February Relief Society Meeting: Heart Healthy/Throwback to Recipe Club

Oh February!  

Our ward used to have a recipe club a few years ago that fizzled out, so we decided for one night we'd have a Throw Back to Recipe Club! 

We had a sign up and ladies could bring a healthy recipe (but we added it could be heart happy or just plain taste-bud happy so ladies could bring a favorite anything to share).  

In my ward we  always have refreshments first:-)

The plan for the activity is as follows:

6:30 Bless Refreshments/Socializing

7pm Start Program.

It works out perfectly, since not everyone can make it at 6:30, so the program is at 7pm.  When we used to have refreshments at the end, people would have to leave and miss them, so it just made sense to start them off at the beginning.

at 7pm we have an opening song to start off the program portion of the night.  

 Pic of the set up the day before the activity.  Luckily I saved all these Hearts I cut out of a scrapbook paper pack from last years Feb activity so I put them up again (but we were in the RS room last year).

I like doing U shape for the tables so everyone has the feeling of sitting together, rather than the round tables that are separate.

Part I:  Speaker for 15 minutes
We started the program at 7 with an opening song and then Haley gave a great talk (tied into the word of wisdom) about her journey losing over 60lbs in the last year by her dedication to eating healthy.  The sisters and I all enjoyed hearing her personal message and true story.  She did such a great job tying everything together!

Part II:  Sharing Time

We went around the table and each sister told everyone about the dish she brought or talked about a favorite dish.  (so everyone got to share if they wanted to-- fellowshipping by having everyone talking :-))  There were so many delicious dishes, and someone brought some bean brownies lol!

Part III:  The GAME!

We played the Minute to win it game of OREO Forehead or whatever its called.  We had 2-3 sisters compete at a time to get an oreo from their forehead to their mouth in one minute without using their hands. We brought 2 pkgs of oreos in case some oreos fell on the ground ladies could keep trying with a clean oreo:-) Phyllis won in about 5 seconds! She was amazing and the only one to do it. There was a lot of laughing and hooting and hollering watching us all attempt the feat!

Closing Prayer and Clean up. :-)

September Relief Society Midweek Meeting- Organize Your Life

This Activity was what I like to call a trifecta.  We had 3 speakers.  In hindsight I would stick to one speaker, and follow my new (2016) format of 1 10 min speaker (about how the Lord's house is house of order, etc. for the spiritual aspect), followed by each sister sharing an organizing tip they do at their home, then have a game.  

With 3 speakers it was very important to tell people they have less time than they actually have because people tend to go over, 10 min each would've been fine.  Because honestly, unless it's 1 speaker that's really good that talks for 20 min, there doesn't provide much "fellowshipping" time among the sisters.
My emphasis on "fellowshipping/friend shipping" is based on what President Hinckley said every new member needs -- a calling, a friend & (something else I can't remember.) I've always felt like my ward is my family wherever I'm at,  and midweek meetings might be the only time some sisters have to get to know newly moved in sisters or just sisters you don't know well, since there's practically no time to visit on Sunday.   So that's my 2 cents on the subject:-)