Fishers of Men

Source: lds.org

One of my favorite lessons for a morning Girls' Camp devotionals (We call them Visions lessons.  Is that what everyone calls them?) is Fishers of Men--not necessarily as we usually think if it.  It's a catchy phrase to talk to them about dating decisions. 

The Bait:  A YW who is beautiful because she loves the Savior and that shines in her countenance.  Is the the kind of girl a young man would want to "take home to Mom?"  Can she go with him to the Temple to be sealed for Time and All Eternity?  Does he want her to be the mother of his children?  Is she living the principals of the Gospel and fulfilling her callings and responsibilities?  

The Catch:  Is this a YM who has served an honorable mission?  Is he kind and thoughtful?  Does he honor his Priesthood?  Will he be able to provide for her and any future children?  How does he treat her? How does he treat his mother and others around him?

I have a sister who married a man she began dating in high school and I met my husband when he was a Deacon and I a young investigator.  It is never too soon to talk about the kind of man who is worthy of a Daughter of God.

Source:  Kevin Beckstrom

My Most Successful Camp Craft

I used to play with phone wire that I found as a child and thought I had found treasure when I came across it abandoned somewhere.  I have a husband who is in telecom and will "dumpster dive" for me when I ask for some.  One year, as I was all loaded for Girls' Camp, I tossed some in as an afterthought and it was a
goldmine!

You generally find it like this:      

When you unwrap it, you get this:

           

You recognize it, right?  What you do is this:

To make this:

You can also twist, twist, twist and make a bracelet or make some Seussical-type flowers for the ends.  The girls can make friendship bracelets as well. (I can't demo that.  I couldn't make a friendship bracelet to save my life!)  I brought beads to add as well but they were not interested in the beads...just the wire.  

What's great about this is it is pretty much junk wire.  It's colorful and it's free.  (You can hit up your local phone guy for some.) It can be time consuming and occupied a lot of their free time.  (Yippee!) I brought it for my ward girls and had girls throughout the stake hunting me down during camp to get some or get some more! 

Denim Bracelets

For a combined YW activity night, we made these denim bracelets I found on Pinterest.  A couple of girls brought old jeans to cut up so we could use the seams. I brought tons of beads and some chain.  We needed thread for attaching chains and we used hooks and eyes for closures.  I even found some beads in the bargain bin at Michaels that said "Shine" and had a sun on the other side! We sat at a couple of long tables and just visited while we worked.  It was fun to have the social time and to see the different personalities come out in each bracelet.  I even saw a YW wear one as an anklet on Sunday.  It was a fun night!

Let Them Design their Handouts

Chalk and chalkboards are always big with teenagers.  The craft stores have many of these chalkboard sheets already cut in shapes or you can buy the sheets.  The added advantage to the sheets is that you can cut any shape you desire by hand or with your Cri-cut or Silhouette machine.  They are also self-stick so they can be mounted on anything they would like to stick them to like their lockers or mirrors at home.  I asked them to listen to the lesson and pick out one phrase or scripture they might like to remember.  At the end of the lesson, I gave them each a piece of colored chalk and their chalk shape.  We do not all get the same lessons from what is taught in class, often receiving inspiration for just our situation and questions.  This is a great way for them to take what they wanted from the lesson and make their own remembrance.

A Great Addition!

I found this stunning picture by Del Parsons to add to my YW collection and thought I might share it with you.  It is an 11" x 14" and I fell in love with it the minute I saw it!  Many thanks to the Del Parson studios for getting it to me in time for Easter.  If you are interested, his web site is:  http://delparson.com  .

These Are Great!

I found two great videos to complement YW lessons in the classroom.  Thanks to lds-yw.blogspot.com for the heads up!

Ten Ways to Get the RIGHT Guy to Like You.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqF_PtugyBk&feature=youtu.be

AND......

Worth the Wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BR9UWj1q304

Enjoy!

Conference Sleepover

We are having a slumber party on Friday night before General Conference and I am excited about it.  We're planning on an "Iron Chef" dinner, providing the YW with the ingredients to make dinner (Bravery!), an activity, and a movie night.  The girls will provide all the snacks they want to eat with enough to share. 

For our activity, we are making Conference Packets.  I got the General Conference packet from Sugardoodle and adapted it to fit our needs.  The girls will each get a file folder to make a lap book out of, folding it into thirds to make a back and two flap cover.  We covered the spine of the folder with card stock for added stability.  On the inside left of the cover, we placed their instructions:  What to do before, during, and after conference.  The right flap had a column to place scriptures they want to remember, announcements they want to note, and any questions that arise as they listen.  The center of the folder has full-sized sheets of paper with headings for the Speaker, One Word that Summarized the Talk, and Notes.  Behind that I placed a page for doodling, and lastly, I placed a page for their Conference Goals.  We will put these together that evening after dinner, collaging, decorating, and generally individualizing each packet.  Each girl also gets a pencil. 

After the movie and before it is too late (we want them bright-eyed), we will dismiss the girls for personal prayer and meditation time.  It is hoped that at this time, they can ponder what answers they seek from Conference and a write the goal they want to accomplish as a result of hearing the prophets speak. We will waken them early enough to eat, pray, and be ready to listen.  Before they go home, we will discuss what they  have written in their notes and how they felt about what they heard.

It is my testimony that we receive answers to prayers when we listen to Conference.  It is my hope that the YW in our ward will feel the Spirit, hear answers to their concerns and questions, strengthen their testimonies, and have a desire to "Shine!"