Uncovered Archives ~ Margie's Presidency

Primary Presidency that is... looking through old papers, artifacts and other memorabilia, this church document was discovered. A little "getting to know you" about Mom/Margie as she moved into a new calling, Primary President. 

Here's Mom's memories she wrote up when she saw this document ...

Dad has been working on our church callings through the years and looking for clues here and there in letters and journals. Wish this had a date on it, as to when I served as Primary Pres. in Richland. Clues: 6th year there. We didn't have Jeni yet, so it was before Nov. 1970. Dad said he thinks he has this on his callings timeline. Primary was held on a week day. Right before this calling, I was serving as Jr. Sunday School Co-ordinator in Richland. This calling no longer exists. Kind of like Primary Pres. of the Jr. Sunday School. Primary age Children met in Jr. S.S. in the Primary room on Sundays.

Teens & Adults went to SS and children to Jr. SS on Sunday mornings. Sacrament was served in Jr. SS as well as in adult SS, which had opening exercises in the chapel, then they went to classes. Jr. SS had a sacrament table and did the prayers and everything there in the Primary room, as well as in the chapel for teens and adults. We had opening exercises, talks, and sacrament, and then classes. Families came back to Sac. mtg. around 5 or 6 p.m. They had sacrament passed again. This went to 1980, so maybe you kids remember it.

In Richland, when I was called to be Primary President, and had never worked in the Primary, I accepted thinking it couldn't be too hard, probably just like Jr. SS Coordinator, except over Primary. The former Primary President came over to our house on St. Street. She was moving out of state. She told me all about the different class names and inservice and quarterly-type activities, etc. and I was completely overwhelmed---all the names were like Greek to me. And she would not be around to answer any questions I might have.

I was in my mid-20's, with 3 little kids.

After she left, I sat down and just cried! The phone rang and it was one of the current Primary counselors. I wasn't able to hide that I was overwhelmed and had been crying. I think her name was Dixie Partridge. Anyway, she said she and the other counselor would be happy to stay on and help while I was "learning the ropes." So they did.

Later when I was called to be Primary President in the Cottonwood 11th ward, I was a few years older and more experienced and wasn't so overwhelmed.