The ALL Program

Back in November Damen was tested for an Accelerated Learning Program (it used to be the gifted and talented program). When I picked him up he said it was kinda hard and he really didn't know how well he had done. Well we waited and waited until the first part of March to find out how he did. We got a letter in the mail inviting him to be part of the program. The letter said that of those accepted into the program he had scored anywhere from 2-5 point higher than the average. I knew we had a smart kid! But now he had a decision to make.

We talked to him about the pluses and minuses of being in the program. Minuses would be he would have to go to another school, meet some new friends, leave Seth behind and have more homework. But pluses were he would finally be pushed and leave the program with a greater knowledge and experiences than he would get in a normal 5th and 6th grade classroom. We knew this could be a very spiritual experience for him to go to Heavenly Father and ask what he should do. We read a couple section in the Doctrine and Covenants with him and then later after all the kids were in bed and asleep he came up and prayed with Steve and me. It was such a neat experience. We each said a prayer. Damen was the last to pray and he just pleaded to know what he should do. We gave him a hug and sent him to bed to think and ponder. The next day he said he still hadn't received an answer but went down later that night to pray again. 10 minutes later he came up with a grin on his face. We asked him if he had his answer and he did. He was going to do it! He told me later that he told Heavenly Father that he thought he should do it and wanted to know if that was the right choice and he had a really warm feeling come over him and he knew he was supposed to do it.

I am so proud of Damen. Not necessarily because he'll be going to this program but because he learned just how real prayer is and he learned that he, Damen James could receive an answer and that Heavenly Father cared about him enough to answer him. Those are lessons that no schooling will every teach him, nor will he learn them just because of his smartness, but he learned it because of his humility and his desire to know what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. I'm so proud of you Damen and I know that you will do well, because we didn't make the decision for you, but you made it for yourself with your Heavenly Father's help and I know that you won't disappoint. Love you bud!!!