Rick Baker's 9th Ward Primary Portraits, 2009

Rick Baker shared with me a thumb drive with photographs that had gathered during his 20+ years in the ward. Here are some photos I suspect he took to help with a display in the primary room. They were found in a folder entitled, "Primary 2009."

How can one not help but get lost in thought in looking at these faces of children who were once primary children here, but have now gone their separate ways. Some of these kids are now parents.

I am reminded of a photograph from an ossuary in Austria that I saw as a ten-year-old that had such a deep impression on my mind that I have never forgotten it. The German words painted on the skull read, "As you are, I once was; as I am, you will become." A wonderful little reminder of our mortality.

I look at these photos of former primary children whose parents are now empty nesters and then watch some of the young parents wrestling their kids during Sacrament Meeting and I think, "Keep it up. I know it's hard, but it passes so quickly. Try to cherish every moment as much as possible."

My childhood home was the Brigham City 8th Ward. I was named and blessed as a baby there and , nineteen years later, gave my missionary farewell in the same chapel. Several of my ward friends entered primary and graduated high school with me. Others came and went during those 18 years. We all went our different ways. Nita recently reminded me that in a few years, I will have lived in the Bountiful 9th Ward longer than I have any other ward, including my childhood ward.

I hope that the 9th Ward will always hold a special place in the hearts of these kids. I hope they will one day realize that their Primary leaders and teachers loved them and wanted the best for them. I suspect many are serving in primaries in their new wards, paying it forward.