Book Review - Bible Origami by Todd Huisken

Let me start by saying that this book makes me happy. I will explain.

Since my youth, I have struggled with spatial things. Things such as folding paper airplanes and answering those test questions that involve imagining how an unfolded patterned cube would look when folded back up. These things tend to frustrate me and make me feel helpless.

Fast forward to my adulthood. Todd Huisken (creator of Bible Origami) reached out to me to review his new origami book.  Todd was my dear friend during our freshman year of college but after we graduated we lost touch. We reconnected when he found my blog and asked me if I would give an honest review his book.

Author, Todd Huisken

Todd sent me a copy of his book, "Bible Origami," along with some paper so that I could try creating some of his designs. (I'd kept my spatial inadequacies hidden so he had no idea how challenging this would be for me.)

So I bravely sat down to try my hand at "Bible Origami."  I started with making Joseph's Coat of Many Colors. I followed the directions and illustrations exactly. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was able to do it! I literally screamed out, "LOOK WHAT I MADE!" (Sure, my family mocked me a bit for my over-enthusiasm but they were happy for me.)

Stake Activity Day - "There's No Place Like Home"

I served as the secretary in our Stake Primary Presidency.  I loved this Stake Activity Day event! Feel free to copy anything you'd like from the activity. 

We had a committee of around 20 people working on it and it was incredible.  Everyone magnified their responsibilities and I have to say it turned out to be quite a memorable event for the girls.

This was our poster (I took our stake name off to make it generic).

Our invitation. We printed them as 4x6 pics at Costco.

We based the theme around the Wizard of Oz but adjusted it to fit our desired goal.  Our theme was "There's No Place Like Home with Our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ."  Our focus was trying to prepare the girls to attend the temple someday and then eventually return to live with Heavenly Father.

Black, White & Gold Wedding Reception

I attended an awesome wedding reception last month and thought I'd share some pictures and ideas for all you future brides out there.

They had this cute chalkboard sign in the entry area near the sign in table.

This was the sign in table.  

Instead of a traditional sign in book, they had a fingerprint activity which was so fun!

Primary Music Leader Training

We had a fun Stake Primary Music Training in our stake recently.  All of our ward Primary Music Leaders came and shared their ideas.  I wanted to share the information from that night.

Sing Your Heart Out

Music Leader Training Get-together

“We care so much about you and about the children you are teaching. Prepare well to bless these little ones.  Give it your best effort.  Your influence will - quite literally - affect these children for eternity.  Enjoy the assignment that you have, and discharge it faithfully.  However much we love and admire children, I am certain we underestimate who and what a child is, and what in the hands of God he or she may become.  May God bless you always in your sacred opportunity to help save the children of this Church.”   

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Leadership Training Library, “Supporting the Primary Music Leader”

“We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music...some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly.”  

-Boyd K. Packer, “The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord,” Ensign, Aug, 1976, 61

PLANNING MUSIC TIME

Know the Song

Before you can teach a song effectively, you must know the song yourself. Become familiar with the words and melody by playing the song on the piano or listening to the music on the Church music website.

·         Do I know the song well enough to make eye contact with the children?

Use the Scriptures

Study the song to learn what message the words convey. Use the scripture references at the end of the song in your preparation or in teaching the song.

·         Do I connect the doctrine to the words the children are singing?

Sing, Sing, Sing

Children learn to sing a song by hearing it sung and by singing it themselves. Spend more time singing than talking during music time.

·         Do we sing more than we talk or play games?

Capture the Children's Attention

Engage the children's attention with an object, a picture, a scripture, an experience, or simply a whisper.

·         Do the attention-getters that I use enhance the learning experience?

Include Different Learning Styles

Use a variety of approaches to involve as many of the senses as possible.  Seeing, speaking, moving, and doing, as well as hearing, will help children better understand and remember the songs.

·         Do I vary my teaching plan to include different learning styles?

Direct Children's Listening

Ask questions that will encourage children to listen to the song and help them understand the gospel message. For example, ask—What? Where? When? Why?—and state the question in such a way that children can discover the answer as you sing the song.

·         Do I ask questions that encourage thinking?

Involve the Children

Create opportunities for children to participate. For example, invite children to improvise actions, assign small groups to sing different sections, ask for ideas to vary the styles of singing, or give them a picture or object to hold to remind them of the words to a song.

·         Do I use activities that involve all of the children rather than a few?

Bear Testimony

Bear your personal testimony or read testimonies recorded in the scriptures. As children hear the testimonies of others, they will be strengthened.

·         Do I bear brief testimony of the doctrine taught in the song?

Reverence Ideas               

 Bubbles in cheeks (Junior Primary)

To fold arms with choices (jets or fish, in lap or on chest)

Stand up/Sit down

Proximity Control

“If you can hear me ______.”

“To Catch a Butterfly”

https://www.lds.org/friend/2001/05/to-catch-a-butterfly?lang=eng&query=butterfly+reverence

Positive Reinforcement - “I” statements    

• “I’m looking for…”
• beautiful eyes
• big smiles
• chins up
• mouths moving to sing
• “I noticed…”
• Include specifics
• Whole group, class, or individuals
• Use a variety
• Praise around

           

• “I give ______ to those who ______”  
• thumbs up, smile.
• winks, look at me.
• pats on the back, sit up straight.

• Silent cheers

Old Reliable! (Games for THOSE weeks)

From The Barefoot Chorister, Stacy Sanchez

http://barefootchorister.blogspot.com

1. Hide the Note/Hot and Cold

2. Name that Tune (Notes, humming, rhythm, etc)

3. Stump the Chorister

4. Pop the Balloon

5. Skittles Challenge

6. Who's Missing

7. Something's Different, Sister ________

8. Swat Team

9. 4 Corners

Choose and Review games

From Kathleen Mower

http://thechildrensing.blogspot.com

1. Everyone who…

2. Three in a Row

3. Scrambled Word Puzzle

4. People in the Scriptures Made Good Choices

5. I Spy With My Little Eye

http://www.twoladiesandablog.blogspot.com/2012/07/roll-and-blow.html

Roll ‘em and Blow “em

Cut the Bishop’s tie

Roll/Spin Mix ‘n’ Match - Fun Ways to Sing

http://afprimarysingingtime.blogspot.com/2010/09/fun-ways-to-sing.html

http://kamisprimarymusicideas.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-activity-ways-to-sing-cards-more.html

http://teachldschildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Fun-Ways-to-Sing.pdf

http://primarysingingtimewithmatilda.blogspot.com/2015/01/20-minutes-for-singing-time-what-should.html

Battleship

Children can put their arm into the elephant's trunk and practice leading the song.  A simpler version could be an apple with a worm sticking out of it (if you don't want to try drawing an elephant).

Candyland 

Wiggles and Giggles - Children can pick one of these cute things out of the jar and there is a fun song attached that they can sing.  Great idea to pull from when you see the kids need a little break and some movement.

 Roll the dice to see what style to use while singing the song.  Kids love that!  

Uno Game to learn a song. 

This was a fun idea.  One binder contained a copy of the Primary Children's Songbook that she had taken apart and put in sheet protectors.  The other binder had the plan for the month.  Great way to be organized and what a fun theme.

This was the treat table for our training.  Our theme was Sing Your Heart Out since we held it a few weeks before Valentine's Day.  Who doesn't love sugar cookies and chocolate?

This was the table of things we gave our music leaders. 

Here's a link to a folder which includes some documents such as fun ways to sings songs and our training documents.

Nephi's Broken Bow - Visuals for Teaching Primary

I created these visuals to go with the lesson in the Primary 4: Book of Mormon manual, lesson #5, entitled "Lehi and His Family Are Led through the Wilderness."  

I used my own words and interpretation to choose the graphics.  The kids loved it and the visuals helped them pay attention to and understand the story.

Click HERE for the PDF files.

I designed it so there were two visuals on each page.  I printed on cardstock and then cut the pages in half.  For the lesson, have the kids read along (or listen) to 1 Nephi 16:17-32.  Lay out all the pictures on the floor and then have kids point to a picture when it fits with the story.  Put them up on the board using magnets.

Here are some links to supplementary material about Nephi's broken bow.  I personally like to study a lot about a topic before I teach it so that I can gain insights, even if I don't share all the info with the class.

Story from The Friend magazine called "Nephi's Bow" (and little boys).

"When Your Bow Breaks" Speech (more for adults)

The Book of Mormon Study Manual

Info about Nephi's Bows from the New Era

Youth Talk - Faith and the Pioneer Trek

This talk was given at church on Sunday 11/22/15 by an awesome young man in my ward named Mitchell. He gave me permission to share it on my blog after I told him how much I enjoyed it.

Good morning brothers and sisters. I was asked by Brother Richins to share some experiences that I had personally on Trek. I’d like to start out by sharing a story from Brother Fielding, the resident cameraman that was taking video all throughout Trek. Throughout the weekend our family had become pretty well acquainted with him, and one night he decided to share a personal experience to us. When Brother Fielding was a teenager, he decided to go on a Joseph Smith-esque journey to figure out if his church (The LDS Church was true). Trying to believe in the Mormon faith was hard for him mainly because he couldn’t read. Brother Fielding had severe dyslexia, and couldn’t really read anything. He had only heard bits and pieces of The Book from stories told by others. But, he decided to make an effort to try to read The Book of Mormon. After much trial, Brother Fielding had finally been able to read the fullness of the gospel. At that time, the Book of Mormon was the only book he could read. He said to us that we may not have the same experiences and miracles that he experienced, but our Heavenly Father is watching us, and he will answer our prayers, and we will be able to be fully converted. He certainly touched the hearts of everyone in my family. This is a great example of how the impossible can be reached through the work of the lord. Prior to Trek, I (for a lack of a better term) was terrified. I’m not in that great of shape, and I don’t really do a lot of exercise.

The first day of trek when we all met at the Stake Center, I was worried out of my mind, and I didn’t eat a good lunch, which I now regret, considering we didn’t eat again that night til 1 am. Though Trek wasn’t nearly as bad as I was making it out to be, I still struggled. The first night was really tough for me, and at times I felt like quitting. While going over Rocky Ridge - a stretch of trail that was littered with boulders, rocks, and other obstacles - I felt like I couldn’t go on for much longer. But, through my faith in the lord and constant prayer in every moment that I could spare, I made it! I knew I was going to make it eventually, but I made it in one piece. This, for me, was overcoming the impossible. Trek was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I did it! This trial was not nearly as great as Brother Fielding’s tremendous challenge, but for me, this was an amazing example of how the Lord touches our lives at all times. Russell M. Nelson said in the April 1988 General Conference this: “If any tasks ever deserved the label impossible, those would seem to qualify. But, in fact, our Lord had spoken: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible’”.

He continued on to say that Faith is the foremost requisite for overcoming the impossible. He quoted the New Testament in the book of Matthew which said “If ye have faith, nothing shall be impossible unto you.” President Nelson said “Faith is nurtured through knowledge of God. It comes from prayer and feasting upon the words of Christ through diligent study of the scriptures”. He continued to proclaim this to the congregation: “You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember that ‘with God nothing shall be impossible’, know that He is your Father. You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors”.

As said in Ether 12:27, “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them”.

This has played a huge part in my life, not just on Trek. I’ve gone through many experiences that I thought I wasn’t capable of doing, but I made it, and I know when we put our faith in the lord, that everyone can do the same. I’d like to thank everyone that worked on Trek, and a big thank you to all of the kids in my family, as well as my Ma, Pa, and Big Brother and Sister for helping me along the way. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and through the power of god, we can make it through all of our trials, and make the impossible possible. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Harry Potter Party

My brother and his darling family came to town for Spring Break.  My niece and I decided to throw an epic Harry Potter party.  What spurred this craziness?  Well, my niece was super bummed that she was going to miss a Harry Potter that the girls at her church were coordinating since she would be on vacation at my house instead.  So of course I told her we would have our own party.

Baptism Party Decorations

My sweet nephew was baptized today and his parents hosted a luncheon afterwards.  My sister-in-law has such a cute style and decorated to the max.

While this party was to celebrate a baptism, most of her ideas could be used for other occasions.  I'm thinking birthday parties, mission farewells, showers, Teacher Appreciation, and so on.

I have to say that all the children loved the "Sweet Treats" section the most.  Well, I did see a lot of adults sneaking candy too.

 I like how she used shredded paper to add height and use less candy in the containers.

Of course her table settings were darling too.  She used colored duct tape to wrap around the water bottles.

Check out this incredible cake.  She had a friend do the fondant decorating.  Only bad part is that the cake was so cute that we weren't allowed to eat it (seriously)!

They served a delicious lunch and used these little chalkboards to write which foods were being served.  My mom-in-law is an artist so she did the writing.  They served pulled pork sandwiches, beans, watermelon, veggies, potato salad, pasta salad, chips, etc.  Something for everyone.

 Feel free to copy any of these cute ideas. I think I'll invite her to do my next party...