Jenny Phillips Firesides

There is also a fireside group for Jenny Phillips. They do a few firesides a month for relief societies, wards and stakes. She has great programs for all ages! Check out her website at http://www.jennyphillips.com/. She is a singer/songwriter for Deseret Book.

RS Birthday Celebration with a Progressive Dinner

Progressive Birthday Celebration
Bountiful 58th Ward

For our Relief Society Birthday party we had a progressive dinner in the church. We had three different sections set up for food.

The first was salad. In this area sisters sat at tables according to the month they were born in. Some tables had a couple of months.

The second was the main dish. In this room the sisters sat at tables with their birth year on it. Each table had random years on it (about 9 different years). Then towards the end of the meal we had a concentration game with questions about Relief Society.

The third room was the dessert. We had the sisters bring a baby picture of themselves and collected the pictures at the beginning of the evening. We numbered each one and taped them on the wall of the third room. Then while the sisters ate their dessert (cookies, brownies) they tried to guess who the picture was of and write it down. Then when everyone was finished guessing we went around and had people guess then tell the correct person.

The sisters loved sitting with new people at each place and getting to know more people. They also loved seeing each other as babies or young children and there were lots of laughs.

Upcoming Christmas Program

We are having a nice dinner in the gym, and then we will move to the chapel for a program. This is the program I put together. I got all the music from defordmusic.com.

Christmas Program Rough Draft

Christmas Program Final

Narrator: As quoted from The Living Christ, we read “As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth…

“We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world…

“His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.”

Video: Hallelujah Chorus

Narrator: Jesus Christ IS our King of King and Lord of Lords. He is also our Elder Brother who has made our Father’s Plan of Salvation possible. It is now the time of year when we get to celebrate and commemorate His life. The entire Christian world now moves into the happiest season of the year. We open the Bible to Luke’s account of one of the greatest events in history and we hear again what the shepherds heard: For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

In the most humble of surroundings, the most precious infant in all history was born. This Child, was “The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” To Mary and Joseph that night, so many years ago, his blessed name was simply, Wonderful. Let us rejoice as we reflect on this sacred event that was Christ’s birth.

Song: O Holy Night

Story: God Bless Your Way

Narrator: President Hinckley said: It is proper during this season when we commemorate His birth that we remember the Lord Jesus Christ in reverence and with love. He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has brought meaning to our mortal existence. He has given us the gift of eternal life. He was and is the Son of God, who was “made flesh, and dwelt among us.

In Second Nephi, it was foretold, “The Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall”. (2 Nephi 2:26)

Without Him, without His atoning sacrifice, we could not be saved. He is our Redeemer.

Song: O Come O Come Emmanuel – Group of RS Sisters

Narrator: Our prophet, President Monson said, “With the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, there emerged a great endowment, a power stronger than weapons, a wealth more lasting than the coins of Caesar. This child was to be the King of kings and Lord of lords, the promised Messiah—even Jesus Christ, the Son of God. –
There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God with all our heart—and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all.

Video: Anya’s Bell

Narrator: “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, nothing is so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace. The Son of the Almighty, He who had condescended to come to earth as a babe born in Bethlehem, gave His life in ignominy and pain so that all of the sons and daughters of God of all generations of time, every one of whom must die, might walk again and live eternally. He did for us what none of us could do for ourselves- President Hinckley

So think of Him this Christmas season. He was born, and He lives now. Think of Him and all that He has done for us. He came from the most humble of circumstances and yet He is our King, our Lord, and our Savior.

Song: What Child is This?

Video: Nativity

Narrator: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” 2 Nephi 19:6

As President Hinckley said, “ I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the eternal, Living God. None so great has ever walked the earth. None other has made a comparable sacrifice or granted a comparable blessing. He is the savior and the Redeemer of the world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity without equivocation or compromise. I love Him. I speak His name in reverence and wonder. I worship Him and I worship His Father, in the spirit and in truth. I thank Him and kneel before His wounded feet and hands and side, amazed at the love He offers me. God be thanked for the gift of His Son, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the Prince of Life and Peace, the Holy One.

Congregation sings the first verse of “Silent Night.”

More Info:
For the Hallelujah Chorus, I just did a slideshow of pictures of Christ put to the Tabernacle Choir singing the song.
As for the Nativity, I used the one put out by the church...the most recent one. Here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icilgwdHiZg
The video of Anya's Bell is inside of this book: http://deseretbook.com/item/4964370/A_Christmas_Bell_for_Anya
The story "God Bless Your Way" is inside of this book: http://deseretbook.com/item/4988541/God_Bless_Your_Way (I shortened it a little bit.)

5K Run/Walk

You could have a 5K run walk/ with donuts and juice afterwards. The sisters loved getting up on a Saturday morning and walking/jogging/talking together. It’s a tradition now!

How to decide on mini classes and teachers to teach them!

You can send around a clipboard in relief society asking sisters to write down a skill or a subject that they would be willing to teach. Then choose a day during each month to have these little half hour-hour classes (keep it simple) that sisters can come to. Rotate a different person/class each month.
Examples: Cooking, budgeting, crafts, story telling, nutrition for small children, scripture study, family home evening, etc.

We also had our sisters fill out this TALENT SURVEY. That way we knew what they were skilled in and what they were interested in. This helped us to form enrichment activities....and it was a fun way to find out new things about the sisters!

Click here to get the survey...

Hymns

This activity evolved around Emma Smith’s first hymnbook. The sisters sang hymns together and were able to sing words of one hymn to the melody of another hymn with the same meter.

Local Church History Ideas

Local Church history….
Find some church history about the area in which you live.
This group started out at their old tabernacle with a homemade breakfast including homemade breads and jams. They had a speaker talk about the historical site. Then they went on tours of some of the old and historic homes in their area. For lunch they had a chili cook off. That afternoon they had mini classes.

Another ward wrote a play in which they incorporated how to teach your family about their local church history during family home evening. A packet was sent home with the sisters.

This Little Piggy - Mini Classes

Started off with a dinner of “ham” etc. Then they had different sisters teach mini classes to go along with the nursery rhyme of “This Little Piggy.”
This little piggy went to market: Smart shopping ideas, coupon clipping, etc.
This little piggy stayed home: How to bring the spirit into your home, etc
This little piggy had roast beef: A cooking demonstration
This little piggy had none: (No physical food) But spiritual food – how to study the scriptures effectively
And this little piggy cried, “Wee, wee wee!”: How to find happiness when in adversity.

Good, Better, and Best - Visiting Teaching

This revolved around visiting teaching. The committee went around to sisters and had them act out different situations of “types” of visiting teaching. They taped little skits of visiting teachers running into their sisters at the grocery store, and counting it as a visit… or….driving by a sister’s house, dropping off cookies, mailing the message, etc. They put all these little skits together and showed it at the activity. Everyone loved it! They were laughing and empathizing, but then went away from the activity more motivated to do their best!

Mini Class Ideas

Gardening
Canning
Colors class- what colors look best on you
Vinyl lettering
Purses out of placemats
Finance class
Table Settings

Group Ideas

Play Group
Walking Group
Book Group
Recipe Group
Knitting and Crocheting Group
Scrapbooking Group
Craft Group
FHE Lesson Group

FHE for all Seasons of Life

A lesson on different ideas for Family Night whether you are single, married, young children, older children, empty nesters, etc.

Personal and Family History Night

We had a dinner and a speaker who talked about our personal and family histories. Each sister was invited to bring something to put on display....whether it was a scrapbook, a journal, their family history, books, pictures, etc. Then some sisters shared and told about their projects with the rest of the RS.

Mini Classes

We had a self defense class, a 72-hr kit class, and a class on how to make children's blankets and hair bows.

Christmas

We just had a nice dinner and then we made gift bags for all the widows/and or elderly in our ward.

Reader''s Theater

Have someone come in and put on a reader's theater. Our ward did this with help from our bishop's wife's inlaws. They came and did a reader's theater as Joseph and Emma Smith.

Potluck Picnic

We just had a picnic where the sisters signed up to bring a salad or a dessert. There was plenty so we got full on sampling all the choices.

We played a little get to know you game. I found the idea on the internet and it seemed to work out. I bought mini candy bars and told everyone to take one. Those who picked a Snickers had to share an embarrassing moment or something funny that has happened to them. Those that picked a Kit Kat (gimmie a break) had to tell us what they like to do in their free time. Those that picked an Almond Joy told of things that make them happy. Those that picked a Milky Way shared a dream or goal that they had.

Cards

You could have a night (or part of a night) where someone teaches everyone who is interested to make a couple of cards. Everyone can use cards for thank yous and birthdays and such, and if they have template and the papers all ready to go it will be easy for anyone to put together.

-Elise J.

FHE Group

We started a FHE group and I wish our ward didn't split before we really did anything for it. You get a group together and then say there are 8 people (if you get a ton of people you could break into 2 groups) in your group. Each month, each person plans a FHE lesson with a game/activity and treat recipe. They then make copies of lessons and any other supplies that go along with the lesson and they make 8 packets with that lesson. Once a month you meet and pass your lesson to eveyone and then you will get 7 other lesson packets to go along with yours. When family night comes around, pull out a packet and you are good to go. You can get together before and decide how elaborate you want things, you can decide that all games and other things be laminated or maybe just require they are on cardstock. Just make some clear guidelines so somepeople don't go to tons of work and money and then not get that in return.

- Celeste H.

Service Auction Points

We had sisters volunteer service to be auctioned at our activity. For example, some sisters volunteered to babysit, other to take family pictures, others to dust and vacuum, others to make a meal, etc. They way the sisters earned points was from filling out this form. They added their points and they were like their "money." Here is how to get the points:

Service Auction Points

Tally up your points on the lines provided to see how much you will have to bid with.

Gospel Related

___ 10 points if you are here today
___ 15 points if you have been to the temple this month
___ 15 points if you have done your visiting teaching this month (November)
___ 10 points if you said your personal prayers this morning
___ 10 points if you studied the scriptures this week
___ 15 points for every child or grandchild currently serving a mission
___ 20 points if you have served a mission (20 points for each mission)
___ 15 points if you’ve had the missionaries teach a friend or neighbor in the last year
___ 15 points if you’ve attended an enrichment activity in the last year
___ 10 points if you have fed the missionaries in the last 3 months
___ 10 points if you had Family Home Evening this month (November)
___ 15 points if you have given a talk in church this year
___ 15 points if you have shared a musical number in church this year
___ 5 points if you’ve participated in ward or stake choir this year
___ 5 points if you’ve ever shared your testimony during Fast and Testimony meeting

____ Sub Total

Service Related

___ 10 points if you said “I love you” to someone today
___ 10 points if you have visited a neighbor this month
___ 20 points if you have volunteered more than 50 hours for an established organization this year (ex: Habitat for Humanity, Make a Wish Foundation, Give Kids the World, United Way, etc.)
___ 10 points if you have donated money (other than tithing) for a charitable cause this year
___ 10 points if you have helped someone earn their Eagle Scout, Young Woman of Excellence, or Duty to God award this year
___ 15 points if you have helped someone in need this month

____ Subtotal

Marriage/Family Related

___ 15 points if you have been married 25+ years
___ 25 points if you have been married 50+ years
___ 10 points if you were married in 2007
___ 10 points for every child
___ 5 points for every grandchild
___ 10 points if you have a child or grandchild named after someone in the Book of Mormon
___ 10 points if you have a child or grandchild named after a famous historical figure
___ 5 points for each grandparent (including great-grandparents) who are still alive
___ 10 points if your spouse was your first kiss
___ 10 points if you were your spouse’s first kiss

____ Subtotal

All about YOU

___ 10 points if you’re under 25 years old
___ 10 points if you’re over 25 years old
___ 10 points if you were born outside of Utah
___ 20 points if you were born outside of the United States
___ 10 points if you have lived in Bountiful your whole life
___ 5 points for each country you have lived in
___ 5 points if you have ever lived in New York City, Los Angeles, or Chicago
___ 10 points if you play a musical instrument (10 points for each instrument played)
___ 10 points if you speak another language (including sign language – 10 points for each language)
___ 5 points if you have ever been to college (for any amount of time)
___ 10 points if you have a Bachelor’s Degree
___ 15 points if you have a Master’s or Doctorate’s Degree
___ 5 points if you attended college outside of Utah
___ 5 points if you passed your Driver’s License test the first time
___ 5 points if you have ever shopped at Walmart
___ 5 points if you have ever worked in the fast food or retail industries
___ 5 points if you had your first paying job before you were 16 years old
___ 5 points if you have ever been to beauty school
___ 5 points if you have ever taken piano, or other instrument lessons
___ 5 points if you have ever played on a sports team (church, school, or community)
___ 5 points if you have ever ridden a horse
___ 5 points if you have ever been to a Jazz game
___ 5 points if you have ever been to a rodeo
___ 5 points if you have ever been to “Music and the Spoken Word” or a Tabernacle Choir concert

____ Subtotal

Travel Related

___ 5 points if you have ever been to Disneyland or Disneyworld
___ 5 points if you have ever seen a Broadway play or musical in New York City
___ 5 points if you have seen the Statue of Liberty (in person)
___ 5 points if you have seen the Golden Gate Bridge (in person)
___ 5 points if you have seen Mount Rushmore (in person)
___ 5 points if you have seen the Grand Canyon (in person)
___ 5 points if you have been to Yellowstone National Park
___ 5 points if you have ever been swam in the Atlantic Ocean
___ 5 points if you have ever swam in the Pacific Ocean
___ 5 points if you have been to the Nauvoo Temple
___ 5 points if you have ever gone sky-diving
___ 10 points if you’ve been to the Great Wall of China
___ 10 points if you’ve been to the Pyramids of Giza
___ 10 points if you’ve seen the London Bridge (in person)
___ 10 points if you’ve seen the Eiffel Tower (in person)
___ 5 points if you’ve ever been to the Louvre Museum (in Paris)
___ 5 points if you’ve ever been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (in New York)
___ 5 points if you’ve ever been to Africa
___ 5 points if you’ve ever been to the Parthenon
___ 5 points if you’ve ever been to Greece
___ 5 points if you’ve ever been on a cruise
___ 10 points if you’ve ever seen a shuttle launch (live)

____ Subtotal

Christmas Related

___ 5 points if your Christmas Tree is set up
___ 5 points if you have lights on your house, window, or yard
___ 5 points if you have a Christmas stocking
___ 5 points if you have a Nativity set displayed in your home
___ 5 points if you have at least one Christmas song memorized
___ 5 points if you have ever seen the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
___ 5 points if you have ever read “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
___ 5 points if you can play any Christmas song on a musical instrument
___ 5 points if you have ever read Luke chapter 2.
___ 5 points if you have ever attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah
___ 5 points if you are planning on baking at least one Christmas goodie this year
___ 5 points if you have ever been shopping the day after Thanksgiving
___ 5 points if you have ever been shopping on Christmas Eve
___ 5 points if you are finished with your Christmas shopping

____ Subtotal

_____ Total LET THE BIDDING BEGIN!