First Days of Seminary

I really look up to my team-teacher, Sister Bindrup. I don't know how I always get the awesome partners! We set up in the Primary room, expecting about 25 kids. Imagine our surprise when we had 39 show up! That's 39 *freshmen*. The next day we had even more. They were extremely quiet--a little awkwardly so--but I'd take that any day over the rowdiness and insanity of my sophomore class last year. (It's crazy how much I still love those kids--man, that was a rough initiation to teaching.) Today the freshmen participated more and are still well-mannered. No one talks over me or texts or snores through class, as far as I can tell. I think it must be a really great group of kids. I know several of them--maybe half--and they are some of the sharpest kids in the stake. I look forward to getting to know the rest of them, to mold them and bend them to my will. Just kidding.

I have slept, hm, not-at-all these past two days. I just sort of napped at night, skimming over the top of real, deep sleep. I tossed and turned, worried I'd forget to get up, churning over the lesson, rearranging the classroom, etc. Ugh. It's a wonder I can function today. I even dreamed that I was out of town and didn't have to teach today at all--I was surprised to wake up to find that I was in my own bed with my cell phone's alarm ringtone playing at 5:00 a.m. Once I get up I am happy to go.

Did you know that the word "testament"  can also be translated as "covenant?" And doesn't that make perfect sense, that the Old Testament was before Christ's coming and the people lived the Law of Moses (their covenant) and that the New Testament is about Christ's mortal ministry, Atonement, and the church thereafter (fulfilling prophesy as the Messiah and thus doing away with the preparatory law, the Law of Moses--thereby ushering in the new covenant)?

One thing I love about our class this year is that Sister Bindrup divided the kids into four Zones with a Zone Leader for each. This week Zone 1 is in charge of getting the prayers, music, devotional, etc. I love that the Zone Leader welcomes and conducts the opening exercises. Our first devotional was first-rate, exactly the kind of devotional other kids can use as an example. Good job, Zack King! I am constantly impressed with the awesomeness of young people. I'm really glad to be teaching Seminary with a great class again this year.