RS: Salad Social

For September we did a simple Salad Social for our activity.
We had each sister bring a salad to share and had a short message and then let the sister visit and chat. After having not met all summer it was nice to reconnect.

RS: Service Auction

In June we held a service auction. We started a month out reminding the sisters about it and listing ideas they could do. We made sure they new that it was a point system rather than real money being used to bid with. We had sisters bring items or list a service they were willing to have auctioned off.  We got the questioner and coupon ideas from pinterest. We didn't like some of the questions on these questioners so we made our own- I will include it at the end of the post.
We then had them fill out a questioner that gave them points for each item and these points would be their 'money' that they could auction with.We also made paddles for each sister to hold up when auctioning.
We had a wide range of items, from tomatoes from a garden, cake decorating, babysitting, walking partner, weeding, etc.
It was fun to see the women really get into the bidding and the wars that started (fun wars). The sisters really seemed to have an enjoyable time.
We had someone keeping track of who won which item and for how much so we had an account for people to refer back to.
On each table we had bowls with nuts, M&M's chips and salsa and other snacks for them to enjoy during the bidding.
We had a sister be our auctioneer and she helped get the sisters into it. It was a fun evening.

A few ideas we gave:
lessons
baked items
beauty items
yardwork
cleaning
crafts
photography
sewing
computer knowledge
blogging


Questioner:

Please go through and mark each item that you have done and total your points. These points are what you will be bidding on items with.

Please be honest and make sure to subtract points once you have won items.

1 pt for every shoe size past 7

5 pts for every year you have been married

5 pts if you have ever been outside of the country

5 pts if you speak a second language (sign-language included)

5 pts for every child or grandchild you have

5 pts if you have taken a meal to someone in need in the past 6 months

5 pts if you have tried a new recipe in the past month

5 pts If you have exercised regularly for the past month (at least 3x a week)

5 pts If you have read a book to your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews in the past 6 months

5 pts If you have learned a new skill in the past month

5 pts If you have cleaned a closet in the past month

5 pts If you have cleaned something that you would have rather not in the past week

5 pts If you have taken your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews on a special      activity, (park, zoo etc.) in the past month

5 pts If you can recite an article of faith from memory

5 pts If you know how to change a tire

5 pts If you have ever checked the oil in your car

5 pts If you know CPR and the Heimlich maneuver

5 pts If you have read the Ensign for the past 3 months

5 pts If you have organized your storage area in the past year

5 pts If you voted in the last election

5 pts If you went to bed on time last night

5 pts If you have vacuumed your car in the past month

5 pts If you fixed dinner for your family before you came tonight

5 pts for every item you have donated tonight  

5 pts If you have been to the Dentist in the past 6 months

5 pts If you have been to a wedding reception in the past 3 months

5 pts If you kept your TV off all day today

5 pts If you gave someone a sincere compliment in the past week

5 pts If you have begun your Christmas Shopping

5 pts If you have done something you are proud of in the past month

5 pts If you keep your house doors locked even when you are home

5 pts If you have a fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen

5 pts If you have been on a date with your best friend in the past 2 weeks

5 pts If you read the Relief Society newsletter this month

5 pts If you have laughed today

5 pts If you have been laughed AT today

5 pts If you have accepted someone’s help this past week

5 pts If you have obeyed the speed limit all day

5 pts If you wear your seat belt

5 pts If you have baby-sat for someone in the past month

5 pts If you showered before noon today

5 pts If you have mended an article of clothing in the past month

5 pts If you have sung a church song in your home in the past month

5 pts if you smiled at someone today

10 pts if you served someone today

10 pts if you said "I Love You" to someone today

10 pts if you have a 72 hour kit

10 pts if you have ever owned an 8-track tape player

10 pts if you play a musical instrument

10 pts If you have planted a garden in the past year

10 pts If you have read the Book of Mormon entirely in the past year

10 pts If you have done a service project with your family in the past 6 months

10 pts If your journal is current

10 pts If you have worked on your family history in the past 6 months

15 pts if you studied your scriptures today

50 pts for being here tonight

_____ Total points

(We also then had the women double their points after totaling them up so that there was more 'money' to bid with)

RS: Women in the Scriptures

I was so excited for this activity!
My committee made a list of the women mentioned the scriptures, either by name or refered to and prayed and about which ones we should have presented.
Let me tell you, the spirit really spoke to us with this activity! When we met again to discuss the women we all agreed quickly on the 6 we wanted. We chose to discuss Eve (OT), Sariah (BofM), Emma (D&C), Rebekah (OT), Abish (BofM), and Leah (OT).
We then went about choosing which sister in the ward we wanted to study which woman and present about her. I am still amazed at how the choosing came about and how inspired it was.
The sisters we chose did great jobs. Amazing jobs!
We asked each sister to study the woman they were assigned. We said they could use any resource they wanted, many used 'Women of the Old Testament' by Camille Fronk Olson, and 'Women of the Book of Mormon' by Heather Moore- both of which are excellent books!

That evening we met in the Relief Society room and had pictures of each of the women we were spotlighting. We had 3 presentations then a musical number, a woman in the ward sang 'Close enough to touch' from Women at the Well.
Then we had the last 3 present and then the Relief Society President said a few words and tied it all into each of us being important. We closed by singing "As Sisters in Zion" and then gave each sister a magnet that said "Be-YOU-tiful"

It was such a great activity and the spirit was strong and we learned a lot and saw things from a different perspective.

RS: Cooking Class

For our April activity we had a sister in the ward who was great at cooking beans and quinoa. She brought some for us to taste test and talked about the uses of quinoa.
We had also gathered and passed out freezer meal ideas, tried and true crock pot meals and tips for each.
We also had some samples of a few of the recipes for the sisters to try.

RS: Birthday Dinner- Sisters in Zion

For our RS birthday dinner in March we did "Our Favorite Things"
We had each sister bring their favorite thing (that they were willing to part with) wrapped (book, thing they croched/made, candy bar, etc). We put them all on a table and then had everyone get a gift they did not bring after we had our meal. As each gift was unwrapped the person who brought it explained why it was their favorite thing.
It was nice to get to know each sister better.

We served tacos for dinner and had chips and salsa as the center pieces.

RS: Chat and Chocolate

In February we had a Chat and Chocolate activity.

Held in the Cultural Hall.  Folding chairs were arranged in a semi-circle with a walk-way in-between the two sections of the semi-circle.  A big poster was up front listing the Chocolate Code. A microphone on a stand was set up front next to a small table.  On the small table was a large bowl with lots of  fun-size candy bars.  Each candy bar represented something in the life of each person.

Chocolate Code

Almond Joy – What brings you Joy?

Crunch – What did you do in a crisis/crunch?

Snickers – Share an embarrassing/funny story.

100 Grand – What would you do with a $100 Grand?

The large bowl was passed around and each person was to take one candy bar.  Whoever is conducting explains the program and then should be the first one to state which candy bar she chose and why.  The sisters did not see the poster until after they had chosen their candy bar.

After each sister shared then we had chocolate and white chocolate fondue with fruit, pretzels, angel food cake, cinnamon bears, marshmallows, etc. for them to dip. Then they just chatted.
We had the YW join us and it was lots of fun hearing what each sister shared.

RS: House of Order

We had wanted to start the year off talking about getting our homes in order and share our favorite tips on how to clean, organize and cook.
We had a 10-15 minute presentation by a sister in the ward about the importance of keeping our homes clean and organized, using D&C 9:8 as our guide. Then we opened it up to all the women and had them each give their own ideas. We provided notebooks and pencils for the sisters to write down all the ideas.
We had a great time and a good turn out. We got a lot of great ideas too.
We served fruit and veggies and hot cocoa afterward.

Here are some of the ideas that were mentioned:

-Use ice trays/egg cartons to store your earrings
-use a yard stick and panty hose to clean under the fridge, dryer and oven
-store throw up buckets under everyones bed
-Use hotel plastic ice buckets for throwing up in the car- take bottled water to rinse it out
-Laundry baskets for each kid. Fold, put way and put back.
-Use a cotton ball in tips of cleaning gloves for when you are wearing long nails.
-Blinds:
   -used dryer sheets on blinds
   -dip socks in vinegar and wipe slats
   -Pledge wipes for each slat

-Use dryer sheets for water spots
-"If you don't fold laundry you have no business putting a new load in"
-Barbie doll hair: downy fabric softener with some water- saturate the hair and comb through.
-Magic Erasers- put pieces in toilet and let sit over night for stains
-Set timer- work 1 hour then do leisure activity
-Burnt stuff in a pan: baking soda and cover pan with water. Let sit over night.
-After peeling an onion rub your hands on your faucet or any metal- it helps get rid of the smell
-Fold sheets together (in thirds) flat, fitted and a pillow case, then put them all inside the other pillowcase
-Washing walls- use a humidifer with hot water in it. It will steam the walls and then you can wipe them down.
-Put house to bed- clean kitchen and put toys away before going to bed.
-Painting- take roller and wrap in plastic bag and freeze when needing to stop painting for a while.
-Don't let kids do anything until chores are done, if they whine/complain then add 3 more chores
-Use a stapler remover to open key ring or dog tags
-Junk mail- don't let it come into the house. Throw it away before entering.
-Plastic drawers- drawer for each child; fundraiser, mail, school papers, teacher stuff, etc.
-Use hairspray to remove sharpie
-Make a Saturday to do list- first ones up get to choose first.
-Use a kitchen scrubber filled with 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 dish soap and keep in shower- clean while you are showering.