Day 25: Inner-city Primary

Pianist Calling

This morning I felt really sick. I took some stuff on the Tube out to Lea Valley and hoped it would all go away--fast Sunday is not a good idea if one's legitimately unwell. Liz was in charge of teaching the Sunbeams this week, but she asked for the manual on the way there. I was a little concerned.


After a super long testimony meeting, Primary is a great place to be. Being with all the kids really seems to lift my spirits, and I can see now why so many teachers and leaders are so enthused in Primary. Our permanent pianist actually came today--she also asked me if I knew where the bathroom was. Trying not to judge while Liz struggles to play the Primary songs without her.


Happily for Liz, though, was the fact that everyone left--sick, gone home, off to Young Women, etc.--by Sharing time. By everyone, I mean that four kids were left--Daniel, Alicia, Nathan (who sat by me and paid more attention than I did) and Tico (who hid behind the storage closet and shouted that he wouldn't come out. So Sister Susan pulled a lesson out of her elbow and we played the game Hot-Cold, where you hide something in the room, and the room helps the finder by singing Primary songs louder or softer. Good times all around.


A Member in the UK


I gave the ward clerk my email and he promised to set up a missionary appointment for me shortly. I felt much better by the time we got the Tube home--everyone had been given some sort of sweets or biscuits from their leaders for the third week in a row, and we chatted happily about how fantastic our ward is.


The fireside that night was a panel of students in London from Ireland, the UK, and the States, talking about being a member of the Church here. From the sound of it, there isn't really open hostility here so much as there is respect. Most aren't religious at all, and it's very live and let pray. Count on Dr. Seely to make things awkward...(to the couple on the other side of the podium) "Are you guys dating?" I think it was a little more eye-opening for the girls from Utah than it was for me. My growing up was a little more hostile, what with scores of evangelicals roaming the school and telling me and my brother we were destined to go to hell. It was fun to hear about tight-knit youth groups who stay out of clubs and keep good friends, like I had back home. Utah really misses out on the whole sink or swim mentality, I think. The world's a dangerous place.


Can I just say how excited I am for another Monday? Real schedules and the thought of naps are fantastic.