Paper Sack Review

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Kristin

During yesterday’s singing time I wanted to review our songs from January and February, while having some fun songs and activities thrown in. I used this idea from Crazy Chorister, altered a little to suit my purposes.

I put each item in a paper lunch sack and lined them up on the chalkboard tray. These are the items I used, and the songs that went with them:

Small Slinky (I Know that My Savior Loves Me): When the child pulls it out (louder but not too loud). When it is pushed together we go soft.

Small Stuffed animal monkey (The Fourth Article of Faith): Sing the song in Oohs and Aahs. When the child held the monkey heads up we sang oohs. When the child flipped it bottoms-up, we sang aahs. They LOVED this – both jr and sr primary! (This helps them memorize the beat and melody of the music without the distraction of words. I always give a gentle reminder when we do something like this to take it easy and not change so fast that we lose the beauty of the song)

An Apple (He Sent His Son): Have the teachers sing the questions and then the children sing the answers.

Small Toy Mallet (The Third Article of Faith): Have them “hammer” the beat with their fists on their palms (not hard) and do this while singing Staccato.

Paper Streamer (The First Article of Faith – jr primary): Have the child lead the music by waving the streamer to the time of the music

Glass Stone (Give said the Little Stream): Starting from a sitting position, tell the kids to stand up and sit down, evertime they hear the word “Give”.

The next time, stand up and sit down on the word “Give”, but also clap on any word that starts with the letter “S”.

The third time through, stand up and sit down on every word that begins with “G” and clap on the words that begin with “S”.

Cookie Cutter Letters (To Think About Jesus): Have the child pick a letter. Skip whatever words in the song start with that letter. This was perfectly challenging for sr. primary. I didn’t do this with jr.

A Quarter (The First Article of Faith – sr primary): Heads boys sing, Tails girls sing (have the child who came up flip it)

Eye Patch (The Books in the Book of Mormon): sing pirate style. (This got way too rowdy for my primary. I won’t do it again.)

Posted in Primary Singing Time | Comments Off on Paper Sack Review

Sister Scriptorians en espanol

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Kristin

Thanks to Amanda, who sent me the Spanish translation for March’s sister scriptorian handout! Hermanas, you can download here.

Posted in scriptures | 5 Comments

Sister Scriptorians

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Kristin

The Visiting Teaching Message for March is entitled, “Strengthening Faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ through Personal Scripture Study“. I love the term “sister scriptorians”, phrased by President Kimball in this message. It sounds so powerful, almost super-hero-like, which is what led me to write, “Sister Scriptorians: blessing homes and lives one study session at a time”, on this month’s handout.

What I’ve made here, is a paper with sticky notes, which have a couple quotes and the scriptures printed on them from March’s message. The quotes are meant to be put somewhere in our home to remind us to study and ponder the scriptures. The printed scriptures are wonderful messages that teach us the importance of feasting upon and pondering the scriptures. We can write personal impressions on these sticky notes, then place them in our scriptures, or in a spiritual journal.

To print this page and the sticky notes, first download the file here. The file is a 2-page document. Print ONLY the first page on a piece of copy paper or cardstock.

Next, place 6 sticky notes over the printed squares.

Place the printed page with the sticky notes attached into the manual feed of your printer. Mine is in the back, and I need to put it in upside down like this, to get it to print in the proper direction. It is very important that your sticky notes go into the printer with the adhesive side first. They will lay flat and go right through with your paper. Now, print ONLY the 2nd page of the document.

You will now have your sticky notes printed perfectly in place and your handout is ready to go!

Here is another idea from my archives about treasuring the scriptures, if you’d like to try something a little different.

Thank you all so much for the uplifting comments. They encourage me to keep coming up with ideas, and just make me feel great! Hope you all have a wonderful month.

Posted in scriptures | 37 Comments

Avoiding Debt

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Kristin

The Visiting Teaching Message for February is “Managing Resources Wisely and Staying Out of Debt”. I was really drawn to the last paragraph of the message, where it talks about how we need to exercise faith in the Savior to be better in sacrificing our wants in order to meet our own and others’ needs.

In order to demonstrate the need we have to tighten our purse strings, I made a little purse with the quote printed on the inside flap, and filled it with coins that have the five key steps to financial freedom printed on them.

All you really need to make your own purses to share with the sisters you visit teach is some adhesive (I used double-sided tape) and 1 sheet 8 1/2 x 11 paper. I used scrapbook paper, but you could use whatever you have on hand – you could stamp or embellish copy paper or cardstock and get a similar result.

Everything else is extra – you could get by without it, and still have a cute handout to share.

I used a green flower brad as an accent on the purse flap, and a piece of adhesive velcro to close it up (you could just use tape or a sticker). I found some chocolate coins that I glued the “five keys” onto, but they also looked really cute going solo, with the same pattern as the purse on the back.

Begin by downloading the purse and coin pattern here in English, or here in Spanish. Cut out the purse and fold on the dotted lines. Make creases where the bottom of the purse meets the front and back. Apply adhesive on the flaps sticking out from the base and the back of the purse.

Press the base flaps to the back flaps, then do the same with the front to the back.

Apply adhesive to the handle edges and press to the inner sides of the purse.

I then punched a hole and added the green flower brad.

I pressed the velcro on top of the brad’s legs and carefully placed the other side of the velcro to the front of the purse so it would be positioned to close correctly.

As you share the message, you can begin by emptying the purse of its coins, then dropping them back in one at a time as you discuss the “five keys”.

Enjoy!

POST EDIT # 1 from the comments: “Just letting ya’ll know I found coins yesterday at Target in the dollar section (7 chocolate coins in a bag for $1.00) They must be out for St. Patties Day :)”
Thanks, Malinda!

POST EDIT #2: My mom lives overseas, where transportation is difficult, so the sisters often get together in groups to do their visiting teaching. This is what she wrote about how she used this month’s message: Just wanted you to know that I did the February lesson with my ladies – 5 of them on Tuesday night. They loved it. I had them cut out and fix their own purses and Carol even took the stuff home to do as a family home evening with her family. I made vegetable soup and wheat bread and we talked of eating at home and making economical meals. Fun idea! Thanks, mom! xoxo

Posted in self-reliance | 82 Comments

Self-Reliance

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Kristin

The Visiting Teaching Message for January is about self-reliance. Since January is also the month of resolutions, I made a little goal planner intended to help us think about the ways in which we can improve our self-reliance. The nice thing about the size of this little planner is that it fits into a pocket or a purse so nicely, which makes it easy to take out and ponder from time to time.

The planner is made from one sheet of folded paper. No glue or adhesive is required.

Begin by folding the paper in half the long way, and making a sharp crease. (The vertical creases you see in the photo are coming up.)

Open the paper flat, then fold the paper with the short sides meeting.

Then take one layer of paper, flip the edge back to meet the fold, and crease.

Turn the paper over, flip the edge of the paper back to meet the fold, and crease.

Your paper now looks like this.

Place the paper on the table so that you see a W when you look at the end.

Cut the center of the W along the center fold. You’ll be cutting through two layers of paper and stopping at the cross fold (This is marked with a dotted line on my downloaded file.)

Hold the center point of the W together on both sides so the cut middle section falls open. Let the backs of the planner pages meet each other. You will have an open book with 4 double-sided pages at this point.

Find the front page of the planner, and bring the remaining three sections to the back, so you have a flat book.

Crease everything down, and you have a nice little book to jot down a few ideas for becoming more self-reliant in all the areas mentioned in the visiting teaching message. (I make blank books like these all the time for my kids to draw in – they are lots of fun!)

You can download the file for the self-reliance planner here.

If you add anything to this idea as you visit teach this month, please share! I’d love to know what you do. 🙂

Posted in self-reliance | 20 Comments

Develop and Increase in Compassion

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Kristin

The December Visiting Teaching message is about compassion – how we can develop and increase in it, and how we can nurture through compassionate service. I chose the quote by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, to focus on:

“Disciples of Christ throughout all ages of the world have been distinguished by their compassion. . . . In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers”

I printed out President Uchtdorf’s quote on a large heart, which is meant to represent “compassion”. You can download the image here.

After cutting out, fold the three sides of the heart into each other, so you get this kind of triangle.

Then write the three ways we can develop our compassion, as found in this month’s message, on the folded sides:

pray (see Moroni 7:48)
open our eyes (refer to quote)
be an instrument (refer to quote)

I also wrote “Develop and Increase in Compassion” on the center back of the heart.

As you open the heart (which increases in size), discuss the ways in which prayer, opening our eyes and being an instrument in the Lord’s hands help our compassion to increase.

You could also make this fun treat to leave with the sisters you visit. Cindy from Skip to My Lou explains here how to melt mini candy canes and stick together into hearts. Cute!

Posted in Charity | 5 Comments

Become More Diligent and Concerned at Home

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Kristin

For the month of November, we can choose the message we would like to share with our visiting teaching sisters from the last General Conference. I chose a talk from Elder David A. Bednar, entitled, Become More Diligent and Concerned at Home.

He divided his talk into three main sections:

Suggestion Number One: Express Love—and Show It
Suggestion Number Two: Bear Testimony—and Live It
Suggestion Number Three: Be Consistent

The little handout I made was inspired by Elder Bednar’s suggestions on Expressing Love. I thought it would be fun to give some post-its for surprise love notes to family members. I made a simple paper “case” for the post-its, and glued to the top the house image with the title of the talk and the three main ideas of the talk printed in the windows and door. On the flip side of the cover is a slightly longer elaboration of these ideas:

1. Sincerely and frequently express and demonstrate love.
Such love nurtures and sustains faith in God.
Such love is a source of strength and casts out fear (see 1 John 4:18).
Such love is the desire of every human soul.

2. Create and look for opportunities to bear testimony of gospel truths – and live them.

3. Be consistent in doing the seemingly small things that can lead to significant spiritual results.

I’ll refer to these numbered suggestions during our visiting teaching discussion.

To make the post-its holder you need the following items:
white cardstock for printed image
colored cardstock
post-it notes (stack of 100 for each holder)
ribbon
glue or tape

Step 1: Cut cardstock to 7 ½ inches long.

Step 2: Cut cardstock to 3 ½ inches wide.

Step 3: Measure and lightly mark cardstock at 3 ½ inches and again at 4 inches (length-ways).

Step 4: Fold cardstock where marked. Then flip it over and fold the other side, both sides should be folded in towards each other. Press folds with a popsicle stick or pencil to get a nice sharp crease.
Step 5: Put adhesive all around the back of the post-it note pad.
Step 6: Place post-it pad on cardstock with even border of cardstock all the way around.

Step 7: Cut an 18-inch piece of ribbon to wrap around holder. Adhere with tape or glue to the top of the holder.

Step 8: Print out house and text (download here).

Step 9: Cut out and glue house square on top of cover, over the ribbon.

Step 10: Cut out and glue text square on inside flap of holder. I then wrote “Love Notes” at the top of the first post-it, and jotted down some ideas of places to leave surprise notes:

on a computer
in a backpack
on the lawn mower or leaf blower
on the workbench
on the bathroom mirror
on a pillow
in a cupboard
on a cereal box
in the dishwasher
in a shoe
in a book
in a clothes drawer
on a door
in a hat
in a glove
on the steering wheel

Step 11: Tie ribbon to close holder

Be sure to print out a copy of Elder Bednar’s talk to leave with your love notes!

Posted in Love Notes | 17 Comments

Rising Generation

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Kristin

The Visiting Teaching Message for October is about nurturing the rising generation.

I chose these quotes to share with my sisters:

“Our rising generation is worthy of our best efforts to support and strengthen them in their journey to adulthood. . . . In every action we take, in every place we go, with every Latter-day Saint young person we meet, we need to have an increased awareness of the need for strengthening, nurturing, and being an influence for good in their lives.” -Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy

“To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow. . . . Nurturing requires organization, patience, love, and work. Helping growth occur through nurturing is truly a powerful and influential role bestowed on women.” -Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president

I thought a balloon would be a great way to represent the “rising generation”. As you share the first quote by Elder Rasband, you could take a deflated balloon, and blow air into it as you mention the things we can do to “support and strengthen” our youth. Once your balloon is fully inflated, you could talk about what it means to nurture the rising generation. Write on your balloon, using a Sharpie, the things nurturing requires: organization, patience, love, and work. Discuss the ways in which we can use these things to be better prepared to nurture those that come into our sphere of influence.

As you finish sharing the message, you could tie this tag to the balloon and leave with your sister as a reminder of the lesson. Download here.

Posted in youth | 13 Comments

Being an Oak

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Kristin

The Visiting Teaching Message for September is about how we can better understand and live the gospel of Christ. I chose this quote by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to share with my sisters:

“Faithful members of the Church should be like oak trees and should extend deep roots into the fertile soil of the fundamental principles of the gospel. We should understand and live by the simple, basic truths and not complicate them. Our foundations should be solid and deep-rooted so we can withstand the winds of temptation, false doctrine, adversity, and the onslaught of the adversary without being swayed or uprooted. . . .

“Spiritual nourishment is just as important as a balanced diet to keep us strong and healthy. We nourish ourselves spiritually by partaking of the sacrament weekly, reading the scriptures daily, praying daily in personal and family prayer, and performing temple work regularly. Our spiritual strengths are like batteries; they need to be charged and frequently recharged” (“Deep Roots,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 75).

I love this visual of being deeply rooted oak trees. To discuss the quote I made a simple visual aid consisting of a yogurt cup, some playdough, a branch, and some paper leaves. I first covered the outside of the clean, empty yogurt cup with scrapbook paper, tucking in the top edges inside the cup.

As you discuss being firmly rooted in the gospel of Christ, place balls of playdough inside the cup. The playdough represents the fertile soil of the fundamental principles of the gospel. Elder Wirthlin in his talk, “Deep Roots”, mentions these specific principles into which our spiritual roots should sink deeply:

The reality of our Heavenly Father; his Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost. Elder Wirthlin talks about each member of the Godhead, and our relationship with them. He also mentions the importance of moral purity and the Word of Wisdom in giving us spiritual and physical strength.

Once your cup is full of rich (playdough) gospel soil, demonstrate how we can extend deep roots into that soil by placing your branch deep into the cup. All that soil holds up our tree nicely, so we can “withstand the winds of temptation, false doctrine, adversity, and the onslaught of the adversary without being swayed or uprooted. . . .”

To discuss the spiritual nourishment that we require, I have some paper leaves on which I printed keywords for the things Elder Wirthlin mentions: “partaking of the sacrament weekly, reading the scriptures daily, praying daily in personal and family prayer, and performing temple work regularly”. I also have a few blank leaves to place on the tree as we discuss other ways we “recharge” our spiritual batteries. Things like listening to General Conference, reading the Ensign, and journal writing are things on my list.

Finally, I made a bookmark with the quote to leave with my sisters. You can download it and the leaves here.

Download in Spanish here.

Don’t forget a spoon to help you dig out the playdough at the end of your lesson, so you can place it in a baggie and reuse for your next visit. Go here for an easy fun playdough recipe!

Posted in testimony | 5 Comments

Lifelong Learning

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Kristin

The Visiting Teaching Message for August is entitled, “Seek Education and Lifelong Learning“. I was inspired by the kit Hand Picked Daisy made last September, and wanted to put together something similar. I glued this quote from Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to the front of a brown paper lunch sack:

“Lifelong learning is essential to the vitality of the human mind, body, and soul. It enhances self-worth and self-actuation. Lifelong learning is invigorating mentally and is a great defense against aging, depression, and self-doubt”

And used another part of his quote on the bookmark:

“A few of the basic attributes needed to become a lifelong learner are courage, faithful desire, humility, patience, curiosity, and a willingness to communicate and share the knowledge that we gain. . . . “

You can download both quotes along with graphics here.
I made one in Spanish as well! Download here.

I also made this fun note, which took me way back to high school. You pull the tab to unfold the paper.


I wrote on the note the beginnings of a “To-Learn List”. I got this idea here. They said this:

We all have to-do lists. These are the tasks we need to accomplish. Try to also have a “to-learn” list. On it you can write ideas for new areas of study. Maybe you would like to take up a new language, learn a skill or read the collective works of Shakespeare. Whatever motivates you, write it down.


To fold the note, begin by folding each of the four corners toward the center.

2. Fold each long edge to the center line.

3. Fold each point so it almost meets the folds from Step 2.

4. Turn the whole thing over. Fold one short end up so that the fold coincides pretty much with where the point from Step 3 is (about 1/3 of the length of the rectangle resulting from Step 3).


5. Fold the 2nd end at the same point, and insert the corners into the flaps of the other.


Add a fruit snack and a brand new pencil, and put everything inside the paper sack. I folded the top of the sack over a couple times, punched 2 holes to keep it together, then threaded a ribbon through and tied into a bow. I then tied a name tag to the bow.

There are sure to be some great discussions about lifelong learning – what we would all like to pursue, in both spiritual and secular learning, and how we plan to get going! Have a great month.

Posted in education | 15 Comments