YOUshare: PP - A Pattern For Life

Carrie was nice enough to send over a few pictures from their Young Women in Excellence. They decided to go with the theme: Personal Progress, A Pattern For Life.
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I am loving all the adorable details... actual patterns used for the table cloth, if you look closely you may see that the programs were sewn onto black card stock, pin cushion mason jars filled with candy (the tag says: "Pattern your life after the Savior that ye may thread together good works"), brightly colored "cute as a button" cookies, and how cute is that banner?!  :)
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Carrie, thank you for sharing!
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My Sister's Closet

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” - President Boyd K. Packer
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Here is an adorable twist on the Soup & Share idea. Kim's young women leaders put this together for their young women, love it!
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Here are all the cute details (plus a few extras):
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PURPOSE
To give the each of the young women an opportunity to serve and share with others. Also, possibly serving the temporal needs of one or more of your young women - secretly.  :)
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IN PREPARATION
The young women and leaders gathered items from their own closets that they no longer used, but thought they might be something someone else would use themselves: 
  • dresses
  • skirts
  • shirts
  • sweaters
  • jackets
  • pants
  • shorts
  • pajamas
  • shoes
  • jewelry
  • hats
  • scarfs
  • books
  • movies
  • room decor
All items were dropped off at Kim's (YW President) home beforehand.  She made sure everything was clean and in good condition.
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Then all clothing items were tagged, including jewelry. Earrings were placed on cute card stock for display.  :)
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SET-UP
They gathered clothes racks, mannequins, mirrors - anything that would make the room feel like a boutique. And added lots of hot pink sparkly tulle. :)
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SERVICE OPPORTUNITY {UPON ARRIVAL}
Since this was held the week before Thanksgiving, there were cards placed on a table for the young women to write a note of gratitude to some one in the ward that has made a difference in their life. The card served as their ticket into the boutique.
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TIME TO SHOP {KIND OF}
The young women were each given a shopping bag - with their name tied to it.  Everyone got to choose four items to begin with.  Then, after everyone had something in their bag, they got to "shop" for any additional items they would like.  The girls filled their shopping bags!
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Just one of the outfits put together for display.
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MEAL TIME
As mentioned in the beginning of the post, this was also a Soup and Share. The YW Leaders provided homemade soup and bread sticks for the girls.
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PERSONAL PROGRESS POSSIBILITY
The young women could contribute to the meal by having their mother or another adult teach them how to make soup from scratch. Then they could make up a batch and bring it to the activity, along with a recipe card to share with the other girls - which could be added to their hope chests. :)
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The young women loved it so much - they want to do it again!
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KEEP ON SHARING!
If the Faith in God/Activity Days girls are meeting the same night as your activity, I am sure they would love a chance to go through all the left over items. They may find a treasure themselves.  :)
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Whatever items are left over can be donated to your local Deseret Industries, GoodWill, Salvation Army, or other organization.

Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789

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Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789 - President George Washington
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"WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:
"NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;- and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
"And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; - to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
"GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine."
Signed: George Washington
Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789