Seminary Graduation

Seminary, a religious education class for LDS high school aged youth, can be a challenge. It meets early in the morning, before school. High school kids are ALWAYS tired. I have spent the last 15 years waking my kids for seminary.( I got up too...I didn't expect my kids to do more than I was willing to do. At first, I was not a morning person, so it was hard. Now, I have been up hours already, so it's easy) Our Stake President, Paul Sorenson, pointed out that, if they graduate with four years of seminary education, they have attended 720 mornings. That's a tremendous effort. Each year, they study a different book of scripture: Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Church History/The Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price. It is taught by church members, called to teach, every morning of the week, to sleepy grumpy teenagers...Talk about a HARD calling! Some have been better than others. This year, Nate attended seminary at Greenway High School (our local one went to Released time: held during the school day, and he goes to school ten miles from home). It was an awesome seminary, and he loved the things taught. I never had to nag him, and he only missed once or twice. He graduated on Sunday. Here are the pics of the refreshments afterward...

Kayty, Ethan, Nate, Jessica and Nano enjoy Costco cookies and lukewarm apple juice. (Men were obviously in charge of refreshments! LDS women are known for using a tablecloth for EVERYTHING. Tonight, plastic bare table, plastic boxes of Costco cookies, and jugs of room temp apple juice and water. Too funny!)

Nate and his four year diploma! Quite an accomplishment, especially since he spent his third year doing much makeup work. They decided that, since we had to leave early to get to school, he attended four days, and had to make up three each week. Lessons came out of the Church manual, and he actually learned quite a bit, but that was a LOT of makeup work to do. This year, it was closer to his school, so he was able to stay the whole time. And the lessons were awesome!)

Nate and Jessica...aloof!

The whole group: Suzzy, Ethan, Cameo, Nathan, Grandma Dorrie, Jessica, Nano, Kayty, Dad. Thank you so much, everyone, for taking time to attend!!!

Nate and his friend, Brian Godwin. They had been in the same ward for years, till October, but their friendship remains. Thank goodness for good friends like Brian!