Super-Sabbath

Luckily Shawni had Saturday night after TOFW to prepare for the culmination a week of amazing activity that she had the 34 young women in her ward participate in. The Sunday before each young woman was presented with a large envelope that contained seven smaller envelopes which were to be opened one at a time each day that week. Each had a message from one of their leaders about a facet of their lives as an adored daughter of God.  Here is Elle with her envelope (and a mouth full of braces)!

Then on Sunday all the young women and their parents and leaders met to hear the young women talk about their week and to hear ways that it had strengthened their testimonies. What a spiritual feast that was!

After midnight (folowing making a hundred calls Saturday evening to make sure everything was in place) Shawni was still working on the slide show with beautiful music (Three Dresses) that showed every young woman as a baby, many on their baptism days and several of the parents on their wedding day. About 12:50 a.m. I asked Shawni if she thought it was worth it. She just smiled. And guess what?  It was worth every minute of time and effort that everyone put in to make it work. The meeting and following dinner at the bishop’s house with all the young women and their families and their leaders (about 200 people) was extraordinary!

 

 

Among the 34 young women in her ward, 22 are beehives (12-13 year olds) who all look up the older girls with adoration and admiration! 

 

The parents are absolutely terrific!

 

And the stake president says he is going to learn all 780 names of the young women in his stake!

 

The leaders all brought soup and salad or dessert and since it was fast Sunday, everyone enjoyed every morsel.

After a great big “Whew that was hard but worth it” sigh of relief we went home for the rest of our Sabbath day which was actually just beginning.

We had a terrific FHE with that fabulous family. 

Gallant Grace conducted and Magnificent Max played for the hymn and gave the lesson.

I would have given anything if I had recorded Lucy’s testimony. It was priceless…starting with “I’m thankful for my squinkies” (her new teeny “people”). That girl’s vocabulary is amazing. She is SO engaged and excited about everything. Earlier in the day when she had her “peeps” all lined up on the floor and they stretched out about 10 feet, she looked back at them and said, “That is outstanding!” 

 

 

 

Just before dark we walked down to the park where the older kids had fun with a “street” volleyball game while Lucy and I watched. Then Lucy and I took off for the cute playground.

 

 

Perfect Sabbath Day!