Service dog helps Primary president
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It has all the makings of a typical Primary Sharing Time.
The Primary president recounts a story that has a moral lesson. Today the story is about repentance.
Skyla, a volunteer, acts out the part of the story's lead character; she pretends to be playing with friends on a playground.
The children listen intently, amazed, in part, by Skyla's example, acting ability and appropriate Church behavior. Skyla is reverent; she knows not to run and she barks only after being called on.
After all, this isn't a typical Primary. Kori Cook, the Primary president, is disabled and Skyla, her volunteer assistant, is a service dog.
Bishop Ronald V. Carter of the Clifton Ward, Duncan Arizona Stake, said reverence in Primary has improved since Sister Cook — with Skyla's help — began serving as Primary president six months ago.
Bishop Carter said it was a stretch for Sister Cook to accept the calling. "But we felt like she was the right person for the job. She is doing an excellent job."
Sister Cook said she has never been in a Church leadership role before now; prior to serving as Primary president she and her husband, Paul, spent eight years serving as Primary teachers.
But after a lot of prayer, she said, she came to know that Heavenly Father did want this for her.
She especially loves serving in the Primary because, as a convert to the Church, she did not attend Primary herself.
Growing up in Las Vegas, Nev., she joined the Church with her family in her early teens. At age 18, she was involved in a car accident that left her a quadriplegic.
In the years after the accident, she met and married her husband, moved to Montana, Texas and then Arizona for his employment, worked in family history centers and with Primary children, and found and trained Skyla, a Keeshond.
Sister Cook said, in essence, Skyla helps her perform duties others do with their hands and feet. "I'm no longer disabled anymore. I am dog-abled," she said. "Skyla picks things up I drop on the floor. If the telephone rings, she brings the phone to me."
And now that her owner is Primary president, Skyla has new Church responsibilities, Sister Cook said. "She needs to be reverent. She is setting an example."
When Sister Cook does sharing time, Skyla helps. The dog acts out stories from The Friend. Recently she illustrated a story on modesty by modeling an immodest sweater for the children. They could tell she didn't feel happy in the sweater; she walked with her head down. Sister Cook told the children that Skyla might feel better if she followed the Church's standards. The dog then modeled a modest shirt under the sweater and walked with confidence, waving and barking to the children.
"When Kori uses Skyla for part of a presentation there is 100 percent riveted attention," said Brother Cook, who helps on Sundays in the Primary. "The challenge for Kori is to make sure she uses the dog in the presentation, but to make sure the dog doesn't become the presentation. She has to make sure the lesson is the point."
And when Skyla is not part of the lesson, Brother Cook added, she virtually disappears. "She likes being around people as long as the people don't try to stop her from doing what she needs to do. At Primary she is doing her job. Most of the time her job is to be quiet and not make any fuss."
The children know they can't pet Skyla because she is working. And when she is not in the spotlight, they don't seem to notice her — unless a member of the Primary presidency needs to remind them to be reverent "like Skyla."
"She has been great for Primary," Sister Cook said. "Sharing time is a blast. Skyla loves it too. She loves to show off. She loves being there with the kids. It has a been a blessing for us."
Today, Skyla goes everywhere with the Cooks, except the temple.
With Skyla along, she said, Primary children — and most people in general — don't seem to notice her disability. "People notice the dog more than they notice the disability," she said.
Brother Cook said his wife has a talent for training dogs; she teaches dog obedience classes weekly. That is one reason Skyla is so well behaved. He finds comfort knowing that Skyla is there to help his wife.
"I really think Skyla was born for Kori," he said. "I think the Lord sent Skyla."
E-mail to: sarah@desnews.com
