The End and The Beginning

Elise is twelve. She will be in two days.
Oh me oh my.

I love that every Sunday since she was three, she was taught by wonderful people the principles of the gospel.

She sang, she read scriptures, she played games, she laughed, she felt the spirit,
she grew.

I am thankful for Primary!

Today was Elise's last Sunday in Primary. She recited the Thirteenth Article of Faith and then gave a talk.

These are her honest, almost-twelve-year-old thoughts:

I was asked to speak on how Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. Now, this is a very large topic to speak on. I mean, prayer took up about two pages in the topical guide. Anyway, I'd like to start off with a scripture.

Luke 11:1
1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

So, what can we get from that little scriputre? Well, we hear that Jesus prayed while he was on earth. So, prayer must have been pretty important. And Jesus wouldn't pray if he didn't think he would get an answer.

My next scripture is John 14:13.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

That means that if you pray in Jesus' name, you will get what you asked for. Maybe not right away or the way you expected or wanted, but you will get it and the Father will be glorified in the Son.

This doesn't mean that if you ask to become a chicken or to get super powers or for a volcano to erupt in your neighborhood, you'll get that. No! That's silly. You have to ask for practical things, like for someone who is sick to get better, or for someone on a mission to be safe. That kind of thing. But even then, if you ask for help on a test, but you didn't studied or paid attention in class, you probably won't get help because you always need to do SOMEthing to get help.

My last scripture is D&C 19:83

38 Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof.

Think about that. Just think about it. Blessings better than any treasures of the Earth. Having the Lord's spirit poured upon you! Simply if we pray always. Isn't that just a lovely thought? It seems like such a small thing to do for such a vast reward. And if none of my other scriptures clearly stated that Heavenly Father does hear and answer our prayers, this one definitely does. To have the Lord's spirit with you always. I think that is good enough, even if we don't get what we originally asked for in our prayers.

Then she bore her testimony. And ended her time in Primary.

A new adventure awaits her! She is so ready and excited to go to Young Women's! I love the gospel and how it helps me and my family. I believe these programs are inspired of our Father in Heaven. 

Elise is a bright, confident, happy pre-teen! I know that the things she has learned at church have helped her to know who she is and that she has an important mission here in this life. 

As a mother, I feel there can be no greater gift.

Here she is on her first day in nursery (18 months old). It was Sam's first day of Primary. They look super impressed, yes?

Here she is today: