This is a door to the Primary room in the old church building in Provo that I attended as a child. Last July, I took some time to walk the halls and open the doors of classrooms I inhabited year after year, one by one.
I don’t remember my Primary teachers’ names, but I can recall the words of the Primary songs that we were taught. I remember this room as it used to be, with its beautiful miniature wooden pews and a small rostrum where children gave talks. Today, all of those pews and the rostrum are gone, and stacking chairs have replaced the beautiful light wood benches. All that is left of the original woodwork are these doors with funky yellow glass. And yes, I remembered this beautiful double door. It’s odd to me that I remember the setting more than the people who served me as a child, but it helps me realize what is most important when working with children.
My ministry to Primary leaders filters down to the children who receive a benefit without realizing it. The children of our stake don’t know my name, but I pray for them, faithfully. They won’t remember my face, but they will remember the songs we taught them. They won’t remember every lesson given by their teachers, but I believe they will remember these classes were safe and happy places. And they will walk out the doors of their own Primary rooms with the gospel of Jesus Christ in their hearts, just as I did as a child. This is the work of Primary.