The Mormon Church has an optional high school aged church study program called Seminary. It is found throughout the US. Depending on where you reside, you can often attend the church class during the school day (Utah for example), but for the majority of participants, they have to attend before school. It seems that many US high schools begin around 7:30 am, so to accommodate travel and lesson time, many of the Early Morning Seminary programs begin around 5:45-6:15 am. Did you see that AM part? Everyday.
While some of these teachers of these programs are paid educators, many if not most, are not. They are volunteers. And many of them are women. Mothers. The mothers who get up at 5 am to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ are the same mothers who have to get their children ready for school just like us mothers who do not have to teach early morning seminary. Everyday. These are the same mothers who have errands or work all day, and then begin their second "job" after school is out with lessons, dinner, and more activities at night.
Don't forget that they have to be awake, spiritually dialed in no matter what is going on in their personal life (just read Sister K's blog from December and you will want to take a long drink from the "other punchbowl"), and have a lesson prepared every morning to touch the lives of those 5,10, or 15 kids who sit in their make-shift house classrooms or have class at the church.
I did not attend Seminary because I was not raised Mormon. My husband did not attend regularly because he did his study at home because of hockey practice conflicts. Our girl did not attend the first two years because it wasn't for her. But she attends now, and Matt drives her every morning at 5:40 am, which if you know Matt, is part of the miracle of Seminary itself. The boy likes to sleep in.
I wanted to say "kudos" to Sister K and all the early morning seminary teachers who volunteer to teach this program. It is no SMALL undertaking. Sure, there is the administrative pieces that go into running an education class. But it is more. Even more than having to put on a dress every single morning to teach it in your basement. Sure, I do volunteer work, but it sure ain't at 5:30 am and a dress is optional. That alone is worth some recognition for you. :)
My girl loves you, Sister K. She has found an inner light in herself that I believe you have motivated her to find. She is a self-proclaimed "Jesus Freak". She is reading her scriptures everyday because she wants to be better. I don't know what is going on over there in the magic land of Sister K's seminary class, but please, please, please--keep it up. You are quite "handy" to have around. Love you.
