RS Humanitarian Projects

Last week at Relief Society we did a humanitarian project.

Several actually.

Kayla Olsen came over for a visit and met me at RS.

We teamed up and were able to complete two blankets like this. 

Also completed were:

63 Courage capes

12 dolls

6+ blankets

6 baby blankets

4 sleepers

1 quilt for the missionaries

(The Stake RS wanted each missionary serving in our area to have a homemade quilt.)

Many hands make light work.

It was a fun evening and fun to have Kayla over.

Good luck in your new adventures Kayla!

My Favorite Things

You can't tell by the length of the videos I made, of the time that was spent on making them but...

it was hours and hours, days and days.

I loved making these.

For Relief Society we had a 

"My Favorite Things" night.

I wanted karaoke music that we could all participate so I made these videos.

We had them show on the big screen pulled down in the cultural hall.

I think they turned out so fun but way too short.

Everyone was asked to bring a favorite item concealed and dropped off in the cultural hall and continue to opening exercises in the Relief Society room.

We took the items out of the sacks and displayed them on the tables.

When they came back in the cultural hall each sister was given a sheet that was numbered and they had a chance to go down the line and try to guess what item belonged to which sister.

When they got back to their seats we sang 

"My Favorite Things"  Part 1 song.

(Make sure you sing along too!)

Our table decorations were aprons, brown paper packages tied up with string,

warm woolen mittens, and snowflakes.

We then enjoyed a wonderful dinner of Teriyaki Chicken,

fresh green beans, stuff-your-own baked potato.

Dessert...

prepared by our Food Committee.

Right before dessert we sang

"My Favorite Things" Part 2

(again, sing along) 

During dessert we drew numbers that matched the tags on the display items and had the sisters tell us what it was and why it is one of their favorite things.

Jolene took her fathers watch and turned it in to a fun woman's watch

I wish we would have started this part at the beginning of dinner and continued until we were all done.

We ran out of time and so I just held each item up and the sister that brought it raised her hand. We really didn't have enough time to say WHY she brought it.

Here are some of the items:

Ruth - Rose

Mickie - framed flowers

Connie - M&M's

Julie - Book of Mormon, drink

Annette - Old Book of Mormon

Beckee - chocolate & remote

Misty - wooden spoon

Eileen - old book

Paige - DVR remote

Jill - Boy Scout wooden boy

Dixie - Crystal dish

Nellie - Pacemaker

Donna - black necklace

Anna Lou - family pictures, Jesus

Kathy - Temple

Jolene - watch

Kathleen - jewelry

Hillsman - lighthouse

Carol - Mickey Mouse

Mary Beth - painting of Temple

Elaine - mini sewing machine

Rosalie - truck with Hot Wheels

Annie - flip flops, kindle, hair bows, movie, cologne

JeriLynn - scrap book pages

Jody - casserole pan

April - Suze Orman book

Joan - family pictures

 - ski pass

Chelsea helped me make a treat bag for each sister.

What are your favorite things?

Land of Oz

Our February Relief Society meeting was magical, inspiring and just good fun!

All our sisters were invited to the "Land of Oz!"

Why?! You say?!

Because, because, because because, because, because of the wonderful things it does!!!

We started out in the Relief Society room with the opening exercises followed by Dorothy (Our Relief Society President) making a very important announcement!

Jolene

She told us that a letter had just arrived from the Wizard of Oz!

He wanted the sisters to come visit in the "Land of Oz"! He said that there were some pointers in visiting teaching that we needed to know first.

But not to worry!!!

She will safely guide us to the Scarecrow

symbolic of (knowledge & inviting the Spirit)

Mary Beth

Then to the Tin woMan

symbolic of (Loving & Caring for your Sisters)

Elaine

Last but not least the Lion!

symbolic of (Courage in visiting teaching)

Connie

Each sister (character) had a special message prepared to share with the Sisters in a very insightful way. The Spirit was there in each of the separate, prepared rooms!

Happily the sisters went from room to room singing "we're off to see the Wizard" & Lions and Tigers and Bears! OH! MY! Arm in arm, skipping along the way!!!---

But watch out!

There is a wicked witch floating around, trying to convince us not to do our visiting teaching!

Jody

The Tin Man needed to be oiled before she could begin.

There were signs like this all over the room.

Dorothy leads them safely through the back part of the cultural hall where the sisters follow the

  yellow brick road (made by paper to look like yellow bricks!)

At this point the sisters break out singing-

Follow the yellow brick road!

Follow the yellow brick road!

What's the first thing they see wen they go into the cultural hall in the

Land of Oz?

That wicked witch's hat & cape lying on the floor in a puddle!!!

Then they see this large sign.

All the sisters agreed that they did not want to have a melt down like that wicked witch did!!!

We then all sat down safely in our seats in the "land of oz".

Then we look up & see -- the witch's bike & Toto in the basket!!!

Oh No!

Whew!!! It's okay!

It was just a reminder that she was really there!

The sisters then relax and enjoy a song called "Miracles"

sung beautifully by Sister Kathy Gifford (accompanied by April Bays)

followed by a very touching testimony by

Relief Society President Jolene Hansen (Dorothy).

We ended with a closing prayer and refreshments which included, balloons on tables & colorful table cloths with refreshing green sherbet punch & "Ding Dong, the witch is dead" ding dongs.

Thank you gifts for speakers

This meeting was very successful in inspiring the sisters in visiting teaching and in the process, uniting the sisters happily together!----

It pays to have a creative artist working with you.
Thanks Tyson for our yellow brick road!!

Until next time...

Relief Society meeting in January we had a

night.

Chelsea came and helped me make homemade breakfast burritos for everyone for the taster table.

Simple
(sort of)

President Jolene Hansen taught us how to fold a fitted sheet.

Simple
(for some)

Then Chelsea and I demonstrated how to involve your whole family in a month of meal planning the quick and easy way.

Simple

We then had a professional house cleaner (Sheila Andreasen) come and speak to us about Simplifying your cleaning using products, chemicals and exercising.

Simple
(uh)

No pictures

Simple

Then End

Simple

Grandfather's Christmas Story

The December 24th Ward Relief Society Meeting was a great success!

First of all this is the afghan that was completed.
We had many square donations and Alice Missledine put the whole thing together.
She had to get pretty creative to make the different sizes work but she did fantastic!

We started out with a soup and salad dinner with a delectable chocolate dessert.

We sat at round tables for great conversation. each table had a beautiful nativity for a center piece.

After dinner we enjoyed a program called "Grandfather's Christmas Story". 

Several members of our ward including our priesthood holders and some of our ward choir sang like angels!

We had a large manger on the stage which made a great impact along with children and adults singing and dressed in the biblical times.

There were pictures and words projected up on the back of the stage. It showed a beautiful scene with words of sacred Christmas songs, so that the audience could join in at certain times. 

The plot was very spiritual with "Grandfather" reading scriptures pertaining to the birth of the Savior, to the children gathered around.

Grandfather McMillan, Hammond, Weeks children & Brianna

The children sang like angels.

In one scene we had Mary sing "Mary's Lullaby".

Then she stepped back while Joseph entered in and cradled Baby Jesus while Mary (and Doran) sang solemnly and reverently "Guard Him Joseph".

Doran Shelley, Mike Jensen (Joseph), Amanda Higley (Mary)

 This part was the most spiritual of the whole night.

Joseph totally surprised us when he actually picked up the baby and lovingly cradled baby Jesus. I'm not sure if there was a dry eye.

Mike Jensen (Joseph), Amanda Higley (Mary)

It was very moving and everyone there enjoyed it!

The Spirit was definitely there that night!