At our last Mia Maid presidency meeting, I asked the presidency what they wanted to do for a class activity....with some caveats (if I leave it completely up to them, we always end up cooking in the church's kitchen). I gave them three options: go to the temple as a class, do the Cherry Republic scavenger hunt downtown, or just hang out at someone's home (not mine, obviously) and watch a movie. To my utter delight, the girls chose going to the temple!
Sometimes when I throw out these big ideas, I kind of regret it a half a second later because I realize it's a lot of work and/or stress. However, I had been asking my own YW presidency to figure out how to get the girls to the temple with no success, so I figured if the girls wanted it, and voted for it, we were going to do it!
It wasn't hard at all. I sent out a text to the parents of all 12 girls, asking if they would like to come. I knew several were already out of town (it being the summer), and a couple more were out of town as well. And I worried because the open baptistry evenings are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and our normal Mutual night is Wednesdays. No worries though! In the end, six girls came, and only one Mia Maid didn't come simply because she didn't want to. 50% attendance at an activity during the summer? I'll TAKE it! In fact, one of the Laurels found out that we were going and asked me at Girls' Camp if she could come with us <3
I sent out the permission forms, and I contacted the ward executive secretary, asking him to reach out to the girls who needed their temple recommends renewed. Imagine my surprise when he told me that the girls who needed it had already contacted him! I knew this thing was "on" when I found that out.
Sister Edwards, our MM advisor, wanted to come as well, and knowing how short-staffed the temple baptistry can be on open baptistry nights, I asked John to come too.
I've had a lot of happy moments at the temple, and this is another one to add to the list. Seeing all of these girls, walking into the temple, knowing that they are living their lives in accordance with Heavenly Father and his commandments? Priceless. And what a bonus that they brought their own family names!
And being there with them, I realized how much I've come to like working in the baptistry. It just had to grow on me, I guess. I gave them all their clothing and took their names to the recording desk. We got going pretty quickly, but the baptistry coordinator was kind of a mess (and I can say that with authority). Even Sister Edwards finally took things into her own hands when things weren't running very smoothly or efficiently and said something to him (after I had been sidelined by his wife and told to sit over on the side).
It was lovely. And wonderful. And as if I couldn't love those girls anymore, my heart grew two sizes that day.
We then made the short 15-minute drive to Treat Dreams, although this is the flagship store, and it calls itself an actual "dessert emporium". Holy smokes, we had to wait in line for over 20 minutes while we drooled over everything in the glass cases. And I could tell the girls were REALLY excited. I'd told them to bring $5.00, and they were figuring out how to maximize their money!
It was a fun and wonderful night! #heavenonearth
Sometimes when I throw out these big ideas, I kind of regret it a half a second later because I realize it's a lot of work and/or stress. However, I had been asking my own YW presidency to figure out how to get the girls to the temple with no success, so I figured if the girls wanted it, and voted for it, we were going to do it!
It wasn't hard at all. I sent out a text to the parents of all 12 girls, asking if they would like to come. I knew several were already out of town (it being the summer), and a couple more were out of town as well. And I worried because the open baptistry evenings are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and our normal Mutual night is Wednesdays. No worries though! In the end, six girls came, and only one Mia Maid didn't come simply because she didn't want to. 50% attendance at an activity during the summer? I'll TAKE it! In fact, one of the Laurels found out that we were going and asked me at Girls' Camp if she could come with us <3
I sent out the permission forms, and I contacted the ward executive secretary, asking him to reach out to the girls who needed their temple recommends renewed. Imagine my surprise when he told me that the girls who needed it had already contacted him! I knew this thing was "on" when I found that out.
Sister Edwards, our MM advisor, wanted to come as well, and knowing how short-staffed the temple baptistry can be on open baptistry nights, I asked John to come too.
I've had a lot of happy moments at the temple, and this is another one to add to the list. Seeing all of these girls, walking into the temple, knowing that they are living their lives in accordance with Heavenly Father and his commandments? Priceless. And what a bonus that they brought their own family names!
And being there with them, I realized how much I've come to like working in the baptistry. It just had to grow on me, I guess. I gave them all their clothing and took their names to the recording desk. We got going pretty quickly, but the baptistry coordinator was kind of a mess (and I can say that with authority). Even Sister Edwards finally took things into her own hands when things weren't running very smoothly or efficiently and said something to him (after I had been sidelined by his wife and told to sit over on the side).
It was lovely. And wonderful. And as if I couldn't love those girls anymore, my heart grew two sizes that day.
We then made the short 15-minute drive to Treat Dreams, although this is the flagship store, and it calls itself an actual "dessert emporium". Holy smokes, we had to wait in line for over 20 minutes while we drooled over everything in the glass cases. And I could tell the girls were REALLY excited. I'd told them to bring $5.00, and they were figuring out how to maximize their money!
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| Check out the flavors of the day! I took a picture so that we could study it while waiting in line ;-) |
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| Lots of the girls got Swedish Fish (the pink stuff). Phoebe (on the left) was our honorary Mia Maid for the day, and Amelia (her cousin) is probably my biggest fan <3 |
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| Rachel Hicken |
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| Haley Hilgendorf |
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| Savannah and Maryanna are the best of friends. Maryanna borrowed 14 cents from "Brother Kennedy" to buy her waffle cone :-). She also taste-tested Macaroni and Cheese ice cream, and wished afterwards that she had gotten an entire scoop of it. |
It was a fun and wonderful night! #heavenonearth
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