Each year the children get a chance to share their testimonies and songs during our Sacrament Meeting. It is a big deal for them to sit up in front of the congregation, singing songs and speaking. Amazingly, Everett, who CAN be timid, did great...his part was "The first article of faith states..." Now if anyone understood him other than his family, that is another story. But he said it and with gusto. Natalie wrote her own part about a time when she followed the promptings of the Holy Ghost. This is what she shared,
“The Holy Ghost teaches me to serve. I was guided by the Holy Ghost one Sunday afternoon. My dad was upstairs telling my mom all about Church since she stayed home with baby Elliott. Everett was upstairs in his room. I was downstairs all alone. The Holy Ghost put an idea in my mind to make lunch for my family. I listened and set the table, and on the plates I placed a yogurt, string cheese, carrots, crackers, and tomatoes. I filled the cups with water. Then I wrote my family a note inviting them to lunch and slid it under their door. They were so happy especially when I told them that I followed the Holy Ghost who guided me to serve them this way. I am excited to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost when I am baptized.”
Two people came up to me and commmented on how touched they were during her talk. That made her feel good too that the words she shared helped someone to feel good. Everett, on the other hand, made people laugh, During one of the songs (Everett was in the front row and would come up to the low wall during the songs--therefore, more in the view of the congregation) Everett was making had motions--raising one finger for "first" and two fingers for "second" and so on. And supposedly he was clowning around looking like he was choking himself.
They were angels today. And they looked lovely in their white. I had to do a mini photo shoot to remember this dayand how they looked.
As a side note about Everett: The other night he was tired and during the bathing routine he began to hit himself. I asked why he was doing that and he said, along these lines, "I want to be dead like Aunt Sheila" After talking with him I realized it was because he missed her and wanted to be with her again. I feel sorry for the little guy. We all miss Sheila. This is how he expressed his longings. Natalie similarly longed for Mommom (maternal great grandmother) at this age, dreaming about her and sharing how much she missed her.
