The Primary Disconnect

I've wanted to write this post so many times! I've started and didn't like it or it didn't feel right but someone needs to speak to the sisters outside of Primary and that includes Nursery. Nursery is part of Primary so for the rest of the post when I reference Primary I mean Nursery too.

I love my primary calling, really! I would pick a Primary calling any day and for most people that doesn't include Nursery but I do. I love Nursery. My first summer back from school I was a Nursery Leader and it was the best calling I've had to this day! I love being with those cute little kids and talking about Jesus's love for them! A fringe benefit for me having a Primary calling is getting out of Relief Society! I have never liked Relief Society in the 5 years I've been out of Young Womens. I've tried student ward Relief Society, singles ward Relief Society and family ward Relief Society and all of them leave me feeling like I'm not part of the group for one reason or another. In Primary I belong, I get kids and kids think I'm awesome!

But Primary is often off in a corner, nowhere near Relief Society and we're forgotten about. When there are super cute handouts from Relief Society, we don't get them. When there's an activity that Relief Society is planned, we're the last to hear about it. Often just a couple days before the event. When they have treats in Relief Society they somehow happen to never make it down to the Primary sisters. (Which we would appreciate, especially when we have Primary Presidents who don't want teachers giving out any food to the kids-even if passed by the parents) We feel like we're not really part of the ward, we're the last to hear about almost EVERYTHING!

Now before you say "Well you don't know what it's like to have a calling and make sure things get announced in another auxillary..." or something similar. I do! When I was in a singles ward I didn't have a male co-chair and we had people leave after sunday school and not get things announced in Relief Society or Priesthood so I announced in both of our Sunday School classes and Relief Society and Priesthood. And for the Fall Festival that I just helped coordinate I laid everything out for each auxiliary (including Young Womens, Young Mens, Elders Quorum, High Priests and Relief Society) with one of the leaders. I gave them an announcement sheet and a signup sheet. And checked back with them after church and managed to plan and teach a primary class and fulfill my Ward Missionary calling. I'm not saying it's easy, it's not, but it's possible. And don't our sisters deserve support? Especially when they're not always dealing with the easiest kids? I know I wasn't an easy kid, and neither were my brothers and I'd like to hope that Relief Society supported them.

So sisters in Relief Society, I'm giving you a challenge. Will you invite your Relief Society Presidency to include sisters serving in Primary? AND will you make sure to pass along things announced and given out to the sisters you visiting teach that serve in Primary?