Additional RS Meetings and Activities

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Submitted by Not Registered on Sat, 05/23/2009 - 1:13pm

On September 26, 2009, Sister Julie Beck announced changes that will simplify the RS activities formerly known as "Home, Family and Personal Enrichment". These Relief Society Meetings will focus on three main areas: faith, home/family, and service. Each meeting should be carefully planned using inspiration to meet the needs of sisters in each individual unit.

Please use the menu at left and links below to see Relief Society Meeting ideas, and read below to find out more information on the new guidelines!

New Relief Society Meeting Guidelines ~UPDATED~

During the September 26 General Relief Society Meeting, President Julie B.

LDS Relief Society Meeting Ideas

Following is a list of resources for planning fantastic Relief Society meetings and activities (formerly known as Homemaking, Enrichment, and now Additional Relief Society meetings):

Relief Society Birthday Celebration and Party Ideas

Here is a list of ideas and skits for the Relief Society Birthday or other activities. If you have a great program or skit, please share it. (I especially like skits with references or sources.)

Relief Society Birthday Enrichment Skits

As Sisters in Zion - Extra verses / Emily H Woodmansee biography

These verses were omitted from the poem by Emily H. Woodmansee for inclusion in the 1985 LDS Hymnal, Hymns.

A Tribute to Relief Society Presidents - SHORT form of Emma's Garden Party

My unit performed this shortened version Emma's Garden Party for the Relief Society Birthday Celebration. The abbreviated skit takes about 20 minutes to perform and uses a narrator and 14 others to read the parts of each General Relief Society President.

Document Type: 
PDF - Adobe PDF

Christmas Program

I am looking for a christmas program for a releif society dinner. I believe the program relates to the women in Christ's life. Any help is appreicated.

Chunky Relief Society Napkin Rings - No Adhesive

These Relief Society napkin rings are chunkier than our others, and they do not require adhesives. They're the grandchild of napkin rings that originally appeared at the Martha Stewart website.

Document Type: 
PDF - Adobe PDF

Emma's Garden Party

I just want to thank whoever wrote "Emma's Garden Party" I was asked to direct a show for RS Bday party this month.

Emma Smith's Garden Party

This skit was performed by a stake in Kearns, Utah, in 2005, but I have no other information on it's origin or history. The full version of the skit has music that relates to the era of each of the Relief Society presidents, and calls for performers to wear clothing typical of the time.

Document Type: 
PDF - Adobe PDF

Enrichment Night: 72 hour kit display

File Type: JPG - JPEG image file

Enrichment Night: 72 hour kit for pets

File Type: JPG - JPEG image file

Here Am I; Send Me

The following video presentation was made at the General Relief Society Meeting broadcast on September 28, 2002.

History of Relief Society

A powerpoint presentation of the History of Relief Society and Past Presidents of the organization.

Document Type: 
DOC - Microsoft Word Document

Live Up to Your Privileges - RS Birthday Skit

This Reader's Theater was provided by the General Relief Society Presidency at the Fall 2005 Open House. It has 4 reading parts, and requires no set. Period dress is not required, but appropriate.

Document Type: 
PDF - Adobe PDF

Need Video Emma's Garden Party Pictures of Gen. RS Pres.?

Where can I locate the pictures of the General RS Presidents for Emma's Garden party. We do not have them in our ward library.

Relief Society Birthday Celebration Program

Tribute to RS General Presidents

Relief Society Birthday Celebration "Something Extraordinary: Relief Society of the Past, Present, and Future"

This themed Enrichment night describes silhouette images of RS sisters, matching invitations, and a skit relating to the past, present, and future of RS. Includes ideas on how to get women from other auxiliaries to participate, and includes a part for a transitioning Laurel. Includes lots of pictures, a link to a skit, and other information.

Relief Society Seal - Paper Napkin Rings

Doll up your Relief Society party with these cute napkin rings! They have the Relief Society logo printed on them for you!

For easier wrapping, print the napkin rings on regular paper.

Document Type: 
PDF - Adobe PDF

Relief Society Temple Program

Our Relief Society's theme this year is temples and our goal is to renew our temple attending efforts.

Document Type: 
DOC - Microsoft Word Document

Relief Society Trivia

Preparation: 
Print category titles and question cards.
CATEGORIES
Scriptures Pertaining to Relief Society
Hymns Significant to Relief Society
General Relief...CATEGORIES
Scriptures Pertaining to Relief Society
Hymns Significant to Relief So

RS President Birthdays

From an email:

VIDEO: President Monson and others speak on the blessings of Relief Society

This video features President Monson and other leaders speaking about the blessings of membership in Relief Society and the great power and service its members render.

VIDEO: Relief Society Birthday (short montage)

This short video montage has footage from LDS movies, pictures of LDS women today serving, and quotes from Julie Beck.

VIDEO: The First Relief Society Meeting

This YouTube video shares historical information about the first Relief Society meeting, and it also shares stories about women who further the mission of Relief Society today.

Music Ideas

    There are several music links in the list above, plus....

    The hymn, "Now Let Us Rejoice," was sung at the close of the first Relief Society meeting. The minutes of the Kirtland Temple dedication indicate that "Now Let Us Rejoice" was sung to the tune "Assembly," the same tune used in our present day Hymns for "The Spirit of God"! (Sources: KirtlandTemple.org and Community of Christ, formerly RLDS church website)

Including Transitioning Laurels at the Relief Society Birthday Party Celebration

    Mary G shared this idea: "For part of our program, we're doing the reader's theater on the Relief Society Presidents. After we discuss Sister Parkin and highlight her focus on helping Young Women transition into Relief Society, we're doing a short spotlight on the 5 Laurels in our ward that will enter Relief Society this year. We're hoping this will help the sisters know who they are and make a special effort to help them feel welcomed."

You never know who you're influencing at the Birthday Party...

    Barbara B. Smith, tenth General Relief Society President, first attended Relief Society on March 17, 1942, for the 100th anniversary Relief Society Birthday program. She was expecting a baby, and her mother didn't want to leave her alone at home. She observed, "That day at Relief Society the hundred years of Relief Society history were reviewed, a meaningful way for me to see what Relief Society was all about and how I could fit into it. I started to attend our ward Relief Society regularly soon after that." (" 'Joy in Every Minute': An Interview with Sister Barbara B. Smith," Ensign, June 1975, 61)

Jenny's history of Relief Society notes

    Presidents of the Relief Society

    1. Emma Hale Smith (1842 - 1844)
    2. Eliza R. Snow (1868 - 1887)
    3. Zina D. H. Young (1888 - 1901)
    4. Bathsheba W. Smith (1901 - 1910)
    5. Emmeline B. Wells (1910 - 1921)
    6. Clarissa S. Williams (1921 - 1928)
    7. Louise Y. Robison (1928 - 1939)
    8. Amy Brown Lyman (1940 - 1945)
    9. Belle S. Spafford (1945 - 1974)
    10. Barbara B. Smith (1974 - 1984)
    11. Barbara W. Winder (1984 - 1990)
    12. Elaine L. Jack (1990 - 1997)
    13. Mary Ellen W. Smoot (1997 - 2002)
    14. Bonnie D. Parkin (2002 - 2007)
    15. Julie Bangerter Beck (2007 - present)

    Birthdays of the Relief Society General Presidents

    I'm never quite sure why I get asked this so often, but here are the birth dates I have for the RS General Presidents:

    • Emma Hale Smith - born July 10, 1804; died April 30, 1879
    • Eliza R. Snow - born January 21, 1804; died December 5, 1887
    • Zina D. H. Young - born January 31, 1821; died August 28, 1901
    • Bathsheba W. Smith - born May 3, 1822; died September 20, 1910
    • Emmeline B. Wells - February 29, 1828; died April 25, 1921
    • Clarissa S. Williams - born 1860; died March 8, 1930
    • Louise Y. Robison - born 1866; died March 30, 1946
    • Amy Brown Lyman - born February 7, 1872; died December 5, 1959
    • Belle S. Spafford - born October 8, 1895; died February 2, 1982
    • Barbara B. Smith - born January 26, 1922; living
    • Barbara W. Winder - born May 9, 1931; living
    • Elaine L. Jack - born March 22, 1928; living
    • Mary Ellen W. Smoot - born August 19, 1933; living
    • Bonnie D. Parkin - born August 4, 1940; living
    • Julie Bangerter Beck - born September 29, 1954; living

    If you have more information on these birth and death dates, please send it to me.

Recommended Books on Relief Society History

I'd personally recommend these books on RS History:

  • Women of Covenant: The Story of Relief Society by Derr, Cannon, and Beecher; Deseret Book Company; 1992. ISBN 0-87579-593-5
  • Elect Ladies: Presidents of the Relief Society by Peterson and Gaunt (1990). Published Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company. ISBN 0-87579-416-5.
  • History of Relief Society 1842-1966 by The Relief Society General Board Association, 1966.

Are you the Enrichment/Meeting Counselor?

Everything Enrichment - can be found at the preceding link. You'll find EVERYTHING that relates to Enrichment on our website including craft ideas, skits, activities, handouts, and much much more.

Got Awesome Stuff, too? Share it!

If you have a great program or skit, please share it or email it to me at jennysmith.net@gmail.com.

Relief Society: Tips for Enrichment Counselors Meeting Coordinators

I wrote the following note to a friend who had just been called as Enrichment Counselor. It's written from an RS president's perspective, so be sure you share your tips and ideas in the comments section below!

Keywords

Click on any of the links below to see related content.

Comments

ram21843's picture
by ram21843 - 08/25/2009 - 4:17pm

I am needing ideas for

I am needing ideas for activities in the homes of elderly sisters in my ward who
are unable to attend our Enrichment meetings and need the companionship of
other sisters in our ward who are also unable to attend Enrichment meetings.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Rita

Jenny Smith's picture
by Jenny Smith - 09/01/2009 - 9:32am

Are these sisters able to

Are these sisters able to attend Sunday church? Are the sisters homebound, or do they just not like to drive at night? If it's a driving issue, you can look into providing rides through the visiting teachers.

Typically, women find a way to attend meetings when they feel they *relate* to the activity. It may be that your Enrichment meetings are not meeting the needs of your elderly sisters. Could you include some of them on your planning committee to encourage attendance? Can you make assignments to them so they feel included and needed? Will they accept assignments when made? All of these are questions that might help you assess what the actual needs of the sisters are.

As for lessons, how about lessons in learning to use the new online extraction programs or Family Search? Quilting, knitting, and other hand crafts are usually popular at this age, too.

If these sisters are truly homebound, it's going to be very difficult to plan group activities because you'll have to transport them as well. What ideas do you have?

Sometimes the Lord calms the sea; sometimes He calms the sailor.

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