Serving Others

The ideas in green were brainstormed to help get our creative juices flowing.  All other ideas have actually been implemented by different activity day groups.  Please contribute your ideas by clicking on "comments" at the bottom of the page.  

·         • Read and discuss the parable of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:30–37). Plan and complete a service project that helps a family member or neighbor. After completing the project, discuss how it helped your faith grow stronger.

Prepare a play about the good Samaritan.  Have scenery and costumes if desired.  Perform the play for the sick or elderly

Look up Luke 10:30-37 and read the story of the Good Samaritan together.  Answer the question “who is my neighbor” by brainstorming people to serve.  Choose one person or group to serve.  Plan a service project for that group or person and carry it out at your next meeting.. 


We did the above activity and then decorated cookies to take to our bishop.

·         • Write a letter to a teacher, your parents, or your grandparents telling them what you appreciate and respect about them.

Have each girl brainstorm individually a list of people she admires.  Have each girl choose one person from the list and write 3 specific she appreciates about her chosen person and three specific things she respects about her chosen person.  Use this information to write a letter of appreciation and respect.  Allow her to write as many letters as time permits.

Make stationary choosing one of the following methods or a method of your own:  leaf rubbings, thumbprint art, scrap booking materials, stamps, etc.  Use the stationary for your letters of appreciation.

Teach girls how to make pop-up cards.  Use the cards for your letters of appreciation.

·         • Make a list of the qualities you like in a person. Choose one quality to develop in yourself. Discuss how showing respect and kindness strengthens you, your family, and others. 

Make a class list of desirable qualities.  Cut out the qualities on strips of paper.  Have girls team up and take turns drawing a quality out of a hat and acting it out.  Let the other girls guess which quality is being acted out.  Have each girl choose a quality to work on.

·         • Plan, prepare, and serve a nutritious meal.

Choose a family in the ward who just had a new baby or who has a sick family member.  Volunteer to cook a meal for them.  As a group, plan, prepare, and deliver the meal. 

Make and decorate a coupons for parents volunteering to plan, prepare and serve a meal.

Teach girls how to make a nutritious breakfast.  Eat the breakfast together as a class.  Send the girls home with recipes so that they can cook breakfast to a family member.

·         • Entertain young children with songs or games you have learned or made yourself. Show that you know how to care for and nurture a young child.

Prepare babysitting kits by making games and other activities that would entertain young children.

As a group, volunteer  to babysit small children for an hour or two so that their mother’s can have a rest.  Encourage the girls to entertain the children with songs and games.

·         • Learn about and practice good manners and courtesy.
    
     Provide nice dishes and linen.  Have the girls practice correctly setting their own place at the table.  Serve a simple dessert, bread, or meal.  Have the girls practice eating courteously as you discuss the importance of family dinnertime and various table manners.


    We had the girls rotate through various "courtesy stations."  These were the stations:  Techno courtesy (email, cell phone, and texting courtesy), Eating Etiquette (table setting and manners), Conversational Courtesy (introductions, making others feel comfortable, making pleasant conversation).  It was really fun.




      • Plan and hold a parent-child activity, such as a dinner, picnic, hike, day trip, or service project.
    
    Hold a Mother/Daughter recognition night.  Invite moms to come enjoy activity days with their daughters.  Possible activities:  Spa night (bath salt making, manicures, facial masks, etc.), Jewelry making, Makeover night (hair, makeup etc).  Or choose a "Serving Others" activity to do together (such as a service project or cooking night).
    
    Hold a Daddy/Daughter recognition night.  Invite dads to come enjoy activity days with their daughter.  Possible activities:  Game night, Fifties Night, field day, kick ball.  Or choose a "Serving Others" activity to do as a daddy/daughter group (such as an etiquette dinner)

·         • Read the twelfth article of faith. Discuss what it means to be a good citizen and how your actions can affect others.


    Read about Moroni and the title of liberty.  Ask the girls how Moroni was a good citizen of his country.  Discuss how to follow his example.  Let the girls make their own titles of liberty on fabric.  Attatch the fabric to sticks for the girls to display at home.   


    We visited a historical marker that honors good citizens of our country.  We read the marker together and discussed how the actions of the people honored blessed others.  We asked the girls how they can follow their example. If we do this activity again, we plan to bring paper and crayons so that they can make rubbings of the marker to take home.

·         • Help your Primary leaders plan and carry out an upcoming quarterly activity.
     
     The quarterly activity days referred to on page 18 in the Faith in God guidebooks are no longer a part of the program.

·         • Plan and complete your own activity to serve others 
    
    Brainstorm as a group families and individuals in the area who may need help.  Choose one to serve.  Brainstorm as a group possible service activities that will bless the chosen person or group.   Plan the service project as a group.  Make assignments and carry out the project at the next activity.