Get the Bugs Out!

The primary counselor over music, Sister Siddoway, called me this week and said that the Bishop had one concern with our Sacrament Meeting Presentation script. It's the song Scripture Power.  Bishop Allred does not feel that the way that the children are used to singing Scripture Power ~ is appropriate for Sacrament Meeting. So we need to either tone the song down (make it more reverent and appropriate for Sacrament Meeting), or remove the song from the program (if the children can not sing it without toning it down).

The way the children are used to singing it is full of aNiMaTiOn and with much energy. I think it's probably their favorite song, and I love how every single child is engaged in singing, showing their real or imaginary scriptures high in the air when we do sing it.

The way Sister Siddoway explained it was that the children should not look and sound like "a bunch of Holy Rollers" while singing it. Okay, I am trying to keep a straight face while typing this. but I just can't. I'm about to burst out laughing. And Sister Siddoway and I did laugh about it together on the phone when she called. It was just her perfect explanation that set a mental picture for me. The only thing left out of my mental picture was tambourines and flowers for everyone's hair....oh....wait...

...it's all there now! Oh, imagine that.

So I told her of course, yes, most definitely we can tone the song down to make it appropriate for Sacrament Meeting. Bishop Allred is absolutely correct. We want to teach the children that the spirit of reverence is very, very important in Sacrament Meeting.

Because it is.

Tomorrow I'll be playing a little game called:

Get the Bugs Out

to work on, not only toning down Scripture Power, but also to work on other parts of different program songs that need a little polishing.

I have printed these bugs out on a sheet of magnetic printer paper:

Here is the same "Bugs PDF" if you would like to print them:

Bugs.pdf

 

The bugs look a little fuzzy when you open the PDF, but they actually print just fine. The quality is not the best, but quite useable. You can find magnetic printer paper at Wal-Mart, or any office supply store. I just happened to have some from another project, so that's what I used, but it's not absolutely vital that you do. You could use plain paper or cardstock and either one would work just fine.

After I printed them on the magnetic printer paper, I cut out each bug, and they look like this:

Now you need to write out or print a list of "bugs" that are problem areas for the songs you are doing. Here's mine:

1. Scripture Power - sing with reverence that is appropriate for Sacrament Meeting.
2. If I listen With My Heart - Sing out ALL the words in each verse just as clearly as on the Chorus.
3. I Will Follow God's Plan for Me - Sing the first phrase of the song all together and clearly.
4. Praise to the Man - Memorize the words to the second verse and sing as clearly as the first verse and chorus. 
5. Reverence is Love - Sing more reverently but fervently (with energy).
6. I Love to See the Temple - point out differences and likenesses of first and second verse. Sometimes the children sing the phrases of the first verse in the second verse.
7. The Lord Gave Me a Temple - Review second verse and try to sing without visual aids. 
8. Practice standing up and sitting down all together.

Now, write corresponding number on the back of 8 bugs. I am going to choose a great big bug for problem #1, as it is a bigger problem that we need to work on. For smaller problems I'll write the corresponding number on a smaller bug.  

Last thing you will need is a fly swatter! I bought these at my local dollar store:

I will explain that the Sacrament Meeting Presentation is right around the corner, and that we only have three more Sundays to make sure the songs we have been learning all year are just the way we want them to be. Then I'll say something like this: "You know, sometimes when I am on my computer or using my phone, something bad happens and it shuts down. It's called "crashing". It happens because of a "bug". Not a real bug though. A "bug" like that just means that there is something wrong with the program or app I was using, and it needs to be fixed or corrected to make it work right.  People who make computer apps and programs work very hard to fix things over and over again, to make sure they work well on everyone's computer or phone without crashing. They call it, getting the bugs out. Today, we are working on a program of our own! The Primary Sacrament Meeting Program!  We have some "bugs" in some of the songs we are singing for the program, and we need to get them out so that our songs will be just right for the Sacrament Meeting Presentation! Lets Get the Bugs Out!!!


To Play:

1. Place all the magnetic bugs on the whiteboard, chalk board, or other magnetic surface. If your bugs are not magnetic, tape them on the whiteboard, or just spread them out on the floor or table.
2. Choose a child to come to the front and swat one of the bugs. 
3. Pick up the bug that the child chose to swat, and see if there is a number on the back. If there is a number, explain the "bug" to the children, and how they can fix it. Sing the song (verse or chorus) that corresponds with the number once or twice in the correct way. Be sure to praise the children for doing it correctly. If there is no number, the child returns to his or her seat and another child is chosen to come up and see if they can swat a bug that is a "problem" bug.  
4. Keep going until all the bugs are out!

Have fun!