“Safe Harbour,” New Era, Apr. 2003, 31
Safe Harbour
Youth in the Auckland New Zealand Harbour Stake have made stake temple day a day for children also.
Saturday is usually a day off—at least a day off from school. There are plenty of fun things to do on Saturdays, but babysitting all day for free isn’t one of them. Talk to the youth of the Auckland New Zealand Harbour Stake about free babysitting, and they will tell you it actually is a great way to spend a Saturday.
For these young people this is no ordinary babysitting. Instead it is a great chance to help with temple work in their stake.
The idea originated when Stake President Paul Reid asked his 21-year-old daughter, Carly, if there was anything she could do to contribute to temple work in their stake. Carly had noticed that many parents were unable to attend the temple together because one or the other had to stay home with their children. Completing the 160-mile round trip to the temple meant families were separated for the entire day. She also noticed that children left with sitters all day sometimes had a negative attitude about their parents attending the temple.
Using her training as an early childhood educator, Carly developed a child-care program to cater to these families. Now, with the help of the stake youth, temple day is a family day. The children of the stake are taken care of at a chapel near the temple while their parents attend the temple. Families can travel to the temple together, and the children only have to wait three hours for their parents.
Baby-sitting can be fun
Each month the stake’s young adults function as group leaders, each assigned to a certain age group of children with one or two teens working as assistants. Teens from each ward in the stake take turns being assistants, and they count their babysitting hours toward service hours for Duty to God and Personal Progress projects.
But the youth don’t babysit just because it fills a requirement. They do it because they want to. Just ask 18-year-old Chanele Renee of the Sunset Ward. “At first I didn’t know what to think; I thought Carly was crazy,” admits Chanele. “But I love it now. I’ve done it twice. The first time I had the eight-year-old group, but the second time I looked for the babies.”
Even though it can be hard work at times, the young people get to have fun right along with the kids. They enjoy the activities as each age group takes a turn in the movie room, the craft room, the quiet room, and the game room.
Joanne Young, 13, of the Sunset Ward, has been a willing volunteer every month. She finds it a good chance to travel to the temple with her family. Joanne says she also likes meeting other members of the Church her age. “It’s cool to meet new kids from the stake each month, and I like working with the young single adult leaders.”
Their own trip to the temple
One of the most popular activities at the temple day care is what is called the temple shuttle. A trusty blue van, fondly referred to by the children as “The Whale,” is used for half-hour shuttle trips to the temple grounds and the visitors’ center where the children complete quizzes about the temple, watch Church movies, or listen to the guides. This way the children go on temple trips of their own.
Sister Phyllis Ashton of the visitors’ center finds that both the small groups of children and their youth leaders are well prepared to appreciate the center and the temple. “It’s a tremendously valuable experience,” says Sister Ashton. “The youth who come down are learning about service. They are putting themselves in a situation to absorb spirituality, especially when they have to help explain to the children about the spirit they are feeling.”
Charlotte Jansen of the Sunset Ward says, “I even had the opportunity to explain about temple marriage when my six-year-old group watched a couple come out of the temple after being sealed.”
The bonds of the temple
Through this program, the members of this New Zealand stake are noticing the bonds that develop as everyone works together. When Daniel Young of the Sunset Ward visited another ward in his stake, he was delighted to find that five-year-old Jerome Forbes wanted to sit with him. Daniel had been one of Jerome’s leaders at the temple day care. “He recognized me and made the association right away,” says Daniel. “It was great!”
Although the youth enjoy making friends with the children in the stake, their greatest pleasure comes from watching families come to the temple together. Ten-year-old Hayden Reed of the Birkenhead Ward appreciates it because it means more time with his dad, who is a busy bishop. “Sometimes I don’t like it when Dad has so many meetings,” Hayden comments. “But now I know that we’ll be going to the temple together each month.”
The Ryer family of the East Coast Bays Ward also appreciates the temple day care. With six children, Alby and Lisa Ryer have not been able to attend the temple together in 12 years. Thanks to the hard work of the youth in their stake, things have changed.
“We used to try to take the children to the temple with us and take turns attending the sessions, but everybody would be tired and grumpy afterward. Now, we go to the temple together, and while we travel home, the kids are all nice and happy and telling us about their temple experiences,” says Sister Ryer.
Temple day care is a meaningful way for the youth of the Auckland New Zealand Harbour Stake to give service and make new friends. But as Bishop Grant Reed of the Birkenhead Ward said, “Best of all, going to the temple is now a family thing.”
Photography by Pamela J. Reid
Johnelle Wihongi (above) rides with children in the temple shuttle. Carly Reid (right) serves as the coordinator, posing with children (from left): Caleb Young, Jerome Forbes, and Shannon Laspe.
Settling in to watch a movie are Margaret-Ann Young and Jessica Te Maari (left). Charlotte Jansen (below) takes charge of the 10-year-old group consisting of Hayden Reed, Jessica, and Margaret-Ann. (Above) Chanelle Renee is happy to care for baby Elise Hester.