Good Works #3- Service Scavenger Hunt- Random Acts of Kindness

For this mutual night, it was the week after our Operation Christmas Kindness was introduced. We felt like the girls could use a little help since they were so busy with the Christmas season. So we did a Service Scavenger Hunt. We split into two teams and made it like a Mission Impossible.  The girls showed up to mutual and were given a bag with supplies to carry out some of the acts.  They then were given a letter explaining about the night.  

Operation: Christmas Kindness.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear. You will receive 5 random acts of service to be completed by your team. Remember, this is a team effort, each team member must participate in at least one service for your mission to count. You will need to work fast, not only will you be racing the clock with only 30 minutes to accomplish all 5 services in Operation: Christmas Kindness, but you will also be racing the other team.  Remember to take a picture of each service as proof.  This bag is filled with each service and supplies in the order you should do them.  When you complete your mission you will need to meet at ________________________ for hot chocolate and brownies. This message will self-destruct in five seconds.

Bonus: Say thank you at least 15 times during the entire night.  Not to each other.

In each back there were envelopes with clues for the next stop.  They were numbered on the front and then had items.  I don't have pictures of the envelopes but they were cute.  The girls totally loved this activity.  Here are the activities they did:  I tried to keep them all in the same area.  And I only received pictures from the first group.

Group 1:

1.    Smile to at least 10 strangers-You will be traveling more than the other group so you have an easy one to start with… throughout the night, you must smile or say thank you to at least 10 strangers. Read Service #2 now.

2.    Hot chocolate and treats to army base security guards-Go to Pond security guards and deliver a treat and hot chocolate and mugs (NEED hot chocolate in a big thermos and sign and treats…maybe brownies or something easy… Also need Styrofoam cups)… “You need to finish this in 5 minutes.” Leave the pot of hot chocolate with the security guards.

3.    Quarters on vending machines-Tape a few bags of quarters onto the vending machines at the food court and Coke machine outside of the shoe shop… ”You need to finish this in 5 minutes”… NEED bags of quarters and signs to attach and Tape

4.    Grocery Store Candy Canes – Drive back up to grocery store and each girl hand out candy canes to those who have served us and say thank you… to the front door people, checkers, baggers and stockers.  As many as you can find.  Each group needs 30.  NEED candy canes and signs…”You need to finish this in 10 minutes…”

5.    Caroling-Run to apartments near the grocery store and carol two Christmas songs and give them a plate of treats… “You need to finish this in 10 minutes…” 

Group 2 (px area):

1.    Quarters on vending machines-Tape a few bags of quarters onto the washers and dryers at the laundromat… “You need to finish this in 5 minutes.”  (NEED bags of quarters and signs to attach and tape)

2.    Convenience Store candy canes – Go to px (Walgreens type store) and each person hand out candy canes to the workers, go to the bookstore, go to the food court, go to the shoppette?  As many as you can find. “You need to finish this in 10 minutes.” NEED candy canes and signs.

BONUS: Diapers & Wipes on changing table- “Before you leave the px area, run to the px bathroom and leave diapers and wipes on the changing table with sign… “You need to finish this in 2 minutes…” (NEED Diapers, wipes and sign)

3.    Candy canes and signs on cars-Run around to the cars in the parking lot and leave notes with mini candy canes on the cars. NEED mini candy canes and signs. “You need to finish this in 5 minutes.”

4.    Caroling-Run to apartments near the px and carol two Christmas songs and give them a plate of treats… “You need to finish this in 10 minutes…”

EXTRA NEEDS:  Need gift bags for each group with their clues and supplies in it.

Hot chocolate afterwards then cut papers and put in jar…NEED supplies for hot chocolate and papers and jar. 

Good Works #3- Operation Christmas Kindness- Random Acts of Service

Month: December

Value of the Month: Good Works

Color: Yellow

Value Experience: #3 

"Read Mosiah 18:7–10, and in your journal list three ways you can comfort others 

or help them bear their burdens. Do the things on your list, and 

tell a family member or leader about the experience and 

how your attitude and understanding have changed."

Menu: 

Lemon Pudding Packs (we're going easy this month)

Spray Whipped Cream

Yellow Fruit to Decorate (bananas, pears, apples, bell peppers, squash, lemons)

Lesson:

We started the night off with the normal picture taking and mingling.  Then as we sat down, I had the girls pull out their scriptures and read Mosiah 18:7-10"

 7 And it came to pass after many days there were a goodly number gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma. Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word, to hear him. And he did teach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord.

 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

We went on to discuss these scriptures in detail.  What does it mean to mourn with those that mourn?  To comfort those who stand in need of comfort?  Who are some of these people?  (They answered: "our friends, our parents, our siblings...")  

Why is it important to uplift others?  Who are people we can help and uplift?  (they gave lots of really good answers.  Family, friends, community.)  What are some things we can do in our community to help (lots of good answers of service).  I then told them how much of a difference they can make in people's lives. 

Object Lesson:  I took some lotion and put some in my hand. Then I asked one of the girls to come up. I put some lotion in her hand but some was still left on mine. I said to the girls, "Just like I gave her some lotion, there was still some left on me.  When you give of yourself, you're not only giving to others, you are being uplifted too."

I then showed this video about some youth who started a club.  It was really amazing for our girls to see.

I then introduced to them the concept of "Random Acts of Kindness." (From Wikipedia: "A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.")  We talked about what some random acts of kindness might be.  It could be anything from giving hot chocolate to someone who works in the cold, or leaving diapers on a changing station, or leaving a big thank you note for the trash collectors, leave cookies in your mailbox for the mailman, pay for the car's order behind you in a drive through, hand out food to homeless people, leave change on a washing machine at a laundromat, rake someone's leaves, write a note on someone's driveway.)

Then I said, "This is your mission, should you choose to accept it..." And then I handed out all the envelopes you see in the picture above.  Each envelope had the little label with the "operation" I coined. It's called Operation Christmas Kindness.  Each envelope then had their name on it. They were all excited to open the envelope.  Inside were the two papers you see below. It was a list I put together of all the different things they could do for their "three acts".  

They were to choose 3 of these acts or write in their own and then cut off the strip and put them in the empty jar.  But one catch! They had to take pictures of themselves or the actual act of kindness.  Then after they did their three things, they would get their yellow jar.  At the bottom of the list were even notes they could cut out and leave for people explaining what we were doing.  They seemed super excited about it.

I also told them I wanted to "step it up" a bit. I told them if they each did 5 things we would have a pool party at the bishop's house. They were cheering and so excited.  

 The bishop then asked if he could say a few words.  Do you see he's wearing a yellow tie? He has been doing this every Personal Progress Night.  It's pretty awesome.

Afterward I gave them each an easy thing to start with.  They each got 5 candy canes and 5 slips of paper. They took a few minutes to attach the slips onto the candy cane and then they were to hand them out to random people and say thank you or smile.  And of course they had to document by taking a picture of themselves doing it.

Then we had pudding!  They had a great time with the whipped cream and it was just a really fun night!