Primarily speaking...

"I so don't want to be here." "I so don't want to do this." "I so don't like you." Such were the phrases spoken by a three year old Sunbeam last week in our Primary. Add those comments to the rowdiness and rudeness of the rest of the children, and the fact that two sets of teachers were no-shows and two sets arrived during singing time. Let's just say my experience in Primary was memorable. As I complained about it during the week, divine chastisement was given one morning as the words of Elder Wirthlin came into my mind. "Come what may and love it!" I've been told by many seasoned Primary workers that there will be days like I've described above...maybe half a dozen per year...mostly around major holidays. That leaves forty five weeks of fun, learning, quiet reverence and participation to look forward to. So,let those six weeks of chaos come,and love it.

Elder Wirthlin's final October 2008 General Conference address will remain in our hearts for a long, long time. I've seen his phrase etched in vinyl lettering. I've heard them quoted in Sacrament Meeting talks, Relief Society lessons and casual conversations. "How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can't -- at least not in the moment. I don't think my mother was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life. If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness." (Ensign, November 2008, page 26).

I've wondered why fluid oozes out of our eyes at times of great emotion? What is it in our physical makeup that links our thinking to our eyes? Does it serve some medicinal purpose to moisten our eyes? In my sorrowful times, I cry. The Savior wept...in his own suffering and in compassion for others. I think it is part of our mortal experience to sorrow, for a time. "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...a time to weep, a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4). As Elder Wirthlin suggested, it is not in denying our emotions, but it is the "wise" approach to adversity that can bring us peace.

Crying is not just reserved for sorrow. Our family has been known to consume an entire package of tissues when we start giggling (mostly when Ilene comes to visit). Many tears were shed last night as we felt gratitude for the love of family. But most often, crying comes as a result of distress. Last year, I knew I would be very discouraged during my illness. Your thoughts, jokes and stories helped dry my tears. One neighbor offered these favorites:
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Men are like Slinkies..not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospital beds dying of nothing.

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

I'm not 40-something. I'm $39.95 plus shipping and handling.

In the 60's people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world IS weird and people take Prozac to make it seem normal.

How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Doctors can be so frustrating. You wait a month-and-a-half for an appointment, and he says, "I wish you'd have come to me sooner."

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and posted it on the apple tray, "Take only one, God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. Posted was a note, written in crayon in a childish scrawl: "Take all you want, God is watching the apples."
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Now you may not have shed "funny tears" or had a good belly laugh when reading these, but I bet you smiled, your eyes lit up, and for a brief moment you felt good (unless you are a man and took offense to the first joke...sorry). Read the third one again, "Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again." Isn't that wise...both literally and figuratively?

Elder Wirthlin gave us the formula: approaching adversity wisely = times of greatest growth = times of greatest happiness. I have my own recipe for dealing with trials: 2 cups of concentrated effort + 1 cup of sincere prayer + 2 tablespoons of support from others + baking over time. Cancer put me down for a year. God chose to keep me here a little longer. I can start breathing again. And I shouldn't give up on Primary just because of a bad week. However, I've been told the week after Christmas can be just as harried as the week before. So, okay. I will not give up on Primary just because of two bad weeks in a row. (But if I hear "I so don't like you" on the third week, I'm running away to Relief Society!)

And if I fear the woes of tomorrow, here's another from my neighbor: "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." Just come what may and love it!