Young Family Fun Pages

Enrichment Night Ideas for 2005

January

Topic: Literacy – Written histories and testimonies

Spiritual Topic: Keeping Book of Remembrance or Journals –

“Journal Jar”  We assembles Journal Jars.  I have a list of 170+ questions that cover almost every thing you would want to have in your personal history.  *Email me if you’d like that file.  We cut them into strips (one question for each day) and put into quart size jars for the women to take home and make it crafty if they like.  On the front we glued the Journal Jar poem:

My Personal History Jar

This Memory Jar is to

Recall the moments of your birth,

The People and places at the beginning

Of your lifetime here on earth.

Share your childhood days

When life was free of grown-up care,

Let us look through this jar

And see you standing there.

Let’s journey back to school days,

Three R’s and the recess bell,

Memories of friends and happy times

Of which there’s much to tell.

Kneeling together, holding hands,

Exchanging wedding bands.

That special day to remember

Knowing of your eternity together.

What fun to turn back the time

Of your family history,

To see yourself and your children

The way things used to be.

Your life is filled with memories,

Personal things You remember so well,

The joys and tears of special times,

About which only you can tell.

 

We then did a Family History Workshop where you could pick one of the following classes:

             * Beginning Family History — Covered the 6 basic steps to starting your family history

                This one I taught so I still have the notes if anyone wants a copy, just email me.

             * Intermediate Class — Covered how to take names to the temple using IGI.

? Did you know you can get copies of patriarchal blessings of your direct-line deceased ancestors?  Learn how to get copies from the Church Archives at

http://lds.org/churchhistory/archives/pbinfo

(You’ll have to copy and paste to your browser)

What a great thing to have in our family histories!

 

February

This month the stake is doing a Women’s Conference focusing on Visiting Teaching and we are encouraging our sisters to attend this in lieu of our ward’s Enrichment Night since they would otherwise be a few days apart.  (I love our RS Stake Leaders!)

 

March

Topic: Cultural Arts – Understanding other cultures

Relief Society Birthday Dinner

Spiritual Topic: Coming together as sisters & realizing we’re not  perfect but we can still strengthen each other.

“A Worldwide Sisterhood.”  Have sisters who served missions or who have lived in other countries talk about the church in the area they were in.  What RS and VT was like in those areas.  Decorate tables from countries around the world.  We will serve an authentic meal with samples from around the world too but still have birthday cake for dessert.  We’ll hang any large decorations/souvenirs on the wall.  The following Sunday we passed out recipe booklets.

 

We had many countries represented and had no trouble finding women who wanted to share their experiences and recipes.

 

Sing “Sisters in Zion” in English, Spanish and French for each verse.  (CHANGE:  We decided to do “I Am a Child of God” in Spanish so the sisters can go home and teach it to their children.  :)

 

April

Topic: Service – Service to family and neighbors & Community Service Project

Spiritual Topic: Serving our family and neighbors

We will ask sisters to donate calico prints, fleece, batting and/or money.  We will then assemble and sew Teddy Bears and small quilts that we will donate to Primary Children’s Hospital.  For dessert we will serve mini strawberry cheesecakes in muffin cups and put little Teddy Grahams in them.

I was released end of April after

2 years of serving as Enrichment Leader :(

May

Topic: Personal Development and Education

Spiritual Topic: Developing talents and creativity

We’ve had several requests from the sisters in our ward to do the Square Foot Gardening Demonstration again since 1/3 of our ward consists of people in apartments that move a little more frequently.   The ward has changed quite a bit so we will plan on doing this via Powerpoint presentation.  We will also have mini classes to make the following items:

* How to make Freezer jam and homemade bread in one afternoon

* Make water bottle carriers (with straps)

* Candle in a can:  Apparently you can make an emergency candle (cheaply) by buying an empty quart paint can and inserting a roll of TP and adding rubbing alcohol.  Burns a very long time.

* Pot holder organizer/First Aid Kit.  We showed the women how to make these awhile back but I guess they want a class where they actually come and make it and take it home.  Get an oblong pot holder, some ziploc baggies and some ribbon and sew a zigzag stitch and you’re done after sewing on a button!  I have directions & pictures for this if you want to find out more, email me.

 

June

Topic: Cultural Arts – Understanding Cultures (our own)

I wanted to take everyone to the Museum of Church History and Art.  I guess I’m the only Museum lover in my Enrichment Board because they wanted to do something else instead.  :(

We will be having a Summer Kick-off BBQ in someone’s backyard.  A social with salad bar, and we will have a Summer Activity Idea Exchange.  We hope to get a lot of the neighbor women to come.

 

July

Topic: Strengthening Relationships

Spiritual Topic: Repentance and Forgiveness

Our Enrichment Counselor knows someone who will come and do a “Love and Logic” seminar.  Check out the book “Parenting with Love and Logic” at your local library.

Communication and Resolving Conflicts in the home.

 

August

Topic: Homemaking Skills

Spiritual Topic: The value of work as a family

“Queen of Clean” and “Survival Sewing” mini-classes

Make-your-own (cost-effective) Home cleaning solutions and learn basic sewing skills.  Maybe so they can learn how to make their own modest clothing like PJs or basic dresses/skirts.  Have on display homemade clothing that sisters in our ward have made for themselves and their children.

 

September

Topic: Self-Reliance

Spiritual Topic: Spiritually Filling our Homes so we will be prepared for the future “disasters”

Make 72 hour food kits (or Hygiene Kits for those who already have their 72 hour kits)

 and we will schedule a Home Storage Night at the Cannery as well

Borrow one of the sealers from the stake.  Plan at least one month in advance.

I have list of things you can put in a can to make a 72 hour food kit, email me.

Cost for us was $8 per Food Kit and $6 per Hygiene Kit.  *Ask your local grocer if they will sell you food “at cost” for cases of food for your church group.

 

October

Women’s Retreat            We decided to do this every OTHER year to keep it special.

Super Saturday               Instead of Super Saturday we will have a “Thrilling Thursday”

For those of you who have never heard of Super Saturday, I feel for you.  It’s one of the biggest events where we craft all day and eat potluck lunch and have mini-classes.  And the kids stay home with Daddy!  :) 

 

November

Topic: Physical and Emotional Health

Spiritual Topic: Feeling Gratitude and recognizing the Lord’s blessings in our lives

We will have “Women at the Well” presented to us by women outside our stake.  The YM/YW will do a free babysitting night as one of their service projects so that the spouses can come too.   We will ask the adults to come in Sunday dress and start in the RS room and then have them walk to the Chapel for the presentation. 

 

December

Topic: Spiritual Development

We will do our Annual Progressive Dinner again scheduled around the Festival of Trees.  For the program afterwards we will all meet at the church for Scott Featherstone’s fireside.  He sings several songs from Handel’s Messiah.

Also:

Music and the Spoken Word Sunday morning.  Be in seats before 9:15am for the 9:30 live broadcast of Christmas music.

Contact Information:

Email:  karenmareeyoung@msn.com