Welcome to Primary

So this has sort of been my life for the past few days:

So this past Sunday I was put in the Primary Presidency in my ward. In a Latter-day Saint ward, the Primary is an organization where all of the children learn about Jesus Christ and the gospel on Sundays. So as the second counselor I help to organize the teachers, put together a Primary program, manage Activity Days for the girls and Scouting for the boys, conduct and help with Sharing time, and a lot of other stuff I'm sure I can't even think of. 

It has never occurred to me how little I know about the background of Primary until I got this calling. I'm like, Primary has a budget, what? Primary programs are not pre-written, what? Scouting whaaaat???? 

Good thing I'm the Second Counselor and that the Primary President and the First Counselor are super-smart, awesome ladies. I am unbelievably excited to work with them. I know I will learn so much. 

But outside of that, I am also so happy to have something so worthwhile to dedicate time to. I've spent a lot of time trying to educate myself and read the handbook and find resources. It's great. Primary is important. Helping children to understand that God loves them is important. Families are important. It is all just SO IMPORTANT. 

It's been another testimony to me that Heavenly Father is aware of me. I have been praying like crazy that I would get a calling that would A) take up a lot of my time and B) get me involved with a lot of people in the ward. To be busy just for the sake of being busy is not necessarily good. But I think having worthwhile, constructive things to engage in is just a really good thing for me right now. 

A few months ago Greg and I were talking about what we could do to improve our lives and help us be happy. NEWSFLASH: Greg is a better person than me. No, like, really. He said something like "I just think we should be serving people more." 

When I heard that--I will be honest--this is how I felt: 

You get the picture. 

I'm really not a bad person. I hope no one minds that I keep talking about this, but we've just had a rough year. And sometimes when it is the most beneficial to turn outward to others is when it's also the hardest. Sometimes in the moments when Heavenly Father needs you to love others the most is when you feel the most tempted to just focus on yourself and what you want. These types of temptations during trials are difficult because they are the temptations that you feel most justified in indulging. 

But I am proud of myself that I've realized that this opportunity to be busy and serve and focus on other people is exactly what I need. Not only is it what I need, it is what I want. Heavenly Father does answer prayers. I believe all callings in the church are inspired because Heavenly Father cares about us and the church, but never in my life have I felt so strongly that I am exactly where I need to be. 

Greg is busy in the ward, too. Our first Sunday back in May he was called to be the Young Men's President. Talk about intimidating. It's been great so far. It's been so fun to watch Greg figure things out. As a couple we care so much about the boys in the ward. We pray about them, we are concerned for them, we are proud of them. It's just fantastic. I'm excited to see the same kinds of blessings and responsibilities come to me as I try and serve with the kids in Primary. 

So does anybody have any awesome resources that they love for Primary? I've heard of that Sugar Doodle thing, but what are your favorite Primary traditions/materials/etc? 

**IN OTHER NEWS, I ran my fastest 5k today. 28 minutes on the dot. Woot woot. (Treadmills count, right?)