Perfect Youth Activity! After splitting them up into 4 groups they used paint to mark their face with so we knew which team they belonged to. We had… Team #1 GREEN Team #2 RED Team #3 BLUE …

Play The Category Game for Latter-day Saints at your next youth activity night or Family Home Evening!

Looking for Latter-day Saint mutual activities for youth? You have come to the right spot! Here are TONS of ideas for fun activities - both for individual

A couple of weeks ago, the young women president in my ward asked me to be the guest speaker for the youth etiquette night. You want to know the first thought that ran through my head? “Alright, Ashley. You’ve got this. You’ve had plenty of experience eating (sad thought), so this should be a piece of cake.” (No pun intended. Alright, maybe a little pun intended.)

Despite the storm brewing in the sky that night, we had a GREAT turnout for our May Relief Society meeting! The theme was "Rock, Paper, Scriptures." We focused on ways to come closer to the Savior and "hold to the rod." Carrie opened up the evening with some personal experiences and a wonderful video emphasizing the importance of daily scripture study in our lives. We then split into three classes and got to take part in some great discussions. ROCK Teryl told us about her grandfather and the house he built one rock at a time. It was a three year process but the results were a house with a strong foundation and walls that would stand through the years. Even after the house was vandalized, it still maintained its structure and has been fixed up and still stands today. She tied this in with our own lifelong efforts to build upon the rock of our Redeemer. Helaman 5:12 states: And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall. PAPER  Brianne led a great discussion on journaling and how it blesses our lives-- and the lives of our posterity! We talked about different kinds of journals we can keep: scrapbooks online journals (someone suggested we all try out www.ldsjournal.com !) good old fashioned pen and paper journals family journals scripture journals gratitude journals blogs Not only can we benefit from looking back at past journal entries, but our future children and grandchildren may be able to gain something from them as well. If you think about it, the scriptures themselves are record keeping and "journaling" of ancient prophets. So, in a way, our personal journals we keep can be like our own "scripture" we are writing for our future children and grandchildren to learn and grow from. SCRIPTURES (Holding to the rod): Kimberly lassoed us up and took us on a little obstacle course to drive home her point. Her instructions to us were only this: "Hold on to the rope and follow me." So the group was all walking along clumped together in the loop of the rope. We thought getting up the narrow stairway to the stage was difficult... ...but that seemed like nothing when we realized we hand to climb under a small table!!! Kimberly just kept repeating "Just hold on to the rope and follow me." Most groups went through the whole thing trying to stay inside the loop of the rope. This last group made the realization as they were trying to cram under the table that Kimberly never said they had to stay in the loop. They just had to hold onto the rope! They realized that it would be much easier if they untied the loop and just each held onto it in a straight line.  This was a great object lesson that brought us closer together as sisters (literally). We discussed the point of this exercise and applied it to our own journeys in life. Sometimes we get too caught up in doing things a certain way or a way we think it should be done or even the way that MOST people do it. But, that isn't always the most effective way. Ultimately, our instruction is to "hold to the rope and follow me"-- or hold to the rod and follow Him. We need to try to get rid of those distractions or unimportant things that sometimes make it so much more difficult than it needs to be! We shared different things we personally do to bring ourselves closer to Christ and our Heavenly Father-- different ways we have found to do things that work well for US personally. Whether it was methods of scripture study or ways to get rid of distractions in life. After these awesome messages we joined back together to close our meeting. Carrie invited each of us to take a rock from the table in the back of the room and write on it something that was a "spiritual rock" in our lives. Either a favorite scripture or quote. We can display these rocks somewhere as a reminder of having that strong foundation in our lives. And... of course we enjoyed some tasty refreshments together! We had fruits and veggies and dips. Our new friend Ann even brought some delicious Pilipino dishes for us to try! A tasty sesame noodle dish and some potstickers. We always have a great time getting together as sisters and visiting together. And tonight was no different. 

Help teens put down their phones & practice face-to-face communication with this fun speed friendshipping game. Build communication skills for teens!

Everybody stands in a circle. Person in the middle throws up the ball and yells a name of someone standing in the circle (we will call him Bob). Bob runs in and tries to catch the ball before it touches the ground. If Bob doesn’t catch the ball everybody else will run away until Bob gets the ball and yells “freeze!” Then Bob will (frozen himself) try to throw the ball and tag someone. If Bob hits someone, then that person is out. If not then the Bob is out. The game continues with either Bob standing in the middle of the circle – or the person he tried to tag with the ball, but missed.

Last night, I was in charge of our All Girls Join Activity. We decided to do something fun and had our own Fear Factor Challenge. It ende...

Be sure to check out our EMBARK Girls Camp posts (based on this year’s youth theme)! A great fit for Girls Camp and full of activities you could use on any weeknight. We’ve all b…

Over the past few months I've been asked to teach etiquette to young men and young women 2 different times. This has been a fun experience to reflect and write down what I know and do a little research. I'm thankful my parents and grandparents were strict with good manners when I was young. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but now that I'm older and teaching my children I can see the benefit of learning good manners. Good manners don't happen over night. It takes years of training. YM & YW need to know the basics! Most basics are not taught or enforced at home. Teach and educate them NOW and set them up for a "polite" future. These are my typed up notes of what I went over and demonstrated. We had a 4 course meal at one activity with both YM & YW and a "tea party" at another with just the YW. The 4 course meal included Soup Salad Entree Dessert The Tea Party Cookies Mini Cupcakes Small sandwiches Crackers and dip Hot Chocolate Hot Tang/Juice _________________________________ INTRO - Why do we need good manners? Why do we need good manners? Are we not all children of a King? We are all princes and princesses and are expected to behave as such. We need to act with the utmost decorum for dates, meeting future in-laws, business dinners, dances and more. Presenting yourself properly, and behaving in a dignified manner is what being royal is all about. First impressions last a lifetime whether it's over a meal or in public. Sitting in a chair Sit up straight - DON'T SLOUCH (it's not attractive) (Demonstrate how silly a forward and backward slouch looks) When sitting ESPECIALLY in a dress or skirt, KNEES SHOULD BE TOUCHING! (Your underwear may be cute, but we really don't want to see it!) Table Etiquette - Serving and being served When setting the table, knife blades should always be facing the plate. Present an average table setting or have the youth set their own place and tell them what is right and what is wrong. (2 forks, 2 spoons, 1 knife, napkin, dinner plate, salad plate, bread plate, water glass) When going to a fancier restaurant and seeing lots of silverware - just remember WORK YOUR WAY FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. Serve from the LEFT REMOVE from the RIGHT Pass food in a counterclockwise motion or to the RIGHT "It is always the RIGHT way when passing food" DO NOT BEGIN EATING UNTIL EVERYONE IS SERVED! Hold your utensil properly. (Do not act as if you are shoveling the food into your mouth.) When finished with your plate, do not push it away or place your napkin on top. Act as if your plate was the face of a clock, you would place both handles of your utensils on the number 4. If you have to yawn....COVER YOUR MOUTH! Nothing is attractive about a HUGE gaping mouth open wide for all to see! COVER YOUR MOUTH! *Say you're on a first or important date, you may want to keep in mind, some foods are messier to eat than others. What would you rather? A clean face with something you can use utensils? Or something that is messy or you have to eat with your hands? First impressions last a lifetime. Top 10 Basic Table Manners 1. Chew with your mouth closed 2. Avoid slurping, smacking, blowing your nose or other gross noises. (If necessary, excuse yourself to take care of whatever it is you need to take care of.) 3. Hold your utensil properly, don't stab or shovel your food. 4. Don't pick your teeth at the table. 5. Remember to use your napkin at all times. 6. Wait until you're done chewing to sip or swallow a drink. (No floaties allowed!) (The exception is if you're choking - please drink if you're choking) 7. Cut no more than 3 pieces of food at a time. (The most logical answer of why, is so your food doesn't get cold!) 8. Avoid slouching and placing your elbows on the table while eating. (Although it is okay to prop your elbows on the table while conversing between courses) 9. Instead of reaching across the table for something, ask for it to be passed to you. 10. Always say 'excuse me' whenever you leave the table. _________________________ Having good manners in LIFE! BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE We always need to respect the golden rule. "Treat others the way you want to be treated." Young, Old, Male & Female. Rumors and gossip is sadly part of life. But... it is YOUR CHOICE whether you want to participate in the continuous spreading of those rumors. How would you feel if those rumors were about you? Respecting others and seeing those around your with God's eyes will change your perspective and bring you joy. Make sure all of your interactions with those around you reflect positive feedback- not negative. Everyone around you are always watching. You may not realize how much you are under the microscope. Would your parents be pleased with your actions? Would your bad habits and manners affect your future children? Most importantly, how would your Father in Heaven think of your words and actions? "It's never RIGHT to do WRONG" "It's never WRONG to do RIGHT" The perfect example of how you should act and behave was our Savior Jesus Christ. Ask yourself in ANY situation, "What would Jesus do?" Smile and BE HAPPY! Everyone gravitates towards happiness. Be a MAGNET! Shine your smile and have a happy disposition. No one wants to be around others who always find bad in the world. Gratitude is the true base of happiness. PUNCTUALITY! Being punctual or "on time" is polite. Tardiness or always running late is rude. It shows your lack of preparation. Plan and prepare ahead of time. How long is the drive to the destination? How long does it take to get ready? (Always take into consideration that it takes at least 2-3 minutes to put on your shoes and get in the car before you actually start to drive.) Girls, be ready for your date when they have specified. It is extremely akward for a date to wait over 5 minutes for you. Boys, always be on time. There is nothing worse than waiting on your date to arrive. (I would know- my date showed up 1 hour late for HOMECOMING! I WAS TICKED! Not a good way to start the evening) PHONES Cell phones are an amazing tool. They keep us connected to those around us. But phones are a HUGE distraction. You may physically be in an area, but when scrolling through facebook or pinterest keeps you mentally from the conversation and the space you are literally in. Phone usage needs to be practically eliminated during dates, dinners and family activities. You can't gain the experiences everyone posts on facebook if you're always on the phone and never out making them. APPAREL You may not realize that you appearance can come across as polite or rude. Be confident and comfortable in your apparel but, don't wear things that are too tight, baggy, or show too much skin. There is a proper way to dress. And showing off your body or not even getting ready are not polite. Wearing pajamas, yoga pants, sweat pants, basketball shorts etc. are a sign of laziness and lack of preparation. Wake up 1 minute earlier and throw on some JEANS for goodness sakes! Don't be looked upon as lazy or unkept. Manners at the table and manners in life will keep you polite and positive. Remember- Practice makes Perfect _______________________________________ This was a VERY fun activity and I think a good reminder to youth and adults to always have good manners in life and at the table. When practiced and used regularly, good etiquette lasts a lifetime.

We were in charge of our 2 ward combined YW/YM activity this week. We decided to do Angry Birds Live! We painted balls, took lots of boxe...

I am SO EXCITED to share this Escape Room with you! Our stake president asked all the youth in our stake to review the worldwide youth devotional with President and Sister Nelson titled Hope of Isr…

Okay, I mentioned that we played a wacky (but really fun) game, that six of us on the game committee made up, for the entertainment at our R...

Activities and Combined Activities Mutual Activities After brief opening exercises, Young Women and Young Men activities are usually held separately. Class or quorum activities usually last 30 to 7…

Check out these fun icebreakers for kids! These games help kids learn about their classmates, as well as making great first week activities too!

Young Men/Young Women combined missionary activity to do during a midweek activity night | She's Crafty | www.shescraftycrafty.com | #youthactivity #youngwomenactivity #midweekactivityidea

Here's another fun activity Kim's young women put together. Shining Idol! They did this as a combined YW activity, but it would also be fun to do with the young men. It would also make a lively YW Camp activity. :) * PURPOSE Give the youth an opportunity to "shine". Have fun! * PREPARATION Preparation for Shining Idol is as simple as 1-2-3: 1) gather silly props, 2) place props into paper grocery bags, and 3) choose appropriate "fun" music. * You could do what Kim did and have a CD for each group and let them choose a song from the CD. -or- You could have a certain number of songs chosen beforehand and put them on your iTunes play list. Copy the Shining Idol Microphones below and have each group choose a numbered mic which corresponds to a certain song on your play list. * ACTIVITY The youth were divided into 8 groups. Each group chose a bag of props and CD. They were given 15 minutes to pick a song and practice. Then they all met back together for the show. The judges (in this case - the girls who put the activity together) only gave positive feedback and used phrases like: "You SHINE!", "You LIT up the stage!", "You are a STAR!", "You have a BRIGHT future!", "You were on FIRE!", etc... * * TREAT IDEA Fill a basket with a cookie CD for everyone. Star shaped sugar cookies would be fun! If you have never heard of a cookie CD - it is simply a large cookie placed inside a paper CD sleeve. Tie it up with ribbon and "Voila!" you have a cookie CD. Seems fitting for the night. You could also have an ice bucket filled with bottles of "POP"Star Soda (any pop will do). Whatever budget allows. :) By the way, my kids make fun of me for calling it soda pop. Is it a generation or location thing? RESOURCES Just in case you want to make your own American Idol look-a-like logo... I used the Kaufmann-Bold font. FREE download here.

“Minute to Win-It” COMBINED Activity* Break the group into 2 teams (mixed YW & YM) and have representatives from each team ...

freshaire designs, fear factor, yw/yw, lds, mutual activities

This activity was a fun, active activity. It takes your group on a trip around the world (in a manner of speaking). Begin by dividing your group into even teams. At each location they are given a challenge (Minute To Win It style) to complete before moving on. * We had a similar party for Maddy and her friends at the end of the school year. We adapted the challenges a bit to fit teams made up of only two people. * The photos are a combination of both the YM/YW Activity and the End of School Year Party. * CHINA Paper Dragon: First team to wind each of their rolls of crepe paper around their arms wins. Supplies: Red Crepe Paper Rolls for each team ANTARCTICA Ice Sculpture: Using Ice Blocks… Each team has 5 minutes to create an ice sculpture. Using Ice Cubes… must stack 10 ice cubes on top of each other. First team to successfully stack 10 ice cubes without having it fall down wins. Supplies: Ice block or Ice Cubes for each team MEXICO Tortilla Toss: Everyone wrote their name on the tortillas with permanent marker. Team with the furthest toss wins. Supplies: Corn Tortillas, permanent marker ENGLAND Tied Up Tea Party: Teams sit in a circle, with hands tied together. First team to unwrap and eat cakes wins. Supplies: Ties for wrists, tea cakes (ding dongs/twinkies/powdered donuts) for each person. IRELAND Blarney Stone: First team to find the largest, smoothest stone wins. Supplies: n/a EGYPT Mummy Wrap: First team to wrap chosen team member with 3 rolls of toilet paper wins. Supplies: 3 rolls of toilet paper for each team GERMANY Root Beer Chug: First team to finish 2 liter of root beer wins. (Cans of root beer were used with two-player teams.) Supplies: 2 liter root beer for each team, paper cup for each team member AFRICA Blind Tribal Drum Walk: Baskets to be carried on team member’s heads, blindfolded, following the beat of the tribal drum. First team to get everyone to the drum wins. The teams chose to walk together. Supplies: One drum. Blindfolds for each team. Baskets optional. ITALY Pizza Dough Toss: Each team to stand in a line. The dough is to be tossed up the line and back. First team with a nicely tossed pizza crust wins. Supplies: Large Ball of Pizza Dough for each team AUSTRALIA Boomerang Train: Teams stand in a line. Each team has a large spoon with a spool of yarn tied to it. The first team to weave the spoon through each team member all the way down the line (and back if you want) wins. Yes, through pants and shirts, nothing more. Supplies: Spoon, Yarn for each team

IN A NUTSHELL The youth were sent on a search for "Waldo(s)" in a local mall. - Clues were given to the "Waldo" locations through scripture references, word scrambles, etc. - The first 3 teams to find 14 "Waldo(s)" won a prize. * PREPARATION 1. Choose a location: local mall, or shopping plaza. 2. Choose 14 specific "Waldo" hidding places within the mall: for example - retail stores, restaurants, movie theater, hair salons, candy store, children's play area. * It is a good idea to get the okay from management/security before the night of activity. Our leaders got permission - and had it in writing, just in case of any concerns from employees and patrons. 3. Create a list of clues that will lead youth to each of the 14 locations. Use scripture references, word scrambles, riddles, etc. CLUE IDEAS FOUND HERE 4. Recruit adult members of the Ward to serve as "Waldo's" and have them position themselves in the mall trying their best to "blend in" with other shoppers. Some of them may choose to simply play the part of window shopper, client waiting for a haircut, employee stocking the shelves, mother looking at books with her children or... they may choose to really get into character. Have you ever seen the movie Master of Disguise? This is where imagination and fun come into play! Here are some of the ideas I've heard of so far: Rocker dude. Homeless man with 'will work for food' sign. Grandma in a wheelchair. Hippie couple. Restaurant Mascot. Blind man with seeing eye dog. 5. Print out tickets to give to each "Waldo". They will give each team a ticket, but only when approached and asked, "ARE YOU WALDO?" 6. Invite members of the ward to bring their families to the mall on the night of your activity, just to throw the youth of "Waldo's" trail. They'll be asking all the people they recognize, "ARE YOU WALDO?" When they are told "no" it may lead to a little frustration and confusion - but there's nothing wrong with a bit of a challange, is there? :) 7. Put together a small packet for each team. Include the following: list of 14 clues, cell number of leader in charge, letter from mall management giving permission to hold activity on premises. 8. Make sure you have enough scarfs for the leaders of each team. We had tan bandanas with a "Waldo" iron-on placed in one corner of the scarf. I think it would be fun to have a red and white striped scarf, t-shirt, or bag (possibly holding the scriptures) - just to go along with the "Where's Waldo?" theme. 9. ON THE NIGHT OF ACTIVITY - make sure all your "Waldo(s)" are in place and have been given instructions and tickets to hand out. NOW LET'S PLAY "WHERE'S WALDO?" 6:30 pm We met up at the church where instructions were given. The youth were reminded that they are to be on their best behavior and be examples of good LDS youth. The YM and YW were divided into teams. 1 leader to every 4 youth. Make sure each team has a cell phone. *Each team was given a set of scriptures, list of clues, pen, and to each leader a "Waldo Scarf". 7:00 - 8:00 pm We arrived at River Park and the "Search for the Waldo(s)" was on! As soon as each team found 14 tickets they were to call the leader in charge of activity (her number was included in the team packet). The first 3 teams to call in and make it back to the church with all their tickets won. 8:15 pm Prizes were given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams. Everybody received ice cream! * The youth love this activity, so we've done it a few times since we've lived in the area. We have since changed wards, but our last Bishop went all out in disguising himself. Fake goatee, fake tattoos, he even bought new jeans, tee, and shoes. He not only fooled the youth, he had all of the leaders questioning if he was one of our Waldos or not.

Young women activity ideas for class activities or combined mutual activities. Cheap, fun, and easy activities to put together.

The Church has announced the 2014 Mutual Theme! It is: I am excited this theme focuess on Our Savior, Jesus Christ and hope it will help our Young Women develop stronger testimonies of Him. To go w…

Here's the evidence of my amazing cousin being amazing again! I asked if I could share her cute project on here that she made for her girls... She covered each answer with the point-value attached to a magnet so it could easily stick to the chalkboard without messing up the poster. We usually combine with the young men for our fifth Sunday and have the bishop teach. I was thinking this would be a perfect activity to review what everyone learned this month! Thank you Katrina!

Looking for a fun activity for children that helps them learn how to use FamilySearch.org? When children look at an online family tree for the first time, it is helpful for them to learn how to nav…

I have a new calling at my church! . I've been in activity days. Primary. Relief Society...and now I'm back in Young Woman's! (If you want to know more about my church...go here!) The miamaids

Here is where my Cub Scout days pay off. I adapted the "Paper Plate Relay" for a Seminary activity. Yesterday, I had the students name the activities in our lives that help us avoid temptation. They named things like: personal prayer, worthily partaking of the Sacrament, daily scripture study, attending Seminary, dressing modestly, choosing uplifting music, movies, TV, media, etc. I took those items and listed each one on a separate paper plate for today. (I did this for 2 teams-each had the same things written on paper plates) The Cultural Hall was set up for a large event for tonight, so our space was limited for the relay race, but we managed and I hope the students will remember what we learned while we were having fun. Basically, the paper plates are stepping stones. The wood floor is temptation. Staying on the stepping stones helps us avoid temptation and be spiritually strengthened. Players stand in a straight line. Before the game starts, each player is standing on a paper plate. The last player in line is standing on a plate AND holding a plate. At the word GO, each team needs to move forward only stepping on the paper plates (avoiding the floor, aka temptation) The only way they can advance is with the extra plate that is at the end, so the last player in line passes the plate forward. The first player in line places the extra plate on the floor and all players advance one plate forward. Again this is repeated, with the last player sending the extra plate forward, etc. When the last player in line crosses the finish line (safety at the end of the day) that team wins. I likened the path they were walking to a day in their lives. From start to finish, every day we need each step to help us resist temptation. I showed them what would happen if we tried to skip a step (it is harder) or if we eliminate a step (can't get to the end of the day safely, etc) There are so many parallels that can be drawn with this activity such as the need to help each other, team work, communication, etc. I think they had a good time, and, most importantly, I think they will remember the principle I was trying to reinforce and teach. This is an INCREDIBLE group of teenagers. Nothing ordinary about them.

Guest post by Kendra’s sister, Trina. This is a fantastic idea that can be adapted for so many events/parties. Read on… Here are my boys filling out their menus. A Bit Late for April Fool’s, But Fun Nonetheless (Surprise Dinner) I love this idea because it’s a way to make an occasion special and fun […]

This past week for mutual we had a really fun night. The idea was to create a original activity based on service. The young women and men came up with an idea to have a "Service Scavenger Hunt." The youth were split into teams with 1 leader (about 4-5 per group), and given a list of tasks with coordinating point values. The activity turned out to be a blast. Not only that--- it was a real eye opener. At first the kids were in a rush to get from house to house (trying to accumulate the maximum amount of points), but by the end, they were doing extra tasks at the home... just because. After the activity, we pulled the youth together to hear their experiences with the service expedition. It was awesome to hear how touched the youth were to hear things from the people they were serving like, "You just made my day..." or "You have no idea how much this means..." I think all in all, it was a great reminder of the impact the smallest acts of service can produce. It was an awesome activity and I would definitely recommend it!

* Divide into 2 groups. Members of each group will be given a number 1-10 (or however many are on each team). Teams will stand, facing each other. If playing in the cultural hall, each team would stand on opposite walls (width of the room, not length) – to give you an idea of distance. Someone will call out a number, let’s use the number 3 as an example. “3!” The persons with the number 3, one from each team, will run to an object (eraser for example), which has been placed evenly between the two teams. The goal is to grab the object first and make it back to your side, without being tagged by the other person. You can keep points if you wish. *

A fun variation of tag that gives players more of a chance to rest between runs. The game is played using pairs, which is why we always called it missionary tag (missionaries often preach in pairs)…

In our ward we are always looking for ways to motivate the YW to work on personal progress. Our personal progress specialist (Traci) came u...

This is one of the BEST activities I have done as a combined mutual activity. A lot of work... but one of the BEST! I first did thi...

Is "don't be a stumbling block" a good way to talk about modesty?A closer look at the "stumbling block" passages, and what they really say about modesty.

Cultural Hall Battleship is a fun YM/YW combined activity. This is a great way to use scripture mastery, lesson reviews, or just fun Jeopardy-type questions. How to play: Set up a divider in the room by using rolling chalkboards or volleyball nets draped with sheets. These need to be high enough that the youth cannot see over or under. Divide into 2 teams. Each team takes a side. Have your questions/scriptures ready and explain the rules. Rules: 1. Each member of the team must pick a spot in their designated area. Once the game starts there is no moving. If a player moves, it is considered a "hit" and the player is out. 2. A team is asked a question. The first team to answer the question correctly is handed a "bomb" (Nerf ball, volleyball, Wiffle ball, etc.) to throw over the net/divider. 3. Any player hit with the "bomb" is considered out and must leave the game. Continue until only one player remains and that team wins. If there is a large group, the first one with five players out loses.

Our theme for the month is Knowledge. This week for Mutual we had a Book of Mormon themed cake-decorating challenge. I saw the or...

The beehives were in charge of our last Joint activity (w/ the YM) and they decided on a skills night. We had three different classes, L...

Primary Activities Primary Activity Days

How to Have more Meaningful Prayer is a topic I was asked to speak about at our church Girls Camp this last week. When I showed a printable I made on my instagram stories, people… Continue Reading

Whether it's young women's, primary activity days or even a birthday party, a taste test challenge is super fun! May the best taster win!

After being put in as a new young women presidency we had to get to work planning activities. One of the activities we planned was a for our young women and young men combined Christmas activity. In thinking what we could do I came across an activity that was a nativity progressive activity. I loved the progressive idea and in thinking and praying about it the thought came that the 2014 mutual theme is "Come Unto Christ". What a great way to end the year and focus on the Savior! I brought the idea to the rest of the presidency, they liked it so we planned it. With a great suggestion from our bishopric we invited the youth to help in presenting at each progressive activity. We recently had this activity and I am so grateful for the youth's participation! It brought the Spirit to the activity. Here is the outline of what we did, feel free to use it as inspiration and modify it to the needs of your own youth. Outline for Young Women and Young Men Christmas Activity: Coming Unto Christ From His Birth to His Resurrection Prep Work: Before the activity, invite youth to help. For progressive activity 1 (His Birth): Invite six youth the week before the activity to watch the video, "He is the Gift". Have them ponder about how they can share the gift of the Savior. Before the activity have them write on the paper I will Share the Gift by.....(what they will do to share the gift). Have papers printed for youth to write on. Also have little BOM testimony papers and pens for the youth to write their testimonies. Have access to showing the video, "He is the Gift". For progressive activity 2 (His Life and Ministry): Invite 4-5 youth to come prepared to share either an act of service they provided to someone or an act of service that was provided to them. And how that act brought them closer to the Savior. Have access to show the video, "Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ". Purchase or make bread to deliver. For progressive activity #3: Invite 1-2 youth to come prepared to share how the atonement has helped them come unto Christ. Invite the Bishop to share his testimony on Coming Unto Christ. Prepare the bags of Chex mix and attach the tags. Progressive Activity #1 (His Birth) Time Spent at this Activity (20-30 min): We began at the church in the Relief Society Room. After opening exercises. An adult leader stood up and explained that the activity would focus on coming unto Christ and will be a progressive activity from the birth to the resurrection of the Savior. Play the video, “He is the Gift”. Adult leader than discusses with youth what the gift is that our Heavenly Father has given us. Explaining that the gift is our Savior, Heavenly Father's only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Explain that God loved each one of us so much that he sent His son to earth as a gift to us. Ask the youth how they personally can discover the gift, of the Savior. After they have shared their thoughts, invite each one to ponder how they can personally discover the gift and to go home and write it in their journals. Then ask the youth how they can embrace the gift, of the Savior. After they have shared their thoughts, invite each one to ponder how they can personally embrace the gift. Invite them to write their thoughts in their journals. Then invite the youth up who have prepared their papers of how they are going to Share the gift. Invite them one at a time to share how they are going to share the gift. Invite each youth to think about how they each can share the gift and invite them to act upon it. Then explain how one of the greatest gifts we can give is inviting others to come unto Christ. Invite the Young Men and Young Women to write their testimonies on a paper (see printable below) to be glued into the Book of Mormons so they can be handed out by the missionaries in your area. You could also encourage the youth to pray and see if there is someone they feel prompted to give a Book of Mormon to with their testimony in it. Progressive Activity #2 (His Life and Ministry) Time Spent at this Activity (30 minutes): Drive youth to a leaders home. Adult leader explains that now the focus at this activity will be on the life and ministry of the Savior. That the Savior came into this world in the humblest of circumstances. That he lived his life serving the poor, feeding the hungry, healing the sick. He was the best example of service. That His love for each person is unconditional and the same, he is no respecter of persons. He asks us to love each other the same way. Play the video, "Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ" Invite the youth you have previously asked to come up and share their examples of service. Then explain that the Savior is the "Bread of Life". From here divide into groups and deliver bread to members of your ward (be prayerful in choosing who you would invite the youth to visit). When at the door invite the youth to sing a Christmas song, deliver the bread and wish them a Merry Christmas. Progressive Activity #3 (The Atonement, Crucifixion and Resurrection) Time Spent a this Activity (20-30 minutes): After delivering the bread the youth will walk or be driven to another leader's home. There an adult leader will explain that the finally activity will focus on the atonement, crucifixion and resurrection of the Savior. Invite the youth who have prepared to come up and share how the atonement has helped them come unto Christ. Then the adult leader will discuss with the youth how Christ experienced all sorrow, pain and sin, he paid the price for each one of us. The atonement made it possible for us to overcome sin, through repentance. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he allowed His son to suffer these great sorrows and ultimately lay down his life for each of us. As He was crucified He taught us one last important lesson the lesson of forgiveness as he said, “forgive them; for they know not what they do.”( Luke 23:34) . Just as our Heavenly Father and Savior have unconditional love for us we are asked to have that same kind of love for each other. When Christ was resurrected it gave us the opportunity to live with our Father in Heaven again, to overcome physical death and have life eternal. Christ’s ministry, atonement, death and resurrection is what gave his birth such significant importance. Feel free to share experiences. Explain that we have been invite by the Savior to love each other, to be a positive influence in another person's life, to share the light of Christ. Invite youth to let the Spirit prompt them as to who to send a quick text of appreciation to. If they do not have a phone have pieces of paper that they could write a short note of appreciation. The bishop will share his closing remarks/testimony on Coming unto Christ. Light Refreshments (Chex Mix Goodie Bag) Take Youth Home. Times are estimates. Our activity actually took a little longer. Free Printables: (Click on image, save it to your computer and print) Book of Mormon Testimony Inserts (Print on White Card Stock) Chex Mix Tags: Print on colored paper. Staple to zip lock sandwich baggies filled with Chex mix. Click link for: Share the Gift Papers