YOUTH GOAL PLANNER. GIVE SERVICE OUTSIDE YOUR FAMILY. Youth can use this in council meetings with the bishop to plan projects or individually to find opportunities on the JustServe website or app. The ideas can be written here. The reactions of the person served can be recorded. Goals for future service opportunities can be listed. It’s great for brainstorming and planning.
Great for Sunday School – Seminary – family night – Youth Goal activity
YOUTH GOAL PLANNER
“Give Service Outside Your Family”
Part 1 I spent at least three hours giving service as follows: _________________________________
“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works.” —Revelation 2:19
TO FIND YOURSELF, YOU NEED TO LOSE YOURSELF
In the LDS Living Magazine, we read about “Losing Ourselves in the Service of Others” (HERE) Kelly Merrill says, “The Savior said that he came not to help the well, but the sick among us. He is always focused on those who have the greatest needs. And it is those who have the greatest needs who tend to be the most difficult to help.”
Part 1 I spent at least three hours giving service as follows: _________________________________
“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works.” —Revelation 2:19
Part 2 Ask ward or community leaders for service ideas. Find opportunities on the church JustServe website or app.
Examples: babysit for parents attending the temple, do yard work for a widow in the ward volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen, or help at a community event.
Service opportunities can be remote (from anywhere) or in the communities. Just go to JustServe on the Church website and find opportunities to serve in your school or church or community (talking to activity leaders). On JustServe type in your zip code. You’ll find ongoing opportunities or projects that need, e.g., gardening, serving meals to the homeless or distributing boxes of food to struggling families, hospitalized kids needing kindness, support for the elderly, building a pergola for a school playground, etc. The missionaries are a great source for finding out needs and also giving service (you could serve along with them).
YOUTH ACTIVITY:
BISHOP TALK: Ask the bishop to tell about his calling as a bishop, how his counselors help, and how he calls members of the ward to serve in Church callings. Ask him how he would like to see each member fulfill their calling, and what they should do to improve their service in the Church.
DOWNLOAD this Thanks a Bunch! activity (HERE or below). Youth can create paper sunflowers to place a note on the back to then place in a pot that reads “Thanks a bunch!” This can be given to the bishop to express appreciation as a group, or they can make one individually to give to a loved one to express their gratitude.
IDEAS TO SERVE OUTSIDE YOUR FAMILY: ____________________
• LEARN HOW TO COOK so you can prepare a great meal for the homeless, the downtrodden, the missionaries, or someone who needs a meal and conversation. One example is a girl who loved to cook so she took what she called “leftovers” to an elderly couple on a weekly basis that opened them up to visits and conversations and friendships that lasted for years.
See the Let’s Make a Meal VIDEO (HERE) about a man who taught missionaries how to cook healthy meals. This was a great service.
• LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO so you can teach a child, a friend, or play for meetings and events, and for the elderly as you visit old folks’ homes and play their oldie but goody toons so they can sing-along.
• LEARN TO PLAY BASKETBALL or other sports to be able to get to know and make friends and find out their needs (see VIDEO One on One below)
• LEARN THE ART OF CONVERSATION to be a good listener, and know what to talk about (to anyone young and old). One person had a Balanced Study program she started (reading a different subject each day – starting 15 minutes per day). Example: On Monday she learned about science, Tuesday crafts or skills, Wednesday gardening or sports, Thursday current events, Friday motivation, Saturday history, and Sunday religion.
• FIND A NEED AND FILL IT Gather friends and neighbors to look for ways to serve and then create projects. It’s a great way to overcome shyness (taking your mind off yourself).
• S.O.S. Start gathering ideas in your ward/branch and/or neighborhood of skills people have they would be willing to donate/share in serving others. Then find the needs and match them up with those qualified or who are willing to share. Great to bring the community together.
Reactions of the Person I Serve: _________________________
Goals for Future Service Opportunities: _________________________
We don’t know the needs of others until we get to know one another and pray for and seek opportunities to serve. Lift the heavy weights off their shoulders. Remember, people will keep taking if you keep giving, so often “real giving” is teaching them a skill to stand on their own. Or, teach others the skills of service needed in a given situation. Good leaders are needed.
DOWNLOAD A Loving or Lazy Leader? word find (HERE or below)
Building friendships is the key to seeking out opportunities to serve and “Do It!” said the Prophet President Kimball. See the article Do It (HERE).
“Prominently displayed on President Kimball’s desk is a slogan which reads simply, “DO IT.” With this inspired leader, personal convenience comes second. Everything is done to meet the Lord’s convenience. His example for work has become a legend and establishes an example for us all to follow.” – Elder Robert L. Simpson, 1st Quorum of the Seventy
Learn the REACTION others feel when we offer an act of service.
