A Year Of Activities
O Remember (Alma 37:33-47)
January-Faith
Go on a Faith Walk. Have someone who is trusted by everyone walk and play a musical instrument as the girls follow in a line. Then blindfold the girls and have them follow the music, holding on to the person in front of them. Let each girl have the chance to be in front and walk only using the sound for guidance. Have them walk in or by a place that requires some maneuvering but no real danger. The end of the walk leads to the refreshments. Compare the two walks to premortality where we walked by sight and earth life where we walk by faith. God does not leave us without guidance, but earth life requires more faith in God and more careful listening to arrive at the wonderful intended destination.
See Faith under Idea Index.
February-Repentance
Have you ever seen sun and sea bleached wood or shells? Use that to teach about repentance. The sun is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and light of the world. The sea is baptism, which cleanses us from our sins and which we can renew every Sunday with the sacrament. It also is the Holy Ghost, or baptism by fire, which purifies us. Use bleached wood or shells in a project for their rooms. Use the poem "Washed Clean" in Boyd K. Packer's April '97 Conference address or the whole talk.
Wash windows and discuss how repentance can help us see more clearly and receive God's light--inspiration from the Holy Ghost, eternal perspective, hope, understanding, peace, and joy. Satan wants our windows to be dirty so we can't see ahead, so we lose hope, so we focus on now and not eternity, and so we forget how clean and beautiful our windows can be if we use the Atonement in our lives. We should clean our windows often because even the little things can build up and keep us from seeing clearly.
March-Humility
One way to increase humility is to fast. Make lists or kits which give constructive things to do while one is fasting. Ideas could include praying, reading the scriptures, listing to good music, writing letters, reading conference talks, pondering what one is fasting about, and giving service to a family member or friend. Make fridge magnets which say, "If I'm not fasting with a purpose, I'm just starving" or "I'm fasting for_______."
April-Withstanding Temptation
Teach the young women several fun and catchy songs to sing when they think something inappropriate.
Avoid temptation by planning a positive activity. Make Babysitting Kits. For Babysitting ideas see Babysitting Fun.
Plan clever replies to bad invitations. "Do you wanna smoke?" "No thanks, I'm not the volcano type." "Come on, prove to me how much you love me." "Prove to me how much you love me by never asking me that again." "Just try one drink. It'll loosen you up. You'll have more fun." "If I'm going to have fun, I want to remember it and I want it to be worth remembering."
May-Never be Weary of Good Works
Arrange to take the children of a stressed-out or overburdened mom and dad to the park, a children's play center, or a young woman's (or leader's) home so that the parents can relax a little bit. Try out your new babysitting kits (See April).
See Service under Idea Index
June-Learn Wisdom
Go to the public library and get a tour. Learn how to research different topics. Learn how to use the card catalogue, the computer references, and other library resources. Have each girl check out a book on something that will increase her understanding of the world. Later, have each girl present something she learned so everyone can benefit from what others learned.
Interview parents for advice about important subjects--dating, marriage, taking care of children, living on your own, cleaning, caring for cars or appliances or homes, etc. Put all the advice in a booklet and give to each youth involved in the activity.
July-Pray--Counsel With God
Have a class meeting and discuss some of the needs of your class. For example, reactivation, including someone who is feeling left out, reaching out to special need members, providing friendship and support to the young men, determining how to make better activities and what people would enjoy or find useful, and discussing how to use the Personal Progress program better may be needed. Have each girl participate, feeling free to ask questions and offer insights on the issues discussed. Then, liken the discussion the class had to what each girl could have with her Heavenly Father. He listens to prayers and he answers them. If we listen to the answers, even while or just after we pray, we can have a dialogue with him and counsel with him as if he were right there in the room. Encourage the girls to get to know Heavenly Father that well, so they will feel comfortable counseling with him and not just saying quick and meaningless prayers.
Make a group collage which depicts many of the blessings in each girl's life. Or have each girl make an individual collage. Sing for the opening song "Count Your Many Blessings" (#241).
Write thank you notes to family members, leaders, the bishop, or others and make pretty stationery for them.
See Gratitude at More Holiness Give Me Theme
September-Act on the Words of Christ
Have a play which shows how Christ's example can be incorporated into every day life or modernize a parable.
Have a Book of Mormon Night (the Prophets speak the words of Christ, Christ gave Book of Mormon prophets direction about what to include in it)
Have a Doctrine and Covenants Night
Have a Bible Night
October-Anxiously Engaged in a Good Work (Not Slothful)
Learn how to be better leaders. Learn how to conduct meetings, how to delegate, how to follow up with assignments, how to keep in touch with less-active girls, how to plan for meetings and activities, and how to use the Spirit to be a more effective leader.
Learn how to organize time more effectively.
November-Look to God and Live (Eternal Life)
Make an obstacle course in a windowless or shuttered room. Then go through the obstacle course--first without a light, then with a flashlight. The flashlight is the Holy Ghost, that will help the girls find their way in this dark and uncertain world.
Try to run through snow in a straight line while looking down or at yourself. Then try again but staring at a pole or other fixed point. When the girls look to themselves or only the earthly view (the here and now), it is hard to get where you want to go and have a straight path. But, with a goal, and looking towards God with eternal perspective, it is much easier to follow a straight path back to Heavenly Father. Play other snow games while you're out. Give the girls the scripture Alma 37:47 "And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell." Matthew 7:14 "Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 2 Nephi 31:19-20 "And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." Also give the "letter" from Heavenly Father.
December-Declare the Word
Have a Missionary Night.
Learn how to be a missionary by giving a good example. Have several people who became interested in the Church through a friend or acquaintance's example speak to the girls about the power of example.
See Missionary Work under Idea Index
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