that they could barely repeat it with an adult telling it to them and Josh gets one line? (Ok- it didn't only bother Josh.) I have written a primary program before, lead music in many and I know what kind of time and prep goes into creating one. Most of that time is spent thinking about the individual child, their ability, and their willingness to say a part. Plus- having it be in their own words help out. So, the more we spoke about the program and the more we practiced parts, the more upset he (and we) became.  Josh decided that he had more to say. Clyde and I spoke to him about the program and Clyde asked him what he wanted to say, especially since he had the floor and the microphone. We came up with something like:

"I was originally only assigned one line in the Primary Program. Since this is my last Primary program before going into young men's, I felt I had more to say. I thought about reading the entire book of Mosiah and then giving a lesson about it, which I could easily do, but I figured that would take too much time. So before I leave Primary, I'd just like to thank my teachers and before Sis. E, opens the trap door underneath my feet, I'll now read my assigned line..."I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers."

That was the nice version. We did have a snippier version but since it was from the pulpit, we figured that that was best. Josh was a bit nervous about saying his 'new' part. Clyde and I didn't know if he would go through with it. Once he stepped up to the podium and he stuck his hand in his jacket pocket to pull out his paper, we were all smiles! I am very proud of Joshua! You rock!!