The Holy Land Experience

Saturday a group of us went to the Holy Land Experience. It was a great day. We spent time with friends and enjoyed the day. The Holy Land Experience is a theme park set in Jersuleam set in the time of Christ. There are show that depict how life would have been then. Shows that depict bible stories. There is also a reactment of the crucifixion. We also attended a christian music concert there, but I can not remember the name of the group.

Patrick by a centurion statue.

Below, father and son!

The part has many statues of angels. This is Morgan and her friend, posing with their "Seminary Angel"!

I love tulips and to take pictures of flowers, so I took these shots in the park.

Youth Temple Trip

The youth got up bright and early on Valentine's Day. We had a seven am temple session. So that meant leaving by 4:15am. Although everyone was tired (especially the girls that spent the night - not sleeping- at the Lamb's). It was a great way to start off our weekend. The spirit was amazingly strong. We did all family names, thanks to those who sent names for the youth to do. I am greatful to work with the youth. Their testimonies and desire to follow the Lord bless my life.

Directing Music

So any of you have the problem of only a few of the youth in your ward knowing how to direct music? Well we do. So when the Mia Maids were in charge of the YM/YW combined activity - Morgan decided to teach how the lead music. The batons were colored straws with pink marshmellows on the end. The kids had a good time and learned something. Or so we thought until the next week when we asked someone to lead the music and the answer was "I forgot". Good Effort anyway Morgan!

Sculpting Ice Cream

I am grateful for good internet sites that give me ideas to help with my calling. Sugardoodle.net is great.

From there I got the idea to talk with the YW about how we are clay in God's hands and that he would like tomake us his masterpiece. We talked about the things we need to "sculpt out of our lives". The girls came up with these answers: profanity, immodesty, negative thoughts, taking the Lord's name in vain, etc. Then we discussed what sculpting tools the Lord has given us. Those answers were: prayer, the Holy Ghost, personal progress, parents and youth leaders, friends that set good examples, etc. The girls had great insight with this brief lesson.

For the activity part, the girls grouped into teams of two. They went into the kitchen and sculpted a half gallon of ice cream. There were tools to use and and candies to decorate.















Above, Samantha and Jaycee showing off their creation and licking the drips. Morgn is a ice cream that she shaved off! All of the girls had a great time and I hope that this will help them to remember the tools the Lord has given us to scupt our lives to be one of his masterpieces.

Are you suprized that we had ice cream cones for dessert! The girls scooped their melting sculptures into cones.

New Years Eve

New Years Eve has never been a big deal to me. However I did get excited when I found out that the church was making a DVD to share with the youth on the eve of 2009. We planned to have a party for the youth in our ward and we also invited two other wards. The activity was centered around the DVD, A Brand New Year. We had an awesome night! We had a spaghetti dinner, wrote to missionaries and elderly people, made gingerbread houses, played board games, watched all three segments of the DVD, played a baloon game and Quest, of course there were door prizes. At midnight, we lowered a lighted (small) ball and popped balloons filled with confetti. The the kids attacked the pinatas. It was a crazy, loud, busy, spiritual, fun party.

Afterward, everyone helped to clean up. I am glad that it did not all get left to the leaders! We have such awesome youth, about 22 kids came.

The DVD is avaliable to view on line at www.abrandnewyear.lds.org