The Candy Lesson

My girls call it "The Candy Bar Lesson" and they love it.  I got it here:  http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/ywc/activities/whatkind.htm and a Special Thanks to whomever is responsible for it.  

I bring in a basket full of candy bars which excites the girls immediately to see what is ahead.  I allow them to pass the basket and choose their candy.  They soon find out that each candy symbolizes certain characteristics of a young man.  Some are positive characteristics and some are not.    Is his testimony strong?  Does he cherish you?  How does he treat your family and friends?  Does he work hard?  Did he serve a mission?  Is this the kind of man we want to date and perhaps marry?  It leads to a great discussion in YW and sometimes at home. 

I always begin with myself as a demo and I always take the Nerds out of the basket.  (My husband is a very cute Nerd.)  It's a fun Sunday lesson (not on Fast Sunday) or a fun Tuesday night activity.  Of course, they get eat their candy when we are finished with our discussion. 

Easy Grad Gift

As a mom of three, I carried a diaper bag for many years with all the things my kids needed.  As they got older, the bag evolved and got smaller and I was able to carry it in my handbag...when I finally got to carry a handbag.  My grown kids still call it my diaper bag even though it is small and I am generally the only one who uses it now.  In it I carry a nail file, nail clippers, hand sanitizer, Band-aids, Advil, lotion, hair ties, personal items, etc. - you get the idea.  I decided to make one of these for each of my graduating Laurels.  Many of the items included were in the sample sections of local stores.  I was excited to find that Walgreens has the nail files and clippers in their bargain bins  

I bought an inexpensive bag and loaded it with these small items, added a few color coordinated beads and a blank with their initials on it.  The final touch was a ribbon and a list of what was in their bag. 

This would also make a great activity.  The girls can sew their own individual bags and then load them with things they might need.  They're small enough for their handbags, backpacks, or lockers.  I hope they'll find them as useful as I have.

You can find other variations on this theme: http://tidymom.net/2011/survival-kit/or http://inapikle.com.

Jewelry Hanger

My MIA Maids made this jewelry hanger on a class activity night.  There are tons of different takes on this idea on Pinterest.  The girls loved them and had a good time making them.  I had several old frames and got a couple more at the thrift store.  You can always have the girls bring one from home.  I purchased the screen door mesh and the cup hooks at the hardware store.  I was excited to find the mesh at about $5 for a small roll.  We got right to work painting the frames.  My YW are of the opinion that if a little paint is good, lots of paint must be better so we had to have time for them to dry before we could place the screening and embellishments.  I had the craft paint and the flowers at home.  The mesh is attached to the back with staples and we added some wire for hanging.  It was about a 1 1/2 - 2 hr project (counting drying time).  If I had been wise, I would have spray painted the frames prior to their painting their individual designs because some of the paint on my "demo" peeled off.  Next time.  It was a kick to see their personalities come out in their designs and choice of colors.  We talked and had cookies.  It was a fun night.

Plain and Simple

I am a convert to the Church and I love the Gospel.  It has always amazed me how a testimony or song can speak right to your soul and testify of the Divinity of God, of his Son, Jesus Christ, and the truthfulness of the doctrine.  I remember, as a young adult, the first time I heard "The Spirit of God."  I walked into a room filled with other young adults who were in the midst of singing just prior to a fireside.  I cannot describe the overwhelming feeling of the Spirit that I felt and now, many years later, I still remember that evening. 

Nephi stated "For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men.  For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding." (3 Ne 31:3)  

Sometimes I think, as leaders, we want so much for our YW to "get it" that we can go a little overboard.  It's not hard to do.  We want them to feel the Spirit, to be touched, to leave us with a testimony that will take them to the Temple and throughout their lives.  However, I am of the belief that simplicity is elegance.  Although I like to have an attention-getting idea, handout or object lesson, I do not believe in doing too much.  Sometimes, in our zeal to have a super activity or lesson, we can lose site of the principle we teach.  We want to magnify our calling, to go the extra mile but we should ask ourselves:  Can our youth hear the Still Small Voice or is it lost in the cacophony of extras?  Helaman stated:   "It was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper.” (Helaman 5:30)

I enjoyed Elder Uchtdorf's counsel in General Conference when he stated,  "Dedicating some of our time...preparing to teach a lesson is a good sacrifice.  Spending many hours stitching the title of the lesson into homemade potholders for each member of your class may not be."  (Don't you love how the Brethren are so in tune?)

Whereas, I believe it is appropriate to have a few special activities, we are called to invite the girls to come unto Christ, to help them find their way to the Temple, and to give them a safe place to be with friends.  We are not there to entertain them or spoil them.  We are there to love them.  We are there to bear witness of Jesus Christ.  That is often all we need to do.

YW and Safety

Once every couple of years, I  like to invite a local police office, a woman if possible, to come and talk to the girls.  So many are naive about the dangers in the world and need to know how to be aware of their surroundings and not take unnecessary risks.  Often, YW think that because they live in a gated community, a small town, or on a BYU campus, they are protected from danger.  I do not believe that a Mutual night is the place for a self-defense class but I think it is a good idea to warn them about jogging alone, keeping their car doors locked, not helping strangers in secluded places, etc.  We have, at times, had police officers in our ward that we have invited.  I ask them to come in full uniform and sometimes invite the YW from other local wards to join us.  While they are exposed to much, often young people feel they are invincible.  Texting, talking on the cell phone, and listening to iPods can put them at particular risk because their attention is focused elsewhere.  It is important for them to know that there is a safe time and a safe place to do these things. 

Sun Catcher Craft

This quick and easy sun catcher can be made on a Mutual night or as a camp craft.  They are fun to hang in the window or door and would be great hanging as a cluster from a tent or cabin.  

A list of supplies include mono-filament line (fishing line), mirror tiles, a key ring, some faceted beads, and a glue gun. 

Because this line is so hard to tie, I doubled the line and just wrapped everything through twice.  I topped off the ends with a dab of glue to keep the beads from moving.  They can be made with an alternation of beads or just all mirror tiles.  Combinations of beads and mirrors are endless and you can, of course, make them in the Value Colors.

I hung some on the back of one of my doors so you could get an idea of the finished product.  Not a great pallet for it and I am a horrible photographer but you can get a visualization. They're quite pretty in the sun and fun to do!

Girls' Camp

Girls' camp is a great way to get to know your YW.  I like to spoil them a little.  I try to be practical and not spend much money.  Oriental Trading usually has my back on this and some of this I do at home before hand.  

I try to have a lot of beads on hand and give them out for good deeds, helping, KP, singing, and participation.  I will often buy a batch of key chains and take the key ring off using the fob as a fancier bead after a lesson or devotional.  I found a scripture memorization reward idea on line a long time ago that I like to use.  The girls have to memorize a new scripture (not one they had to learn previously for Seminary).  The longer the scripture, the bigger the candy!  Bring fun markers, pens, or pencils for journal writing after Visions lessons.  Bring crepe paper or construction paper to decorate their tent or cabin. Assign nightly devotionals and prayers. I like to do the first one myself to give them an idea how it is done.  The first night is always hectic!   

John Bytheway says, "Girls like corn.  Girls eat corn"  In keeping with that idea, I like to put corny little things in the girls' mailboxes each day.  For the heat, I'll put in a water bottle that says, "Partake of Living Water,", an fan that says, "I am one of your biggest fans!", I'll place a little jumping frog that says, "There aren't any frogs, just handsome princes who don't know who they are,"  fill a little container with candies or send them a personal note. I like to give them something that identifies them as a ward group like a bandana or hat as we leave the building that morning.  

One thing that I have found very useful is to have a small wipe off board so a youth leader or I can list the day's schedule of activities. It saves a lot of repeating when asked, "What are we supposed to do now?  Where are we supposed to be now?"  For testimony night, bring a jar with battery powered candles and light them as each testimony is born.  If one girls does not feel comfortable bearing her testimony, help her "light" it with your own. (There's a great idea on Pinterest for this.)  

The most important thing about camp is the testimony building experience. As a convert, I never went to girls' camp as a youth.  I remember going to a dance festival with my best friend as a very young teenager and what a memorable experience that was!  I probably could not list the things we did or what we saw, but I remember the feeling of warmth, love, and testimony!  Isn't that what camp is all about?

http://www.orientaltrading.com/