I was "thanked for my service" as a Sunday school teacher and my replacement has been called. {I will officially be released next week.}
I bawl like a baby thinking about it. I love that calling. I love my kids. I was terrified of the calling when I started. {When these kids were 13 years old! Some of the kids I taught are sophomores in college! And some 6 months into their missions!}
I could never describe what that calling did for me, And what it gave to me. It taught me so much. It taught me to love the scriptures, It gave me an unquenchable thirst for the wisdom and knowledge contained in those sacred records. It taught me how to search the doctrine and gospel of our Savior. It gave me a friendship with the Holy Ghost. It gave me an understanding and a compassionate heart to those sweet {sometimes irreverent and rowdy} teenagers. It gave me faith and a sure knowledge that I can do all things through Christ. I was SO SO inadequate for that calling. I still am. But I know that those kids feel the spirit in that class and I know that they love being there, not because of me, But because they love learning about our Savior and his teachings. This calling was by far the hardest most challenging calling I have ever had. But it has been by far the most rewarding and sweet experience of my life. I love teaching the scriptures.
To my kids, I hope that you know I love you. I am so proud of the choices that you make. I am so proud of who you are becoming. Know that I love the scriptures. Know that to every question you have in life that on those pages there is an answer that was written for you. Know that Jesus Christ is our savior and that through his atonement all things are possible. Through his atonement, He knows you. He has engraven you upon the palms of his hands. He knows how to help you. He will never give up on you. He will always welcome you into his arms. He knows that you will make mistakes, That's part of His plan. None of us could learn if we were already perfect. That's the purpose of us being here. To be given hard things in life, to gain a stronger relationship with him.
I am so grateful that we got to share those lessons together. To learn from you, and to learn with you.
Be good, Make good choices. Don't be in a situation you know you shouldn't be. Where the adversary will have power over you. Don't you dare give him that satisfaction. Don't pick a fight with him, You won't win. Search the scriptures. Really pray. Don't just say prayers. Take the small things seriously. They really do matter. Listen to the prophets. There is a reason we have been given counsel. They are the watchmen in the tower. They see more than we do down here in the trenches. Learn the doctrine behind the counsel in the FSOY. There is protection and power in obedience.

And P.S. We are so having a party at the new house and we are going to watch corny living scripture movies and eat all the chocolate chip cookies, smarties, twizzlers, and crunch bars we can get our hands on.