Uh Oh, s-BLOG-hettio! (spaghettio? old reference?)

The blogger app I use sometimes randomly switches my blogs around so that I've accidentally posted a journal entry onto my public blog!

I don't think anyone really reads this anymore, but if you see a post here that is unusually personal (and I haven't deleted it yet), please let me know and respect my privacy by not sharing it...or reading it, if it can be helped.

Thank you!

Praise to the Man

PRAISE TO THE MAN WHO COMMUNED WITH JEHOVAH

JESUS ANOINTED THAT PROPHET AND SEER

BLESSED TO OPEN THE LAST DISPENSATION

KINGS SHALL EXTOL HIM AND NATIONS REVERE

HAIL TO THE PROPHET, ASCENDED TO HEAVEN

TRAITORS AND TYRANTS NOW FIGHT HIM IN VAIN

MINGLING WITH GODS HE CAN PLAN FOR HIS BRETHREN

DEATH CANNOT CONQUER THE HERO AGAIN!

So that's what I've been doing for the last, oh, three hours. I browsed through some flip charts online for this song and just felt generally disappointed by them. Besides, I think this will be the last song I teach this primary. So I decided to make it a sort of parting gift to them, something they can probably remember me by. I know my drawings are definitely on the artsy side, but I want this song to have an impact. It's a great song; I personally have felt a deepening gratitude for the prophet Joseph Smith. I know he wasn't a perfect man, but no one is. And he lived an exemplary life, sacrificing all! I am grateful that he fulfilled his mission on earth so that we can have the fullness of the gospel. We all owe so much to him, the least we can offer is our thanks.

[Primary] He Sent His Son

When I put together a flip chart for a primary song, I prefer to be very simplistic with the pictures. I rarely include words, but in this case I felt it could be helpful. The purpose of a flip chart--at least the way I feel about it--is that it should help the children memorize the song rather than make them depend on it. Using straightforward symbols seems to be really effective. I think it helps the kids process everything faster, maybe? 

Here is the flip chart I drew for my primary. This is the song "He Sent His Son," page 34 in the Children's Songbook. You should be able to right-click and save each of these.

How could the Father tell the world

of love and tenderness?

(One thing that can make these symbols more effective is explaining them as you go; having a mini conversation about it helps the kids remember. In this case, you could explain that the mouth and world always signify the words "tell" and "world." I explained the last picture by asking the children how they feel about babies...tenderness is a natural feeling when we hold babies.)

He sent His son a newborn babe

with peace and holiness.

(I pointed out that the question papers are outlined in orange, the answers in blue. The envelope represents having sent something and is meant to remind the children of the repeated phrase "He sent His son." In this picture, you could explain that the dove with the olive branch is a symbol for peace throughout the Old Testament. I asked the children if they knew what words are on the outside of every temple--"Holiness to the Lord, the House of the Lord")

How could the Father show the world

the pathway we should go?

(This is pretty straightforward. You might want to point out that this time we say "show" instead of "tell.")

He sent His son to walk with men

on earth that we may know.

(Explain that our brains are where we know things, basically, so this symbol is pretty simple to remember.)

How could the Father tell the world

of sacrifice, of death?

(This was a great opportunity for our primary to have a small discussion about sacrifice; try to keep any discussions brief since singing is the main goal, but don't be afraid to bear testimony and let the children bear their testimonies, too. We talked about altars and why they symbolize sacrifice.)

He sent His Son to die for us

and rise with living breath.

(This was yet another sweet opportunity with our primary to reverently point out that even though we do not use the cross as a general symbol of worship in our church, it does remind us that Jesus died for us. But the tomb--the empty tomb--is a reminder that even death had no power over Jesus. "He is risen! He is not here!" The empty tomb is a powerful symbol for me.)

What does the Father ask of us?

What do the scriptures say?

Have faith, have hope,

live like His son, help others on their way.

(This one might need a little explanation for the children. I reminded them of the scripture and song that say faith is like a little seed. I asked them how they thought the person on the top right of the page seemed to feel--really just to help them notice and think about it--and then with the bottom left picture, I reminded them that Jesus told us to love one another. That's really what that symbol is supposed to represent...I know it could be interpreted a number of ways. Sorry. :) The last one is two hands grasping each other.)

What does He ask?

Live like His son.

(We are splitting this song up between our junior and senior primary. The junior primary sings the questions, the senior primary sings the answers. This last question-answer the primary sings all together.)