A Night of Stars:A Talent Show and Recognition Night

So if you have still been following along with this little blog of mine, then you know already that I am now an Activity Days leader. Now, I am SUPER DUPER excited about this calling and have a TON of great ideas (to which hopefully I will be able to put to good use someday) but I am also at the same time, TERRIFIED of this calling. I always seem to go into a calling after a really good leader, one who all the girls love and adore, gets released. Sigh...wish me luck!

Anyway, as part of the Faith in God program (aka Activity Days), we are to hold some sort of recognition night at least twice a year. Ours, is coming up in September. EEK!!! What was once going to be just a talent show is now going to be what I call our Night of Starts where we will combine our talent show and recognition night all in one.

Now, I have convinced the other leaders to kinda make this a fun night for the girls and do a Red Carpet type of theme. Oh, I should mention, what I see in my head and what I put to this blog may or may not be what comes out in real life as with any calling, I have other leaders I have to work with, small things but we are three very different leaders and all with three very different ways of doing things. 

Back to the Night of Stars. Did I mention that this was a perfect theme to tie in with the activity and recognizing the girls and the great job they have done with their Faith in God? We are wanting to do something similar as to what the YW do for their EinE or Evening in Excellence (see?! this would work perfectly for YWs!). We want the girls to bring things that they have done on display so that the other girls, primary leaders and parents can see.

Pinterest is a magical place and has a lot of really good ideas (some as to which I hope to borrow from and tweak a bit to fit my needs) for this theme. To me, Pinterest is kinda like the new Google- if you have ab idea just search the site and you are bound to find someones take on the same idea. I will post the links at the bottom of this post of the ideas that I plan on using (keep in mind this activity for us doesn't happen til the middle of September).

So here is what I envision our Night of Stars to look like:

* When the girls and their parents walk into the church, I want them to be greeted by gold stars with each of the girls names written on them. This to be done with by placing them one the floor, hanging them from fishing line from the ceiling of the foyer or even taping them on the walls.

*Then they would be greeted by the
"paparazzi" and get their pictures taken in front of some sort of back drop. 

*Next, they would walk into the gym where towards the back of the gym would be tables that would have the girls items displayed. In the middle towards the stage, there would be two sections of chairs divided by some red butcher paper more than likely. This would be our "red  carpet" that would lead up to the stage where the girls would perform or talk about their talents and where us leaders could stand and recognize the each of the girl
s for the job they are doing.

Lastly to the side of the gym would be our table for refreshments because when you meet for something like this, food is always a good way to end the night and allow for a little bit of socializing.

Here are the links to the ideas that I just love:

http://alittlecrafting.blogspot.com/2012/11/shine-night-of-stars.html

http://nogalesfamily.blogspot.com/2015/01/young-womens-in-excellence-2014.html

http://www.partycity.com/category/party+ideas/theme+party/hollywood/red+carpet+party.do

http://karaspartyideas.com/2013/06/red-carpet-10th-birthday-party.html

What An Accomplishment

So I don't know if you have seen this going around social media but wow. This woman is amazing and goes to show just how far you can go once you set a goal and make up your mind that you are going to do it.

Let us take a moment and write down some PP goals for the week. Challenge you YW to do the same. Maybe it is just one value experience to work on or maybe it is a goal to find your PP book or if you know where it is to maybe browse through it and get reacquainted with it again.

Click HERE to read the story of this 102 year old woman and her journey through PP.

Binder Cover {Class Set} for 2013 Theme

Here is another set of binder covers that I am pleased to introduce to you. It is a set which include a cover for a presidency (including the secretary) as well as an extra one that doesn't have a president member name on it (essentially blank). Hope you enjoy it!

Click HERE to download set (5) or right click on image that you want and save as.

Lesson 4: Seeking the Companionship of the Holy Ghost

Yes, I have finally gotten back to creating handouts. A little late perhaps...OK a lot late but I know that some of you don't always go in the order that the manual goes in. So hoping that this is going to be helpful to someone.

Click HERE to download a pdf set of 2

This is a great video from our church leaders on the Holy Ghost. Click HERE to be taken to the Mormon Messages page at lds.org to get more information or to share this video with others.

A Late PPW

So I thought I would let you all know (and yes in pure me fashion I am a day late) but last night was our ward's New Beginnings and I was invited to come because I was being awarded my YW Medallion that I had earned. I was really stoked to still be able to receive it even though I was released. I will update you on that in a bit (I got an essay to get out of the way for school first).


Hopefully you all are still working hard towards you personal progress goals. If I can do it I know that you can really do it. 

I Am Back!!

OK...so not back in the sense that I have been recalled to the young women's organization but I am back and ready to get my ideas posted for all of you lovely leaders who are or have been missing my ideas. 

I am going to be completely honest with you on my absence from the blogging scene. Yes, it is true that I have been EXTREMELY busy with school work and my new Sunday School calling oh and my laptop was having some serious charging issues (but after 3 LONG FRUSTRATING hours...I finally got it fixed...even though I had to take it completely apart). These,even though they are valid excuses, were really just a front to what I had been feeling inside. 

You see I had loved being in the YW's...first as an assistant camp director and then two years as Camp Director and then a little over a years worth of being the 2nd Counselor in the presidency. I had felt that it wasn't my time to released (and still to this day I still question that choice) and I did hold some bitterness. I guess keeping this particular blog up to date was a little hard and a constant reminder of what I was doing. However, I have swallowed my get over it pill, pulled up my big girl undergarments and have just learned that being able to maintain this blog and help those of you who are in need of assistance or ideas. 

Thank you all for your patience and understanding...but I am back and I am going to do my best to stay up with you guys!

So for my first post back, I thought I would share this story with you that I got in my email this morning from LDS Living.

(Picture taken from article site listed below in the link-1965 Cover)

"For the Strength of Youth" Over the Years

It is an interesting short read on how this wonderful pamphlet/book came about and the different changes that it has over gone over the years. I thought that since they book has been updated and some minor changes have been made to it. This would make for some type of mutual activity or game to introduce the new book!

Click HERE to be taken to the article.

Deep Beauty

Such a wonderful reminder and message. I loved it the moment I started watching so I wanted to share it with you all. Sister Dalton gives an amazing talk that inspired the video. Click HERE to read the talk (there is a link provided) or to share/learn more.

PPI- Check lists are here!

Finally got on the ball and created a Personal Progress Interview check list sheet for all of those, I mean me, who might need a little help in making sure that the interview isn't just a gab session. I have it both in a PDF and Word Doc so which ever you prefer to download you will have a copy of it. 

Click HERE for PDF

Click HERE for Word Doc

Accept and Act: PP value exp. to go with lessons

If you are like me, you try to have the girls apply personal progress values experiences with each of your lessons as suggested in the resource manual. However, since you can only find the resource manual online, I thought I would create a PDF document that listed each lesson and the personal progress values that go with it. That way you can plan handouts or activities that would help the girls to pass off that particular experience. 

Have you checked our the resource guide yet? It is pretty awesome if I do say so myself, it includes a ton of talks and media that fit perfectly with the lessons. Click HERE to be taken to it. Once there, just click on the second link to get just the guide or the first to get both the manual and guide.

Click HERE to download the pdf file of the personal progress values that go with the lesson list-3 pages.

You Need 2 Check this Idea Out!!!

Photo belongs to http://inkablinka.com

I just had to share this wonderful idea that Kristin from Inkablinka came up with as a weekly reward for their wards young women for working on their personal progress. I love that it goes with the mutual theme for the year!  

You NEED to check this idea out by clicking HERE! To cute and super easy to make! Will definitely be sharing this idea with our YW president at our next presidency meeting. 

I Am A Daughter of My Heavenly Father...Who KNOWS Me

I think that every Young Woman (young and old) and even the Young Men need a good reminder that their Heavenly Father knows them and loves and will never leave them in their hour/time of need. A very touching reminder and message. 
Click HERE for link to share or get more information

Preparing for Change- Lesson 42

Photo taken from HERE

So I finally got lesson 42 planned out and posted... unfortunately I didn't get this done before I had to teach the lesson two weeks ago. But as you might have already guessed it is all about change and preparing for it and loving it. 

So HERE is the link to download from 4shared-four to a sheet or right click on the image and and save as if you want it as a jpeg.

How Much Do We Really Know?

I love history and I love to learn about different organizations in the church and how they came about. 

Photo taken from HERE

I think this would be an awesome mutual activity/game to have during mutual...Stay tune for an updated post with a trivia game all about the history of the Young Women's organization. Click HERE to be taken directly to the lds.org page.

Have Creative Youth? Sure You Do!!!

Photo taken from HERE

I don't know if any of you have noticed this announcement posted around your ward building. Ours is posted on our bulletin board next to the bishops office (you know the place where you can occupy your time when you are waiting to get in). 

This was mentioned at our stake training meeting last month and I forgot to post about it. The church is offering an international art competition for youth ages 13-18 to create a piece of art that goes along with the 2012 Mutual theme.

This would be a great opportunity to get your youth to create something that shows what the theme means to them and I am sure that somewhere it could go towards personal progress. Click HERE to get more information and the requirements for the competition. Good Luck and Have Fun!!!

The new For The Strength of Youth

It is so great to be back and get a chance to catch up on all the wonderful things I need to get posted. I love winter break!!!

Photo taken from HERE

So I know that there have already been several sites/blogs that have posted about the new changes in the FSOY booklet. So I am not going to get to much into it on here but I wanted to share some info and the link on where you can find these changes and get a pdf copy of the new book. Although you should note that all of the youth and I am hoping the leaders too, will be getting a new booklet shortly after the first of the year, but if you cant wait, click HERE to be taken to the FSOY website at youth.lds.org

For more information from the church on this exciting announcement, click HERE. 

Can I Just Say

I LOVE THIS LADY!! I know, I know I am posting another video yet again. I just can't help it...I LOVE her stuff!!

This video is on virtue and modesty...a must see and possibly a great help for future lessons and/or activities.

Click HERE to share the video or to watch other Jenny Philips videos.

Jenny Philips video for 2012 theme

I going through youtube and browsing some of the pages I subscribe to and I saw this video by Jenny Philips. She is so creative and I love the story and analogy that she gives. Take a few mins and watch...I think you will enjoy it!

Click HERE to watch more of her videos or to share this one

YWIE Fair

So I just mailed out our invitations to our girls and leaders (both on the ward and stake level). Thought I would share with you what our invite/flyer looks like. 

If you would like to use this as something for one of your events, email me at wearedaughtersofaheavenlyking@gmail.com and let me know and I will personalize it for your particular ward or event. Right now this is not an editable file, sorry! 

The flyer it self was printed on bright green paper (called vulcan green) I tried to take a picture of it but it turned out yellow =(

Finally a Video

Finally a video has been made for this great story from Elder Cook's talk. I loved this story when I first heard Elder Cook give it and loved it even more when it became the basis for our stake yw leadership training (you can see that post HERE).

Please take a minute to listen and watch this amazing video if you havent already!

Click HERE for link to be taken directly to the lds.org/youth website! Enjoy!

Preparing A Talk

So last night our Beehive adviser gave a really good mini lesson to our girls about how to prepare a talk. She took her notes from the current (October 2011) New Era and Ensign. 

Here is what she did.  She prepared several treat bags that were filled with candy and a piece of note book paper along with small piece of paper (the girls could not open these bags when they got it). She then proceeded to ask questions based on things she had went over. 

Once everyone had a bag she allowed them to open them where, on the small sheet of paper, was a topic for a talk. The girls then had 10-15 mins to prepare a 2 min or so talk. We showed the girls how to use the scripture, FSOY, True to the Faith books and other resources. 

It was really good practice for the girls. Once they had prepared their talk they had to get up and deliver it for all of us.  They did really well for being "put on the spot." Such great sports. They also were able to pass of a PP goal (Knowledge #4).