What Did You Do for Someone Today?

 

Part of teaching the YW about their Divine Nature is to help them develop their desire for service.  Service projects are always uplifting and fun.  I think our YW, by virtue of who they are, want to make someone's day a little brighter.  Beyond that, service can be performed everyday in the home, at school, at work, and at church.  Give the girls a small card, perhaps a 3 x 5 card, and have them stamp, decorate, and color it.  Head it with "What did I do for someone today?" and number the lines.  Have them place it with their cell phones to remind them to do a good turn, compliment someone, or smile!  Secret Sisters, Adopt a Grandmother, or just Thank the Bishop is a great way to help them get started.   Fill an ivy bowl (Doesn't each YW closet or leader have ivy bowls they don't know what to do with?) with a candy of choice and decorate the neck with a wire garland.  This can be done at the beginning of mutual and doorbell ditched, delivered, or stashed to give to someone during the week.  It's quick, easy, inexpensive, and is a fun presentation.  

 

"Bear"-ing one anothers' burdens

123rf photos

When one of my YW is sick, injured, or having surgery, I like to let her know that I am thinking of her.  I like to buy a Teddy bear and place a Band-aid or bandage that corresponds with her illness or injury, tuck in her favourite candy bar and deliver it.  For example, I had a Laurel who was having nasal septum surgery so I put a Band-aid across the nose of a Teddy bear and delivered it.  It's a cute way to remember them and give them something to cuddle while they recuperate.  A class of girls can visit a sick YW as a group and deliver this as well.  Unfortunately, plain Teddy bears are getting harder and harder to find but I find the rewards for the search and delivery of the bear far outweighs the small inconvenience. 

Pillow Talk

We had a really rewarding service project for the YW combined with the Relief Society.  We got the ladies together to make "Comfort pillows."  Many female patients experience discomfort after surgery for cancer, mastectomy, or even pacemaker placement.  We got the ladies together to sew and stuff pillows and then make small, washable pillow cases for them.  We had a group cutting and ironing as well as one group sewing, YW stuffing, and ladies closing the pillows.  The YW then placed a tag of love and encouragement on each pillow.  The pillow was then bagged and placed in a box for shipment to a local charity.  I have seen these done both as small rectangular pillows as well as heart-shaped pillows that fit under the arm.  The sisters brought their fabric scraps for donation and we purchased all the batting that was necessary.  We called our activity a "Pillow Talk" night.  We made pillows, visited, and had munchies.  This is a great activity to get your Relief Society Sisters and YW together and a great YW Value Project.  It is a terrific way to involve the Laurels that are transitioning into Relief Society.  It can also be an easy sewing night and camp craft.  You can get in touch with your local cancer society, charity, or hospital to find out what the need is in your area.  They are very cute and such a useful item!

Pillow Instructions:

1.  Cut 2 pieces of washable material, 8" x 12".  (Use something strong and soft like cotton.)

2.  With right sides facing, sew 3 sides with a 1/4" seam leaving open one of the smaller ends.

3.  Turn the pillow right side out.

4.  Stuff the pillow to the point of being firm without over-stuffing.  The pillow should be squeezably soft.

5.  Turn the remaining open end and top stitch it closed.

Pillow Case Instructions:

1.  Cut two pieces of washable material, 9" x 13", or fold a piece of material to form a 9" x 13" pattern.

2.  With right sides facing, sew 3 sides with a 1/4" seam, leaving one of the shorter sides open.

3.  To hem the open end, turn fabric under 1/4", then turn it again 1/4" to form a hem and sew across the open end of the pillow case.

4.  Turn right side out and place over the pillow with the pillow edge that was stitched closed at the bottom of the pillow case to hide the seam.  

The Card:

ESPECIALLY FOR YOU!

This "Comfort Pillow" was made for you 

The Women of the XXX Ward of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are 

sending you this special pillow to comfort you and let you

know that we care

We pray you are healthy again very soon!

XXXX Ward Young Woman and Relief Society

The Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints

c/o XXXXXXXX

RAK - the Sequal

We gathered our YM/YW for Random Acts of Kindness this Wednesday.  As they gathered at the building for opening exercises, each youth had a number written in washable marker on their hand.  Boys were numbered separately from the girls so each group would have at least one young man or young woman in it.  We live in a small town, a bit isolated from larger shopping areas, so we loaded up our vans and headed for the nearest mall.  The group was divided into groups numbered 1-4 and given a bag with the following items in it:

        A Tootsie Roll Pop

        A pack of gum

        A $1 bill

        2 Quarters

        A diaper (wrapped in plastic and sized)

        Baby wipes 

        A flower

        A helium balloon

        A pass along card

        An individually wrapped bag of popcorn

        Pen/pencil/index cards/Post-It Notes/painters' tape

        Random Acts of Kindness Cards

        A list of kind acts to do

        A copy of the safety precautions and rules

Once they were in the mall they were off!

 

Each item was given a point value that was chosen at "random."  I did this by rolling a die and giving each item a point from 1-5.  (The point value was only once no matter how many people they smiled at!  :)  The youth were instructed to tell people they were a church group and explain their activity.  They met with some skepticism if they forgot to do this.  At the end of the activity, points were tallied and the winning team was given a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to share.  We gathered for smoothies afterwards to hear about their experiences and the reactions of those they encountered.

RULES FOR RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

**Please enjoy this experience!  Watch for reactions and listen to comments.  The point is to make someone's day a little brighter.  Be bright!  Smile!**

1. All points awarded are randomly selected.  Not one thing is given a higher point value because it is "harder to do."
2. Stay with your group or in pairs at all times.
3. ASK PERMISSION!  "May I help you?" "Can I push your wheelchair?" 
4. DO NOT give anything to a lone child.  Find one with a parent and ask the parent if you can given the child the balloon/candy, etc.
5. DO NOT LEAVE THE BUILDING OR GO OUTSIDE.
6. If an act has already been done, do not do it again.  Do not give a woman with a flower, another flower.  If a diaper and wipes have been placed at the changing station, do not leave 4 diapers and 4 packages of wipes.
7. Giving a package of gum is the same as giving a stick of gum.  There is no point value difference.
8. No points are given for preprinted notes.  You will receive a point for notes that you write yourselves.
9. Please do not place anything sticky on something it may damage.  If you have a sticky note to leave, please apply it where it will come off freely.
10. Set your cell phone alarms to meet at the mall entrance at 8:00 p.m.for a return to the building.  Please all meet at the same time so we can return for smoothies and to give out awards.

This activity took a little bit of planning but I think that most worthwhile activities do.  We enjoyed watching them and they enjoyed the experience.  It was a good missionary prep activity taking them a little out of their comfort zone to meet strangers with a smile.  I think it is a good idea to have groups of mixed classes to have the older ones help the younger ones as many of the Laurels and Priests have had leadership experiences that they can draw on.

       

Random Acts of Kindness

It's Random Acts of Kindness Week.  Here is a list of things you can do in your community, mall, or shopping center with your youth that are free or almost free.

1.  Write a thank you note

2.  Chalk someone's driveway with a positive message

3.  Open a door for someone--be dramatic and smile!

4.  Deliver candy or cookies to the local fire department

5.  Leave flowers for the nurses in the emergency room

6.  Re-shelve misplaced items in the store or library

7.  Leave notes with a happy thoughts in the store

8.  Help bag items in the local store

9.  Thank a soldier for his service

10.  Volunteer to sweep the floor in a store or fast food place.

11.  Give out carnations to ladies you see

12.  Give a balloon to a child

13.  Leave coupons for items in the store

14.  Pick up trash

15.  Return shopping carts

16.  Smile at someone

17.  Ask if you can help--then help

18.  Say hello to someone

19.  Place paper hearts on several cars in the parking lot. 

20.  If someone drops something, pick it up for them

21.  Text a compliment to someone other than your friends

22.  Compliment a man or woman on his/her child

23.  Play the piano at the local assisted living facility

24.  Leave a joke on someone's car.

25.  Tape a microwave popcorn to a Red Box

26.  Leave a diaper at the changing station in the restroom

27.  Feed the birds in the local park or parking lot

28.  Sing a song, recite a poem, or leave a poem to/for someone

29.  Compliment a worker or cashier

30.  Hide a positive note in a book at the library.

Have your youth gather for root beer floats and talk about their evening experiences doing kind things for others.  Sometimes even the smallest kindness can make a difference.

Here is a link for some very cute Random Acts of Kindness cards to leave behind of you need them.

http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2010/04/random-acts-of-kindness-cards-free.html

Reservation Quilts Service Project

If you are looking for a service project for your YW, the Lakota Pine Wood Indian Reservation in South Dakota is the home of the Oglala Sioux Indians.  The residents of this reservation are living dire poverty and in extreme weather conditions.  The Friends of the Pine Ridge Reservation has many drives and service projects available for YW.  The reservation needs school supplies, blankets, coupons, books, arts and craft supplies.  Raising needed items or sewing/knitting/crocheting some of their requested items would make for great Value and service projects. http://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/

Our small group of Laurels made quilts last week to send to their Baby Shower.  They learned how to put the quilts together and tie them.  They were excited to know that they were helping these babies with a worthwhile project and enjoyed each others' company, talking and laughing.  (My pictures of the girls working on the quilts were lost but I have the finish product to show.)

Service in the Community

On occasion, we have gotten the MIA Maids together for a class service project that they really like.  We meet and bake a large batch of cookies, put them on plates with bows, and deliver them to people who serve in the community.  We stop at the 3 firehouses in our area and at the emergency room with them.  They identify themselves as the Young Women from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and thank them for their hard work and dedication.  It's a fun, quick service project that we enjoy doing.

An Amazing Service Project

Artist:  Greg Olson

We have a severely developmentally disabled young woman in our ward.  We have watched her grow up through the years and when she reached YW age, we looked for ways to include her and have the girls come to know her.  Another ward in our Stake had a similar situation and following their example, we asked the girls if they would be willing to earn her Young Womanhood Recognition Award in her behalf.  What a marvelous experience this was!  One of the Laurels spearheaded the work as a Laurel project, keeping track of who did what and when it was completed.  It was a two year labor of love. Each of our girls took on extra Personal Project Value Experiences and Projects so that E could earn her Medallion.  Each Sunday, our Laurel posted a chart with our progress.  It was such a blessing in all of our lives!  Our YW in Excellence last year was an experience beyond words as we watched E, with the help of her father, walk slowly up to the pulpit and receive her Medallion.  The Spirit so strongly testified that these girls had done something of great love.  We are so grateful for the girls who gave so much of themselves and when they meet E on the other side of the veil, I am sure she will thank them for their efforts and they will thank her for teaching them Christlike love.

Happy Holy Days

Artist:  Simon Dewey

One of the most wonderful things about the Holiday Season is that our thoughts tend to turn outward.  We begin to look for ways to do for others by giving gifts both tangible and those not so tangible.  Most of our gift giving comes from the heart in one way or another, our desire to make another happy and know of the love we have for them.  In YW, we begin to think of Service Projects to help our girls understand the blessings they enjoy and the blessing of giving of self.

1.  Check with the local homeless shelter.  Many serve Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners and often more than one.  Often, a youth can serve dinner and not miss their own family tradition.  Many of my YW who have participated in this over the years, found it very rewarding.

2.  The Salvation Army often has holiday dinners and needs volunteers for serving and decorating.

3.  The United Way and local food banks ALWAYS needs their stocks replenished and never more than at the holidays.

4.  Invite a couple of military men, far from home, to your home.   Check with the Armed Services YMCA to have a sailor, Marine, or soldier with you for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.


5.  The local Parks and Recreation Department in your area may have some holiday crafting and get-togethers for children during the holidays and can use extra hands.

6.  Adopt-a-Family through your Ward or city Volunteer Agency.

7.  Help collect for the local Toy Drive.

8.  The local Ronald McDonald House will have something special for pediatric patients at Christmas and will need volunteers.

9.  The American Red Cross is gathering cards for their "Holiday Mail for Heroes" project to distribute cards to servicemen and veterans.  (Must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10.  Check out redcross.org for more info.

10.  There are many ways to volunteer during the holiday.  Your Bishop certainly knows of families in need at Christmas.  For community opportunities, just Google "volunteer opportunities" and the name of your city or larger local community.

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  Matt 25:40

Great Service Project Idea

A Christian based group of women have begun a project to make dresses for little girls in orphanages in Africa made out of pillowcases. It began with a few women returning from a mission in Malawi and has grown to include donations throughout 49 states in the US. These dresses are being distributed in 13 countries across Africa. What a wonderful cause!! Young Women can do this! This is a great idea for a Tuesday night (or multiple Tuesday nights) activity. It's purpose is to provide Hope and a sense of Individual Worth to girls throughout Africa. See the full info at http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/blog/. This would also make a wonderful Value Project.

deb