Preschool at the Visitor's Center

Our home preschool group went on a field trip to the Idaho Falls temple visitor's center. It was really precious. When we walked in an older missionary was handing small article of faith cards with the picture of Christ and the children to each of our kids. He would only give it to them if they could tell him who was in the picture. The boys and I had just walked in (being a few minutes late, of course!) and he tried handing it to Isaac first while asking his question. When Isaac didn't answer right away but reached for it, the man pulled it back from him and asked again, moving it forward again when Isaac dropped his hand. Isaac didn't answer again, I just don't think he knew what the guy wanted him to say, but again reached for the proffered picture. The man pulled it away again. Isaac by now was frustrated and confused at being teased with the picture and refused to take it even after I explained to the man that he wasn't even 3 yet and probably didn't understand what he was asking and the man tried to hand it to him. Isaac grabbed my leg and hid his face and that pretty much ended the "good" experience for Isaac. I was a bit disappointed by the man's behavior and sad that my little guy who had been jumping up and down on my car seats with his brother saying, "Temple, temple, temple!!" while waiting for me to get them out was now so unhappy to be there. He never did loosen up and wouldn't get in any pictures.






But the good thing was that Reese absolutely loved it and thought it was great. We got to sit in front of a bigger than life (though, not bigger than SLC) Christus and hear His words for a couple of minutes. Reese told his sisters he got to go listen to Jesus talk while He didn't even move! Then we got to see a couple of mormon ads and the newest movie the church has put out. After the movie I asked the kids if they liked it and they all said they did. At one point in the film it said, "But death is not the end...". A minute later the film had a couple of darker (in the light and dark sense, not evil.) scenes and no talking. One boy said, "Is that the end?" And our super smart little girl answered, "No, it said it's not the end!" It was way cute. After the film and the kids saying they liked it I told them I thought it was pretty cool. Reese came up to me a minute later and said, "That wasn't cool, Mom, it was..." which he repeated three or four times searching for what he wanted to say and finally it came out with a big smile, "it was AWESOME!!!" He's talked about it a lot so I think it made a good impression on him. I'm so glad! Next time, I hope Isaac will have a better experience.