Right-Hand Man

Cory stared at the clock in the Primary room. “When will this be over?” he wondered.

Now that Cory was in middle school, Primary didn’t seem as fun anymore. He knew all the scripture stories and the answers to all the questions. He thought the games and songs were for little kids.

Cory slumped in his chair. Then he remembered something he wanted to ask Austin about his new computer game. “I need your help on this one level,” he whispered.

Sister Evans tapped Cory on his shoulder. “Please sing,” she said. Cory waited for Sister Evans to look away and then finished talking to Austin.

On the drive home from church, Mom asked, “How was Primary?”

“Fine,” Cory said. He didn’t remember much about it.

“Sister Evans asked me if she could come over for a visit tomorrow after school,” Mom said.

Cory swallowed hard. “Um, OK.”

The next day at school, Cory worried about what Sister Evans would say. “She probably wants to remind me that I shouldn’t talk during Primary,” he thought.

That afternoon, Cory was playing his new game when the doorbell rang. He looked up to see Mom inviting Sister Evans in.

“Hi, Cory,” Sister Evans said. She sat down and got right to the point. “How can I help make Primary a place you want to be?”

Cory started to say he liked Primary fine, but it seemed like Sister Evans wanted to hear what he really thought. So he told her everything—how he knew all the stories and how the games and songs were for younger kids.

“I think I understand,” Sister Evans said. “You’ve been in Primary a long time. Sometimes when we do the same things over again, it can seem boring.” Cory nodded. “Well,” Sister Evans said, “I don’t want Primary to be boring. I brought a scripture to share with you. I think it might help.”

Sister Evans opened her scriptures. “This was written by the Apostle Paul,” she said. “See if you can tell what he’s talking about.” Then she read, “‘But now are they many members, yet but one body.

“‘And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. …

“‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular’” (1 Corinthians 12:20–21, 27).

Cory asked, “When it says ‘members,’ is that like members of the Church?”

“Exactly,” Sister Evans said. “Just like every part of the body is important, every person is needed at church. In Primary, you can be like one of those hands that Paul wrote about—a helping hand.”

“But I don’t teach the lesson or lead the songs,” Cory said.

“But when you answer questions, it helps others learn,” Sister Evans said. “And when you sing your best, the younger children feel more confident.”

“I’ll try,” Cory said. “Maybe you can call me your ‘right-hand man,’” he said, smiling.

On Sunday, Cory felt more excited to go to Primary than he had for a long time. He answered questions, and he tried to sing well so that the younger kids could hear the words.

Later, Sister Evans pointed to a boy in the Sunbeam class who was crying. “Would you mind sitting by Steven today?” Sister Evans asked Cory.

Cory sat next to Steven and helped him sing the songs. When Cory folded his arms for the prayer, Steven did too.

On the way home, Cory felt a little more grown-up. He had always known he was important to Heavenly Father. But now that he was a “right-hand man” in Primary, he knew he was also an important part of Heavenly Father’s Church.