YMYW Links

Understanding that I am no longer working in the Young  Women's program now, though when I do find some great ideas, i want to share....I just found the best links to some really great YMYW activities and I had to share.  Guess where I happened on them???? PINTEREST of all places. I hope this helps give you some great ideas!

Iron Chef Competition (Combined activity)
http://www.thethreesweetpeas.com/2012/03/young-women-and-young-men-youth.html

March Maddness (Combined Activity)
http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7441&Itemid=200110

Circus Carnival (this one is actually made for a Kids Birthday Party, but could be made for a fun joint activity and the games and things could be made by the kids and played by the kids.
http://planetoftheapels.blogspot.com/2010/07/circus-carnival-party.html

Lots of Activities (This one has lots of ideas of things that can be done.  Some of them are for Relief Society but others can be for YMYW)
http://goforwardwithfaith.blogspot.com/search/label/YM%2FYW%20Combined

The Iron Rod (This was done for Relief Society but would be wonderful for YW too!)
http://therommfamily.blogspot.com/2011/03/and-it-went-little-something-like-this.html

Pinterest IDEAS (Lots of great ideas of fun things to do and make for YW right on pinterest!)
http://pinterest.com/kaybanks/lds-young-women/ and yet another YW link here for great ideas found on pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tuckhouse/yw-ideas/

Service Contest

"...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

I am gathering stories to include in my book that will focus on “Christ like Service”. If you would like to participate in this wonderful contest opportunity, please email me with your stories of Christ like service that:

1. Has been given to you
2. Has been given to someone you know
3. You have observed
4. You have been a part of
5. Or that has been a group project

Here are the details:

· Stories should be no longer than 800 - 1000 words. (If you must go longer, be sure to total up the word count and submit it along with your story.)

· Provide as much story detail as possible, helping those who will eventually be reading to have their own hearts touched by your experience.

· You may include names of those involved in this service, or you may request for them to remain anonymous, in which case you can change the names or I will.

· The stories MUST BE TRUE, and have actually happened. (document with dates that your story happened if possible)

· Stories can be in the past, or present, and you can go way back to your ancestors if you wish, however your stories must not have ever been published before in a book, magazine, or periodical of any sort.

· Stories can be shared about being neighborly, aiding the sick or infirm, providing meals, groceries or other needs for someone, kind acts, service that were passed on, helping a friend, lifting spirits of someone through kindness, or just about any other kind of service you can think of. Whatever comes to your mind, that you feel is worthy of sharing, please do.

· If you have photos of the service given, please include them. If you did not take photos at the time and could take some after the fact, please include those as well. Attach photos to the email.

Please be sure to include on your story and email the following:

· Your full name

· Your complete mailing address & zip code

· Email address

· Phone number (in case I need to contact you for further information about your submission)

On the Subject line of your email type in: "Service Contest"

FYI: I will not give out your name, address, phone, etc., to anyone, but I will need it if I need to contact you about including your story in my book, as well as sending you a release and permissions form to use your story and or photos. I will also need your address so I can mail you a copy of the book if I include your story. No one but me will have access to your information.

All those whose stories are selected for use in my book will win a free copy of the book when it is completed and published. Your name will also be included as the contributor, and possibly a photo, so you too will be famous and published. (As you know this may take up to a year or longer, so if your story is selected, please be patient remembering it takes time.) If your story is selected, you will be contacted by me within 6 months.)

These stories do not have to be LDS oriented only, but the book market will focus on Christian readership.

Thanks so much for your time and interest in this wonderful project and contest which will run until midnight, April 1, 2013 . I would like entrants worldwide, and this is why I am announcing it on my blog. I have lots of blog readers from everywhere in the world, and hope to receive email submissions from most of you. Please pass on the link to this contest to your friends and family, or any who you know has a story to tell.

I look forward to your emails, and I wish you the best of luck, as well as enjoyment while you sort through your memory for stories of Christlike Service.

Best regards,

Kathleen Gauger

Ktgauger@gmail.com

I'm A Mormon, I know it, I love it, I live it!

I loved sister Dibb's talk and story she told today in General Conference about the young woman she met from Colorado who wore a T shirt that told that she was a Mormon.  Sister Dibb then put some thought into what she would want to put on her own T shirt and she came up with this:
"I'm a Mormon, I know it, I love it, I live it".  This should be the theme of every young woman, young man, and pray that they feel this way about being a member of our church.  Stand tall, be strong, and boldly proclaim that indeed you are a Momron, and don't be afraid to share your testimony showing the love of the gospel. Follow up with living your lives so that others will know you live it too!
I created this free poster for each Young Woman to frame and put in her room that reminds her of who she is.

These bookmarks are to share with friends.  Print on white cardstock.

Much Love,
Katie Gauger
P.S.  It is set up to print 8.5 x 11.

YW Girls Camp - On the Sea of Galilee

My ward YW went to camp this past week, and it was quite an amazing experience.  Our leaders are wonderful and they did everything they could to make the experience fun as well as very spiritual and educational.  The focus was on the miracles of Jesus Christ on the Sea of Galilee. 

We went to Bear Lake (Utah) which surprisenly enough really resembled the lay of the land and the look of the Sea of Galilee.  They were told the stories of Christ, Walking on the water, Calming the storm, Fishers of men, and others.  They were taken to a look out point that overlooked the lake and told all about Galilee, and the Bishop shared some of his testimony there.  They had a day where their food was the kinds of things that they ate at that time, such as humus, olives, flatbread, and more.  Their YW President had been to the Holy lands and had a lot of pictures as well as clothing that she showed them. 

One of the activities were that the girls made their own oil lamps out of salt dough clay mixed with cocoa, so that when it dried, the lamps resembled clay lamps.  It took several days for the lamps to dry, so they let them dry in the sun for several days.  The last day, which they sat around the campfire and had a testimony meeting, the girls got to put oil in their lamps, and enjoy them, until they started to burn the salt dough.  The YW President had a picture of the 10 Virgins and read to the girls while they were making their lamps, about each of the 10 Virgins.  You can find the reading here: http://gaylaprince.com/the-ten-virgins/ The girls also made some tiny pottery and such out of the salt dough and really enjoyed it.

They got to go on a boat ride out in the sea of Galilee ( Bear Lake) and I am guessing that they were told about the story of the walking on the water, or the fishers of men. (I wasn't with them at this time)

They had a tent pitched that resembled a tent that could be seen in the dessert, with a satan rug on the floor (Satan comvorter).

Of course they did all the certification that was needed, and they had dutch oven cooking for dinner every night by the husband of the YW President.  These two were such great examples of what a married couple should be like, complementing each other, putting the other's needs first, helping each other, and smiling all the time.  Girls need these kinds of influences.  He was one of the two Priesthood holders at camp.

The Camp leader did a marvelous job and had great crafts and things for the girls to do. A couple of the things were that they made necklaces out of a tiny corked jar (very small) and they put sand from the sea of Galilee, to remind them of their Galilean Camping experience.  Another craft was that they made these flowers out of fabric rounds, to decorate their flip flops that they wore at camp.  They made braclets out of embroidery floss, and other things, that were meaningful to the girls.

I Found a link to sugardoodle that has more on this Girls Camp theme. http://www.sugardoodle.net/Ten%20Virgins/index.shtml

iPod Skit for New Beginnings

In a previous post, and you will have to scroll down to find it, I told about the iPod skit we did for YW for New Beginnings.  It turned out really cute.  I finally found a copy of that skit and wanted to share it with others who might be interested.  Here is the link to it.  Enjoy!  Katie G

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/57771560/scanner%40gmail.com_20120604_090202.pdf

Young Women's Girls Camp

I had a woman email me and ask for ideas I had about a talk that she is giving to the YW at Girls camp this summer.  She needed ideas, and of course I am full of them, so first I came up with an idea, and then as I thought about it more, I came up with some others.  I thought since so many others will be looking for ideas for their Girls camp that I would post them for you.  Please read on:

 

The YW Values are what make a Young Woman.  Maybe you could draw a silhouette of a Young Woman in Black, and divide it up into sections that would represent each YW value.  (Sort of like puzzle pieces)  You could talk about a particular value and place it up on a board, or wall or some kind of background that you could find at camp.... maybe a poster board.  By the time you have talked about the each of the values, each of the puzzle pieces would be in place and the girls would see what you were making with them. ( A YOUNG WOMAN)  They would see that it is these Values that make a Young Woman, and maybe you could go into the Value of a Young woman, more precious than gold!  Somehow you could tie it into the theme that they are having at Camp, or not, but as a little handout, you could maybe, get some pieces of chocolate gold coins and place in an organza bag with a draw string. Or talk about how much Heavenly Father loves his daughters and even so much that he stands in wait for them to open the door to Him, like the picture of Jesus at the door, with no door knob on his side. 

That picture you could find at Deseret book and maybe that would be a better hand out.  Another thought that just came into my mind is gold leafing, and perhaps you could do a gold leafed picture of Jesus.  You get a transparency copy of Jesus made at Kinko’s, and then spray glue, then place bits of gold leaf on the glue side.  You could make a lot of these if you did them in a tiny size like $ store tiny small frame.  Or you could just copy these, and put in a tiny frame…



When I looked up the 2012 YW Theme, I realized all my additional thoughts and ideas centered around that theme of "Arise and Shine Forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations". So I thought of more ideas and they center around "Light" and the scripture that popped into my mind was found in Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

 16 Let your light  so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

This scripture goes so well with the YW theme, and has so many applications.  I can see you talking about the light that radiates from a virtuous  young woman, one that shows in her countenance so much that others can see it.  She is different from the world, and shines forth. (There are many stories that talk about the fact that LDS look different, something about them that makes them stand out)

You could put a glowstick on a piece of yarn or twine, with this scripture attached to it and hand them out for the girls to "light their way, or light the path, or remind them that their light shines so brightly it cannot be hid, and to use her light for good".

A song comes to mind also, that I remember years ago when my daughter went to camp.  The words are based on the scripture I just mentioned from Matthew and it goes like this....

Vrs. 1

This little gospel light of mine, I'm going to let it shine

This little gospel light of mine, I'm going to let it shine

This little gospel light of mine, I'm going to let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Everywhere I go for sure I'm going to let it shine,

Everywhere I go for sure I'm going to let it shine,

Everywhere I go for sure I'm going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, oh no, I'm going to let it shine,

Hide it under a bushel, oh no, I'm going to let it shine,

Hide it under a bushel, oh no, I'm going to let it shine,

Let it shine all the time, let it shine. 

Jesus gave me the light for sure, I'm going to let it shine,

Jesus gave me the light for sure, I'm going to let it shine,

Jesus gave me the light for sure, I'm going to let it shine,

 Let it shine all the time, let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it out, I'm going to let it shine,

Don't let Satan blow it out, I'm going to let it shine,

Don't let Satan blow it out, I'm going to let it shine,

Let it shine, all the time, let it shine!

I have looked up the sheet music for this song, but they are all different from the tune that I have learned, so if you think you want to use it, you will have to call me and I can sing it to you.  The melody for each verse is the very same and it is very catchy tune.

Another thing I was thinking was that if you are going to Camp in July, then "Fireworks" come to mind, because of the two different holidays... 4th of July and 24th for Pioneer day in Utah.  I am sure that you could not do fireworks at camp but maybe a sparkler??? To tie it into the "Light" theme, you could use some quotes like...

"Fire works are a huge display contained in a very small package, but their beauty can't be put on display until a flicker or flame or spark would ignite them. Once they are lit, there is no stopping them and their beauty bursts forth and creates awe and joy!  Like fireworks, we need to ignite our gospel light and keep it burning throughout our lives to become the glorious display that our Heavenly Father had intended us to be as His daughters and Young Women.  Our example can "spark" interest in others as we go about living the Young women standards.  We will have many opportunities throughout our lives to share that light we have within us and who knows when we will touch off a spark in someone elses life and get their light buring brighter through the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

I

My Friendship Lesson

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/57771560/Katie%27s%20Friendship%20lesson/The%20key%20to%20friendshisp%20%20is%20to%20try%20to%20be%20like%20Jesus.docx
Here is a link that will take you to the friendship lesson that I have spoken about in a prior post.  I have had so many requests for it, I decided to quit sending it individually and now I have posted it on dropbox.  Click on the link and it will take you to the lesson.  I hope it helps you.

I find it interesting about all Young women, and mind you, I was once one of them.  They need this kind of a lesson and need it during the YW years.  Young Men probably would never have need for this kind of a lesson, but girls... yes they do.  It was a very well received lesson and I think it should be taught every year or at least each year new girls move in, or are old enough for the Young Women program.

Enjoy, and let me know how your lesson went, in the comments section of this post or the one with all the rest of the info on the lesson.

Katie G

Young Women Blogs

It was either last year or the year prior, that on LDS.org, the Relief Society had a great suggestion on their website.  They suggested that the women do some service and then blog about it.  There are several great places to visit to learn more about blogging and here they are:
http://lds.org/church/share/sharing-via-blogs?lang=eng&query=Service+blog+about

I am giving a lesson on Family history blogging, but Blogging in general is a great way for Young Women to blog about their lives.  They can add photos, and actually write their history through this journaling.  Then they can print it off and keep it and treasure it.  Blogging is like journaling and it can be made private or you can invite only those you want to view your blog, or you can have it open for the whole world to see.  I would suggest a private blog so that those things that they write in anger or whatever, can be erased and no one will know.

Creating a blog is fun, very easy, and doesn't have to cost anything if you use blogger or other free blog hosting. 

LDSJournal.com is also a great place to keep a personal journal. I am in the process of preparing my lesson so I will quit for now, but I will come back and expound on this idea.


Enjoy!  Katie G.

Young Women lesson on Friends/Friendship

Here is the link to this lesson, and I hope it works for you!https://dl.dropbox.com/u/57771560/Katie%27s%20Friendship%20lesson/The%20key%20to%20friendshisp%20%20is%20to%20try%20to%20be%20like%20Jesus.docx

I have finally finnished what I think ended up being a great lesson on Friends. Our ward is going through the topics of the For the Strength of Youth booklet, and it is my turn to teach. I do have a great lesson but I have no idea how to turn it into a format compatible to put on this post.

The lesson is actually being called... the Key to Friendship. I will attach my printables and images I will be using.

The lesson in a nutshell is that the Key to Friendship is to be as Jesus Christ. We will focus on the song "I'm trying to be Like Jesus" sung by the MoTab choir and there is a beautiful slide presentation that I found with lots of different images of Jesus during his birth and ministry. I am selecting a few stories about Jesus that demonstrate friendship such as the Paralytic who was lowered through the roof, to get to Jesus, by his friends.... The story of the woman caught in sin and Jesus not judging her, and the story of Jesus walking on water, and lifting up Peter, his friend and disciple when his faith had faultered, and so forth. I believe it turned out great.

I have a bronze jewelry tree, that I have hanging on the branches, antique skeleton looking keys tied on a ribbon. Attached to the key is also a tag with the image of Jesus, and the backside of the tag has the words printed at an angle "I am trying to be like Jesus", looking like a watermark. (I have included this tag) That will be the handout along with a printable that I also created and will include on this post. Feel free to use them in your lessons as well. Enjoy! Katie G.



Value Colors Printables

I finally got all the rest of the YW Values Colors Papers finnished for using as a certificate, or other project that you might have in mind.  Scroll down a couple posts to see them.  I hope that you enjoy them for now and years to come.  You can click on this link to take you right there if you like.  http://ldsyoungwomentips.blogspot.com/2011/03/young-women-value-certificates.html
Enjoy! Katie G.

Value your Personal Progress tags

I created these little tags to go with the cute little table favor that I am making for the Young Women and their mothers at our "Personal Progress Tea".  Yikes.... did I say the word tea?  Yep, FYI a tea is an occasion, not a drink, as our new Young Women president so aptly stated. (We will not be having tea of any kind, remember it is an occasion, but what we will be haivng is crumpets, Lemon Curd, cream, and fruit.

Anyway, back to the favor....I found these cute little plastic cups, that are small and clear, at the dollar store.  I am filling them with skittles, because they have a rainbow of colors and that is what I am after...... Value colors.  In the wedding cake decorating section of Walmart, I found tiny bags just the right size to wrap these little skittle cups in and I am tying it off with ribbon.  I am attaching these tags to the ribbon.  They will look very cute and the message to the girls isn't just to eat skittles, which by the way are very yummy, but the value colors are represented, and valuing your own personal progress is what all the girls need to focus on.

We have invited the Moms to come to this tea, so that they can really understand their part in encouraging their daughters to value this wonderful program.  It will be a fun evening and an evening of value and worth.  It will also give our new Young Women presidency the opportunity to meet the moms and let them see and feel our spirits and personalities. 

Anyway, I thought I would post this and let you use this in this way or in any other way that you would like as whatever we do in Young Womens, impacts the girls.  This will be for the good and their benefit, and hopefully it will get them thinking alittle deaper than the first glance.  Enjoy, Katie G.

Young Women's Anthem 2011 "Guardians of Virtue"

Are you aware of the beautiful song "Guardians of Virtue" that is the Young Women Anthem for this year?  It is just beautiful.  I have inserted below this post, the video of this beautiful song.  You can have access to the sheet music in PDF here: https://lds.org/youth/video/guardians-of-virtue?lang=eng
or directly here: https://lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/youth/guardians-of-virtue-sheet-music.pdf
I am teaching this song to the Young Women to sing, at girls camp as well as in Sacrament Meeting when they return from Girls camp.  Here is what I am doing.

This song begins with a solo voice singing, but I am using 2 solo voices.  The rest of the YW and leaders will come in at the top of page 3 "We find joy in living what we know".  Everyone will sing in unison to the end of the song however, at the very end the last line will be sung in unison only by the two soloists.  I am writing in an alto part for the soloists to sing at another point in the song, just to give it a little variety and more impact.  If I get around to it, I will also try to pick out the notes that the violinist plays an obbligato in the MP3 recording.  It will be really pretty when we sing it.

Enjoy!  Katie G.

Guardians of virtue: Young Women song

Easter Card for Young Women

I went to a store here in Utah that has these sugar eggs, that have a cute little scene inside of them.  Anyway, for a case of 6 dozen of them, it was only $3.  I was looking for things for an Easter Egg hunt for my grandchildren.  Well my grandchildren are taken care of and so I had two dozen left, and thought I would let the Young Women I work with in my ward, know how I feel about them.  So... here is a card that I drew up and you can feel free to use it if you like. 

I left the inside blank so that you could write a little note to the Young Women and personalize it for them.  Enjoy!  Katie G.

Temples Lesson idea

One of my readers (Berg) has a blog that gives a wonderful idea about a lesson she gave about the temple.  Here is her blogpost and idea http://gardenberger.blogspot.com/2011/03/super-service.html Remember the story about when all the women sacrificed of themselves to build the temple by donating their china to be crushed up and put into the walls of the temple to glisten?  She took that story and gave each girl a piece of china and put a temple message on the back of it, with the story.  I thought that was a great idea.

Now... you may be thinking... that would be very expensive!  Actually not.... if you go down to DI, or other 2nd hand store and buy it there.  I have seen whole sets of china that people have given away, in perfectly good condition.  Ross and TJ Maxx also have china tea plates in sets from time to time, for a very reasonable price, so you can look at stores like these. 

Sometimes $1 stores have the plate stands, so you could check there too if you wanted to give a plate stand as well.

Great idea especially I am sure that at least once a year, a YW lesson will be included on the temple.

Enjoy, Katie G.

Young Women Value Certificates

 I am in the process of designing some cute YW Values Certificates or pages, that leaders can use as they wish.  I was prompted to create some because my own ward did such a cute thing... let me explain.  I had surgery last week, and that following Wednesday, the YW and leaders came over to my home and presented me the "Knowledge award".  I was really touched.  They had gotten together the day before an baked and iced plates of Sugar cookies the colors of the different values.  Knowledge was Green, so my cookies had green icing.  Anyway, they took around cookies to many different women in the ward who represented to the Young Women, examples of all the different values.  I personally loved it!

Anyway... I thought that this was a great idea to do, and thought of so many other applications for a blank certificate in each of the value colors.  So, I am starting to design these, and  I will make them blank for you to fill in the purpose you wish to use it for.  Keep checking back because each of them take several hours to create, and I think it will take me several days.  ENJOY!!  Katie G.

Teaching a lesson on Modesty?

Here is a cute handout that you can put together for the Young Women to give as a handout.  These are treat bag toppers, and you can fill the bags with M&M's and staple this topper on it.  You can either print on White cardstock and even color in the M&M's to match the colors that you are using, or just print these off on colored card stock that will match one of the colors of the M&M's.  It turns out very cute.  Enjoy!  Katie G

ipodd (Individual Progress of Divine Daughters) New Beginnings

This ipod image I drew up was blown up large
enough to have the different aps, pasted to the
screen.  The aps are explained in the skit.



This past month my wards YW had their New beginnings program.  The girls did such a great job of planning and carrying it out.  They wanted something unique and together they created a skit that the setting was an iPODD store, and three of the girls were employees.  They had three others who were customers and they proceeded with the skit. 

I am YW secretary and I had created the iPodd Owners Manuel that the girls referred to throughout the skit that explained different things.  (I will insert in this post, the many pages of the owners Manuel if you want to use them in your ward or stake)

It was very cleaver and turned out cute.  The props were very simple and mimicked the iPod design, though the silhouettes were the Young Women int he different value colors, and then black head phones were attached to the silhouettes. (see silhouette photo)

So the pages aren't in the correct order, but you will be able to see when you print them the order that they will go, as these are in print order, for front and backside of each sheet of paper.  The cover doesn't have anything printed on the opposite side of it, but all the rest do.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Now for the Script:

(One of the YW has it on her computer, and I have requested for her to email it to me, so that I can post it here.  Soon as she sends it to me, I will post it on this blog.  You should read the script before you can really understand how this program goes.)

Handouts for my YW lesson on "A Grateful Heart"

This lesson starts out with the story of the 10 Lepers, and commentary taken from President Thomas S. Monson's General Conference talk "The Divine Gift of Gratitude" found in Nov. 2010 Ensign.  I found a great picture online and made it look nice to display.

I had so much wonderful material for my lesson and I knew I would never be able to give it all, so I decided to create a handout booklet to get in other ideas, thoughts, scriptures and stories, etc.  I made these so that they could be printed front side and backside.  I did them in color, but you can always just do them in Black and white on the Church copy machine, or maybe do the cover in color and the insides in color.  Up to you.  I have yet to put the finishing touches on my lesson, but I will get it posted as soon as that happens... you know like tomorrow since it is being taught the next day.  Enjoy!  Katie G.

This is the cover page and the next one below is to be copied
and put on the backside of this cover.

Print this one on the backside of the cover page

This side will be the middle or top side up page, and the next one
will be the back side.  The reason is that the suggested activity on
this page is explained on both pages, and needs to be opened
together.  Clear as mud???

Print this on the backside of the one just above.

Now just fold in half and staple like you would a booklet or book.  Simple as that!  It looks really cute.  I have some other cute ideas that I decided to do and it really helped to have been to the after Valentine sales, as I was able to find all kinds of heart treats, sticker, handouts, etc.  When you can use a heart in the theme of a lesson be sure to go to the after Valentine sales. 

I found some cute Mardi Gras type red-heart necklaces, that I am going to ask the girls to have a "Grateful Heart day", using them.  I am telling them to select one day and wear the necklace as a bracelet or necklace to remind them to be grateful and thankful the entire day.  They are to tell people thank you, and express gratitude to others like school teachers for teaching them, Mom for cooking dinner, and even showing gratitude by helping with the dishes, or doing something nice for someone.  This will be a day that will create gratitude in their hearts, and will help them to see how wonderful it feels to have a grateful heart.  I hope that they will want that feeling more than just one day, and will always remember the blessing of a grateful heart.

Another thing I will suggest to the girls is that they do a FHE using the materials from the lesson and play the grateful heart game in their family.  They cut out the hearts and when someone does something nice, they post a heart on their door with a note of thanks! 

This is a handout from the lesson when we talk about being
grateful in thought word and deed.

In my lesson, I am going to have them practice what I preached, and what I actually did before I could preach it.  I used Elder Bednars talk about praying to Heavenly Father in Gratitude and thanks and asking for nothing.  I did this for a whole week, and what a marvelous experience it was for me to realize just how much the Lord has given me, as well as how much he is in my life.  I became so aware of the blessings around me, of nature, and the beauty in it. I appreciated more the food I ate and the convenience of just going to the store and purchasing it, not to mention appreciation for my sweet husband for providing the means to buy it, and to the Lord for blessing him with a brilliant mind and talents to perform his job  and provide for us.  My gratitude for everything increased 100 fold and I hope that the YW will have much of the same experience as I did. 

Oh, I found these chocolate covered heart shaped marshmallow "Peeps" at Shopko for like 7 cents each, that I will give to the girls as a treat. I had planned on making Heart shaped iced sugar cookies, but since my lesson prep is to the 11th hour, I am so glad I found these. I will put them on a couple of heart shaped Valentine plates, and as you can see, even my display table will be pretty too.  It works for me and I know the girls will appreciate it!



Enjoy my ideas and let me know what you think and what your ideas are too!!!  Enjoy, Katie G.

Young Women Ideas

I have just started up this new blog and will add all of my creations, like I do on my other two blogs whose links are posted under the banner.  (Young Women oriented only) I would love for any of my visitors to email me with either your blog link, website link or ideas that you have used that will help all those tireless women who serve the Young Women.  I have come to a great appreciation for the time and efforts that are put into the Young Women of our church and know that it is all worth it.  It isn't just a Sunday job, but an all week effort as well and I am beginning to understand how fresh ideas for lessons, handouts, activities, and whatever else is needed, are so appreciated.  I am just the secretary in my wards Y.W. who loves to create cute handouts and things, but I am so grateful for those who spend their time creating wonderful ideas to teach and strengthen the Young Women. 

I would love to hear from you!

Best Regards,
Katie G.

P.S.  Here is an activity invitation that our ward did.  We had a Mad Hatter Tea Party to teach etiquette and manners to the Young Women.  By the way.... if you were worried when you heard the word "Tea" don't worry because it is explained to all the girls at the first of the tea party, that Tea isn't a drink, it is an occasion.  (NO TEA DRINKING HERE)
Here is the invitation that I designed, and the menus for each table. It really turned out wonderful.  The girls and leaders all dressed up in "Fancy Nancy" attire, and we had quite an extraordinary event.