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WORLD-WIDE CELEBRATION

1998 - TURNING HEARTS TO THE FAMILY


STAKE WWC NIGHT: -  - We had our YW opening. Then we had a stake leader remember what we had done as a stake for the entire year.  Then we had another speaker talk about doing the temple work of her grandmother.  All the young women and their leaders sang "No Empty Chairs in Heaven",  a song written for especially the Arimo Idaho Stake.  Then we had a video (all the wards submitted a video of each girl telling something about her family.) The video started and ended with the prophets voice saying the family proclaimation.  Then we had another song sang and the Stake President spoke about Turning the Hearts to the Family and had a closing prayer and everyone went into the cultural hall to see the displays each ward had set up.  Each ward displayed a poster with the Top Ten Family Events and had refreshments on their table.  Each ward represented a holiday (from our camp theme) and then we had what the girls had accomplished displayed!  It was
a super spiritual meeting!  And it ended fun being able to visit with others!  Becky

PERSONAL PROGRESS AND READING SCRIPTURES: -  - We used small oil lamps one year. They were probably about 3 1/2 inches
not counting the handles... ( These lamps were the kind you could  put a candle in the glass, they had no wicks in them)  They were to encourage the YW  to read their scriptures every day... The girls would put a small colored  bead in the lamp for each day that they read their scriptures during the previous week..a pearl bead was put in for each PP goal..( If I was to do this again I  would probable use a larger bead in the same color as the value goal  instead of the pearl .) The beads were in the YW colors and were in a large clear glass candy jar.. (the kind you sometime get nuts in at ?Christmas time.)  The girls would take care of their own lamps when they first came into YW on Sundays..... The lamps sat on top of the piano and the sunlight would shine through those lamps so beautifully as they started to fill... with those colored beads......  .   The lamps were decorated on a corner of the handle with small ribbons in each of YW colors hanging  down and a card with a picture of the YW Torch and their name  on one side and the YW values and the other...In the beginning of the year there  was lots of bead use...slacking in the summer and picking up again at school time...It also encourage us leaders to our commitment of reading the scriptures everyday and filling our lamps... setting a example for our girls...Yes, our lamps sat right besides our yw.   At the end of the year we could see how filled our lamps were....How well our light was shining?... . Jan in IN

A CELEBRATION OF FAMILIES: -  - There will be four displays and four corresponding segments of our program.
(1) "The Family of my Past"  --  decorated with old-looking newspapers,  black and white balloons, old family portraits, a big poster showing names we took to the temple this summer, any relevant projects that the girls have done.  Song:  (probably  "I Can See Her Face").   An introduction by a leader, a talk by a YW and then highlighting the projects in this area.
(2)  "The Family of my Present"   --  A booth decorated in bright colors and current photos of the girls families.  Projects that the girls have done relevant to this area. Song:  (either  "A Family is Forever" or  "Families Can be Together Forever").   Introduction by a leader, a talk by a YW, any performances or demonstrations that the girls have done in this area.
(3) "The Family of my Future" --   Decorations: pastels, wedding and baby type decorations, wedding photos. Song:  "Come  Take a Little Hand".  An introduction by a leader and then talks by the YW, and demonstrations and highlighting of the projects for this area.
(4) "I Am A Daughter of Heavenly Parents" --  Decorated all in white, with sacred pictures. Song: " A Daughter of my Heavenly Father".
Talks by YW and then a conclusion by a leader.
After concluding the program we hope to take the balloons used for decorations and do a balloon release (subject to local regulations).  We may work in time for the girls and maybe their families also to work on "letters to my family of the past/present/future"  or maybe
just have this be the basis for the talks given, and I will be giving  the girls the "Letter from Heavenly Father"

COLLAGE: -  - For the WWC,  we are going to put togeather a collage of what we have done this year with the theme.  A scrap book, if we have the time.  Then our stake is sponcering the activity and I believe each ward is to do a presentation of what their ward has done for the theme.

FAMILY PICNIC AND SERVICE COUPON BOOK: -  - I'm planning  a family type picnic where the girls could *award* their family with a service coupon book that each would make.  It would include something like: "one coupon good for a load of laundry", " one coupon good for a FHE lesson/presentation",  etc.  I think that by inviting the entire family to the activity (hopefully, on a Saturday afternoon) and having the girls think of sincere service they can provide for their own families,  it will have the desired effect. 

TURNING HEARTS TO THE FAMLY: -  - Last year we did a YW in excellence program that really fits into family theme for this year. We set up the R.S. room as the Pre-existence,  the Gym as Earth Life, and the YW Room as the Celestial Kingdom.   All the leaders were dressed in white.  We blindfolded the girls -- leaving the Pre-existence one by one and took them by the hand thru Earth life holding onto the "iron rod" which  was a rope tied to chairs that were  set up around the gym.   At each chair they made a decision.  The choice they made determined the path they choose.  Some made wrong choices and Earth life ended early.   After all were done in Earth life,  we took them to the YW's  room where their families were waiting as a surprise,  dressed in white.   White decorations, greenery, white lights, refreshments, explanation of what they went thru.  It was a  spritual evening for many,  including the parents.   For more specific information on setup, ect, email Tawnie.

FAMILY HOME EVENING ACTIVITY: - We invited the brothers and sisters of the YW for this.  We split them up into groups and rotated to the following workshops.  Workshops were:  Ideas for Lessons for FHE, Games for FHE, and Different Quick and Fun Refreshments for FHE.

FAMILY HISTORY CENTER: - Learn about genealogy and take a trip to the local Family History Center.  Learn to use the computer databases available (take names to research).

SPIRITUAL HOPE CHESTS: - We made "Spiritual Hope Chests" at the beginning of the year.  We covered file storage boxes with material.  The girls will use these for items they make/receive during the year which are related to the Turning Hearts of the Family theme.  Some of the things we will be putting in our "Hope Chests" are:  FHE packets, a framed copy of the Proclamation, temple dress bags, YW cookbooks, etc.

FHE BAGS: - Make a FHE bag which contains ideas for activities, cutouts and pictures for lessons, a Family Home Evening manual, recipes for desserts and special meals, ideas for special occasions, free places to go, and a bag of popcorn. 

GET TO KNOW MY ANCESTOR: - Have each girl choose one ancestor that she would like to get to know better.  Have her make a muslin or sock doll to represent that person and to act as a reminder throughout the year.  Have her do research about that person's life, gather photos and do a report style portfolio on her ancestor.

FAMILY HISTORY WORKSHOP: - Have the youth bring a parent who has been working on genealogy and let them work together to come up with some names for temple baptisms.

"PIXIE" WEEK: - Have a "Pixie week".  Prepare inexpensive ideas for a full week.  Have each girl "Pixie" a member of her own family each day.  (Teach them that part of integrity is to follow through).  Gifts could include a handwritten letter, a homemade bookmark, a special thought, etc.

MEET YOUR MOM NIGHT: - Each YW's mom takes a turn at having the girls in her daughter's class come to their home. The mother may teach a skill, tell of a special family trait or experience, etc.

FATHER/DAUGHTER EVENING: - Have it on or during "Valentine's Day week.  Ask each father to write a letter to his daughter.  Have him seal the letter and get it to you ahead of time.  During the evening, each class could do a lip sync.  Have some sort of relay, race or contest.  Have a short talk about fathers and daughters and present letters.

FAMILY PROCLAMATION: - Read and study “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”.  Provide each young woman with her own  copy.
Remind the Young Women to read it monthly at least, and encourage them to read it with their families.

JOURNALS: - Have the girls make a pretty binder for their journal.  Remind the girls to write in them often. For ideas of what to write about, see Journal Jars

CELEBRATING THE FAMILY: - We  learned about family from the families in our ward.  We  had each family make a poster display of pictures of their family, or a family crest, or family mission statement.  We  also had them bring their favorite family meal and recipe.  Later we put them together in a little cookbook for the girls. We asked a few families to do a skit about a funny thing that happended in their family.  The Young Women spotlighted 3 people in our ward that didn’t have families - i.e. a widow, widower, single person, etc.