April Showers Bring May Flowers

The ward I'm currently in has recently experienced the death of a young husband, father, son and friend.  Along with his passing we have also faced the loss of a unborn child, financial difficulties, family separations, etc.  So this night was put together to help the sisters feel the Love of our Savior and to remind them that he is with them during the "storms" in their lives.

The evening was perfect and several sisters asked if the night was planned just for them.

I broke up this post into the following 4 sections:

Part 1 – Dinner with recipes.

Part 2 – Program including a copy of the letter sent to the presenters.

Part 3 - Decorations

Part 4 – Advertising, including handout ideas for 2 weeks prior to the activity and a table display for each auxiliary.

April Showers Bring May Flowers - Part 1

Part 1 - Dinner

We started the evening off with a dinner which consisted of Tomato Bisque soup, Ceasar salad on fried wonton wrapper, homemade roll w/ butter (sliced blue bonnet placed between two square pieces of wax paper) and 2 Dove chocolates to tie them over until dessert.

Dessert was a twist on the gummy worm mud cake usually served at children's birthday parties. I layered chocolate pudding and chocolate mousse to make the "mud". The chocolate mousse recipe is below. The flower sucker was made with Wilson chocolate melts.

Tomato Bisque soup
1- 10 oz condensed tomato soup
1- 10 oz water
3 oz cream cheese, cubed
Heat the soup and water. When hot add cubed cream cheese and stir until melted.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil and a dash of ground pepper.

For larger groups:
1- 3 lb 2oz can condensed tomato soup
1- 3lb 2 oz can of water
15 oz cream cheese, cubed
Follow above directions.

The larger serving makes about 8 8-oz servings.

I used 3 3-lb cans of soup and 15 oz of cream cheese to feed 36 sisters.

Chocolate Mousse
1 Big Size candy bar (Ghirradelli's semi-sweet in the baking isle)
2 Tbsp water
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp sugar
1 pint whipped cream

Whip the egg yolks then add sugar. Melt chocolate and water in microwave. Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture and fold into whipped cream. Refrigerate one hour, fold again before serving.

This recipe makes about 18 servings if layered between chocolate pudding. 5 LG boxes of chocolate pudding is needed to make 36 servings and 1 pkg of crushed oreo cookies to make the “dirt”.

April Showers Bring May Flowers - Part 2

Part 2 - Program

After dinner I introduced the musical number, “Singing in the Rain” (title song to movie of same name).

After the musical number I introduced the topics that would discussed, they are numbered below. Each topic is followed by scripture references or quotes from General Authorities to help them in their preparation. Each sister was asked to speak for 7-10 minutes. This was a perfect amount of time. Following these 3 topics is a copy of the letter I sent to each of the presenters prior to the activity.

1. "Why are there "showers" throughout this mortal journey?"

D&C 122:7

"I am like a huge,rough stone rolling down from a high mountain;...knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty."(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel.Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.1938, p. 304.)

President Harold B Lee stated in general conference in 1965: "Just as a flood-lighted temple is more beautiful in a severe or in a heavy fog, so the gospel of Jesus Christ is more glorious in times of inward storm and of personal sorrow and tormenting conflict"(in Conference Report, Apr. 1965,p. 16.)

Orson F Whitney said: "No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience,faith,fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure patiently, builds up our characters,purifies our hearts, expands our souls and makes us more tender and charitable,more worthy to be called the children of God... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven" (cited in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, Salt Lake City; Deseret Book Co., 1972, p. 98)

2. "To whom should we look for refuge from the storm?"

Alma 38:5

Finding a Safe Harbor by Joseph B. Wirthlin: Be assured that there is a safe harbor. You can find peace amidst the storms that threaten you. Your Heavenly Father- who knows when even a sparrow falls- knows of your heartache and suffering. He loves you and wants the best for you. Never doubt this. Wile He allows all of us to make choices that may not always be for our own or others' well being, and while He does not always intervene int he course of events, He has promised the faithful peace in their trials and tribulations.

The prophet Alma tells us, "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people." Jesus comforts us when He said, "Peace I leave with you ; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Draw close to the Lord Jesus Christ. He bears a special love for those who suffer. He is the Son of God, an eternal King. In his mortal ministry He loved them and blessed them.

To the meek and discouraged, His every word was one of compassion and encouragement. To the sick, He brought a healing balm. Those who yearned fro hope, who yearned for a caring touch, received it from the hand of this King of Kings, this Creator of ocean,earth and sky.

Today Jesus the Christ stands at the right hand of our Heavenly Father. Do you suppose that today He is any less inclined to aid those who suffer, who are sick to who appeal to the Father in prayer for Succor?

Be of good cheer. The Man of Galilee, the Creator, The Son of the Living God will nor forget nor forsake those whose heart are drawn to Him. I testify that the Man who suffered fro mankind, who committed his life to healing the sick and comforting the disconsolate, is mindful of your sufferings,doubts and heartache."

3. "What blessings await us after we valiantly weather the storm?"

D&C 58: 2-4

D&C 121: 7-8

D&C 14:7

D&C 75:16

James 5:11

After the last presenter I thanked them and shared a few closing remarks. We then sang “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and had a closing prayer. Dessert was served.

Here is the letter that I sent to each of the sisters who participated in the presentation:

Sister NAME OF SISTER ,

Thank you for being willing to participate in our ward's quarterly activity on Thursday, May 13th at 6:30pm in the multi-purpose room of the Stake Center. I know that the evening will be rewarding for all those who attend.

The title of the evening is “April Showers Bring May Flowers”.

As we know, life was not meant to be easy and sometimes the storms we are asked to endure can be more than we think we can handle.

I love the scriptures found in D&C 121:7 and 122:7 respectively.

The Lord speaks to Joseph Smith, “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment.” D&C 121:7

“If thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; … know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” D&C 122:7

We have been taught and know through personal experience that if we weather the storms the blessings that follow are as immeasurable as the flowers in the spring time.

One of the greatest blessings is laid out in 3 Nephi 31:20, “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, …, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

There will be 3 topics presented during our Relief Society Meeting. Each has to do with the theme of the night. The first is: Why are there showers throughout this mortal journey? The second is: To whom should we look for refuge from the storm? And the third is: What Blessings await us after we valiantly weather the storm?

Please prepare a 5-10 minute presentation on the theme highlighted below. I've included some scriptures that relate to the topic you've been given. Personal experiences and teachings from the prophets are also appropriate references. Feel free to get the sisters to interact and participate with you.

You were prayerfully selected for this topic and I know that as you seek help from the spirit you will deliver a message that our sisters need to hear.

Your topic is:

LIST TOPIC AND RELATED SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES HERE

Sincerely,
My Name

April Showers Bring May Flowers - Part 3

Part 3 - Decorations
Decorations included hanging umbrellas and flowers from the ceiling. Umbrellas can be found at the $ store in the winter months. They were out by April so start collecting early. The flowers were made from a pack of colored card stock purchased Michaels for $2.99 (50% coupon used). I took the paper to our local school where I was able to use their die cut machine for free. Scrapbook stores usually have die cut machines available for use for a nominal fee or free if you purchase the paper from them. The flowers and umbrellas were attached using fishing wire.

Each table had a yellow table cloth with a small arrangement of daisies. The bowls used for the arrangements are ice cream bowls purchased from the $ store. Each place setting had the cutlery wrapped in a purple napkin and sealed with a flowered band. A quilt and fresh flowers adorned the presenters table along with a picture of Christ and blocks that say "We Believe".

Each sister was given a daisy box filled with poppyseed sugar cookies to take home. The daisy boxes are part of the Martha Stewart line and found on clearance at Wal-Mart. There are 20 in a pack.

April Showers Bring May Flowers - Part 4

Part 4 - Advertising

We used the following ways to advertise for this event: announced in each Auxiliary, printed in the ward bulletin, listed on our facebook group page, written up on the RS ward blog, sent reminder via RS email list, a table display for each auxiliary and personal handouts two weeks prior to the activity.

The following are pictures of the table display that each auxiliary received and the two handouts. The first handout was the umbrella the second was the flower cakepop.