The Boonie Life: Program Sunday & Spencer Boy is Done with Cub Scouts

We had the Primary Sacrament Meeting Program today - the Sunday that the kids aged 3-11 put on a program for the rest of the congregation complete with many songs, and speaking parts. Everyone says that it is one of the best Sundays of the year. I would have to agree.

This year our 4 oldest participated; it was Jiles's first year, and maybe Spencer's last, depending on whether or not the program is before October 21st next year. Weston played the piano for many of the songs. He did a great job. Kate and Ezra had both of their parts memorized and said them perfectly. Jiles said his part without telling everyone about his friend's house and puppies like he did at the practice last week. I sat with Zoe who was entertained most of the time by all the kids singing and moving around in the front of the chapel. The other part of the time she was flipping around on my lap or the bench or doing a front roll off of the bench. This was my first year since 2009 that I wasn't conducting the music. It was nice to sit and watch, especially considering my state of largeness, even though I had to wrestle Zoe sometimes.

Spencer and Kate both sang in a quartet - Kate with 3 other girls for one verse of "I am a Child of God", and Spencer with 3 other boys to one verse of "We'll Bring the World His Truth", which happens to be his favorite song.

I was touched by the spirit several times during the program and couldn't hold in tears a couple times. Mostly it was from thinking about Spencer and how he is at a pivotal time in his life. He turned 11 last week. He is done with Cub Scouts and Tuesday afternoon den meetings, and now goes to 11-year-old scouts. This means that he goes to mutual with me one night of the week with the teenagers! I am sooooo not ready for this. I mean, it's not like going off to middle school or anything, but still.

During the program he had to help the younger ones with their speaking parts, and it was so sweet how he would fix the microphone to be right in front of them, and crouch down to their level and whisper their speaking part in their ear. He is such a sweetie. Sometimes I am so hard on him, with him being my oldest, and I expect so much from him; I depend on him to help and do things all the time. He bears it like a champ and, for the most part, gets in and does it (sometimes after many naggings/reminders from his mama, but he still does it without murmuring).

His last pack meeting was last week. He worked so hard (and so did I, thankyouverymuch) to get all 20 cub scout badges and a bunch of belt loops and his Arrow of Light award, which is the highest award you can get in Cub Scouting. We are proud of him.

One of his scout leaders, Linda, reading all of his awards:

He looks rather pleased with himself here. Hahaha. He should be.

Today, when he was singing in the program, his verse went,

"We know his plan, and we will prepare,

Increase our knowledge through study and prayer.

Daily we'll learn until we are called

To take the gospel to all the world."

That "until we are called to take the gospel to all the world," really hit me and I couldn't hold back the tears. These boys... MY boys... are being prepared right now to serve the Lord. He will be able to go on a mission in 7 short years! He will get a call and take the gospel to somewhere in the world.

I pray that I can be a mother to my young men like the mothers of the young men of the Armies of Helaman were, as they refer to in the song. They prepared their boys really well!

What a stud!

His Cub Scout Den Leader, Verlene, is awesome. She puts in so much work and time for these boys. She makes these Arrow of Light awards for all the boys. Awesome!