Primary 2017- CTR 5

And the 2017 blog wouldn't be completed without one last post about our sweet Primary class.  I am not sure of the rules (so I didn't ask anyone), but we took some pictures of the last day with our CTR 5 class.  They are now all six years old.  I mentioned to someone that they were the second hardest class I have ever taught ( the first was in 1979 in Sunset, UT, a story for another time).  And it is true.  They were all smart, talkative, and wanted to be the center of the universe--which is hard when there is six other little people, feeling the same way---but they were also SO fun and SO loving!  I will miss them so much.

Because of their amazing memories, we decided to do a review of the lessons over the year.  I took a big board and put on it left over handouts, coloring pages, scriptures, and activities from past lessons.  They did so great and it was fun to hear them retell lessons and things that they remembered. 

When we asked them to gather for a class photo, they immediately said that we needed to be in the picture with them, so we got the Primary secretary to come in and take the photo.

Boston H., Jared U., Morgan J., Drayden R., Jackson J., and Ava B.
not present was Jonah J.

One of the comments that our class made early on was that we didn't bring them treats every week.  No, we didn't.  We occasionally had food if it fit into the lesson in some way or another and we took them treats to their house for Halloween and Christmas.  So on our last day together, we ended class with ice cream sandwiches--and they were yummy.

Boston

Jared 

Morgan

Jackson

We played a bingo game with all of their names and some of the topics we discussed over the year.  They only sat this quiet because they were eating their ice cream sandwiches

 Not sure where Drayden was getting ready to jump off to---

At the beginning of the year, we measured them on a stick and then on the last day we measured them again to see who much they have grown.  Let me tell you that 5 turning six years olds grow quite a bit.

The class posing with the stick---yes, that is Jackson being dramatic....

Some closing lines---
From Ava (when I dropped off her Christmas gift):  "When I am grown up I want you and Bro. Hall to be my home teachers.  I am not sure how I will do it or if I can, but I want you to be my home teachers."  How cute is that!!

During our last class, Jared (we are pretty sure it was him) asked, "Will you still come to my baptism?"  and everyone joined in.  And of course, the answer is that we would be happy to attend each of their baptisms......

Definitely the second hardest class I have ever taught and I had to be creative and explore a variety of ways to teach and keep their interest.  Even with that, some days it seemed like crowd control at its finest (or poorest)---they were talkative, some times hit each other, and would get upset for some small thing or another.  And then, they would remember something from a lesson months ago or they would ask a serious question, and my heart would just fill with love for them.  I am not going to lie, there were tears in my eyes on December 31st as we talked and ate ice cream sandwiches one last time as their teachers.  We are forever tied, this rowdy class and I--I will be watching them be baptized, growing in life and in the gospel, serve missions, go to college and get jobs---and hopefully enjoy all that life has to offer them.  And, some day, they will be teaching a Primary class of their own and I hope them will remember how much we loved them and love their own classes just the same!

PS--(01/07/2018)and I think I got a hug from each one of them sometime today during Church.  Just checking in to make sure we hadn't forgotten them even though they have new teachers who will learn to love them, too!  We are now teaching the Valiant 9s--a class of 6 boys.  It was pretty exciting as they can read scriptures and ask very good questions.  I love that.  It is going to be another fun year in Primary!