July 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

dinner. And now I understand why
the calling is first and foremost a
spiritual one. I know it was for me.
Pattie Moss, Dimple Dell Ward, Sandy
Utah Crescent Stake
THE SUCCESS OF AN ACTIVITY
“We should bear
in mind that the
success of a given
activity cannot
always be judged
by its size. Rather,
it must be judged by its effect on the
lives of those participating.”
President James E. Faust, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency, “Strengthening the
Inner Self,” Ensign, Feb. 2003, 4.
Dispelling Some Myths
To help activities committees plan
successful and unifying ward activities, we need to eliminate
the myths that currently haunt some wards:
Myth 1: A successful activity requires an abundance
of food to be served. Where possible, all ward members
should be able to enjoy the activities and not be trapped
in the kitchen. Simple refreshments such as rolls and chili
at a pioneer activity or punch and cookies at a family
dance are perfectly acceptable refreshments.
Myth 2: It is impossible to reach the needs and
interests of all ward members. To help unify a ward, we
must make an effort to help all members feel included.
Having a variety of activities will
enable this to happen. For example,
a regular sporting activity could
make some feel excluded, but with
a little creativity, this doesn’t need
to be the case. You might plan to
have the activity at a park where
there is playground equipment for
the children, grassy areas where mothers can spread
blankets, and shady areas where the elderly can set up
lawn chairs. Provide megaphones and pom-poms to the
spectators, and ask them to make up cheers. Let other
spectators act as judges or referees.
Myth 3: The youth can always serve, clean up, or
provide child care. Use youth sparingly. We should most
often encourage them to participate in fun and testimonybuilding
ward activities rather than always asking them to
serve in the kitchen or to babysit.
Myth 4: The longer an activity, the better. Some of