Young Women My 150 Challenge

The Young Women organization is celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary this year. Young Women's general presidency is inviting young women worldwide to join in celebrating the 150th anniversary.

Earlier in the year, the Young Women general presidency had extended invitations to the young women striving to improve themselves, develop their talents, serve others and strengthen their testimonies of Jesus Christ through the challenge called "My 150".

Leaders are encouraging young women worldwide to think of the activity related to 150 to commemorate the anniversary. They had done it through the cookies baking for last June. Now they are planning to do a bookmark. Thus, I helped Annabelle printed out the selected bookmarks.

Both Issac and Annabelle work as a team to do the cutting, laminating, and punch the hole tie the ribbons for all the bookmarks. Finally, let's have a group photo together with all the bookmarks.

The bookmarks are intended to give it away to their friends or someone they know or pass along to others to spread the gospel of the things that the young women believe in.

Of course, the first one that Annabelle gave was her best friend and beloved brother Issac.

Belated Mother’s & Father’s Day Gift Packs Delivery

When I heard about the Young Women Baking Activity, suddenly it reminds me of our Relief Society during early of the year, we were planning activities and gifts for the Mothers and Fathers in the Church.

No one would know that the Covid-19 just came as a storm and would turned to a global pandemic and affect globally and have disrupt all our lives and planning. The situation might be a little better now as from last 4 May 2020, Malaysia Government has replace the Movement Control Order (MCO) with CMCO as the Covid-19 cases become lesser and it seems like it is better.

I feel as it is time for the Relief Society to do something for the sisters and brothers in the Church, especially at the time like this. We were planning to prepare healthy dried fruits and nuts for the sisters during Mothers Day and big red apples for the brethren during Fathers Day early of the year.

After some discussions with both counsellors Sister Annie and Sister E Chin, we decided to go ahead with our original plans. We would prepare for both Mothers and Fathers and hopefully able to distribute before Fathers Day.

Sister Annie was helping buying the apples, dried fruits and nuts and the beautiful wrappers as well. Together with the help from few sisters, she managed to prepare all that needed.

Combined effort with the cookies made by Young Women and Young Men yesterday, we planned out and get our lists to deliver. I am getting help from both Issac and Annabelle to deliver.

Started from Sister Saffron’s house for Sister Saffron and Bro Tan, Kelvin and Beam. Then we went to Sister Sylvia’s condo, after which is Sister Jennifer and Bro Tesh, then Sister Josie and Sister Michelle and Peter. We went to Sister Parames’s house before we went back to home.

It took departed from our house at 10.00am and we were only back around 2.30pm in the afternoon and taken our lunch at that time. We were so hungry as we did not take the breakfast.

Of coarse the last delivery destination is our home to deliver to the children daddy Alvin. We took a moment for some photo shots for remembrance. What a meaningful day!

Happy Father’s Day Relief Society, Young Women & Young Men Baking Activity

Today is Friday and it is still a school day for both Issac and Annabelle, but today is little bit unusual and special for both children as there is Young Women Baking Activity for Annabelle.

It was kind of difficult to organize this baking activity during this Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period, as all the children are at home and not allow to go to school, and of coarse we as parents too are worried about letting our children out for activities.

The ideas comes from the Young Women organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is celebrating 150 Years Anniversary.

The Young Women General Presidency is inviting all the young women turn 12 through 18 years of age to join the challenge called “My 150” to think of an activity they can do related to 150 to commemorate the anniversary.

It can be anything from choose to read 150 pages of scriptures or index family history 150 names, or to share 150 smiles or 150 encouraging texts or social media posts with friends who need a lift or a boost.

Or join with other youth in ward and take 150 names to the temple for proxy baptisms as soon as we are able to return to those sacred spaces.

Thus, the young women in Puchong branch were thinking of bake 150 cookies for the fathers in the branch during the Fathers Day.When I heard about this ideas from Annabelle in one of our conversations, I was pretty impressed with the Young Women Leaders’ ideas.

I decided to let Issac join in as well because he is the only young man in our branch after much discussion with our Young Women Leaders, I decided to let Issac join in as well because he is the only young man in our branch.

Thus, I send both of them to Sister Amy’s house early in the morning before I went to office. Both of them would be skip the PE lessons online as it is quite difficult for them to follow.

The baking activity will be held at Sister Jing Jing’s home whereby she is the Young Women Counsellor. Sister Amy drove both Issac and Annabelle together with Yna and Ruth to her home.

It is very thoughtful and kind of Sister Jing Jing that she prepares 2 separate rooms for the girls and boy that still need to attend the class online. The youths would have to take turns to bake their cookies, while some were having online classes thru Zoom or Google Meet.

Three of the sisters – Sister Amy, Sister Jing Jing and Sister Annie lead the activity. All of the young women and young man take turns to learn to bake 2 different types of cookies – chocolate chip raisin cookies and dried fruits and nuts cookies.

The young women too lead by Yna making Father’s Day and Mother’s Cards for all the fathers and mothers in the Church. All the girls learning from her how to make a wishing card.

Both Issac and Annabelle had the opportunities to cook the group lunch. It is quite surprise for me when Sister Jing Jing sending me the photos of both of them standing in front of the cooking stove cooking the fried noodles!

I know that they were having fun too! both of them are very proud on the noodles that they fried and prepared for all the persons.

They also celebrate Ruth’s birthday as she is turning to 19 years old and going to Relief Society. The activities were ended only around 6.00pm, as they need to pack the cookies in the wrappers.

I feel so grateful that our girls and boy have such a dedicated leaders in the Church to guide and lead them. Young Women President Sister Amy whom coordinate the activity with the parents;

Young Women Counsellor Sister Jing Jing whom planned and lend us out her kitchen for the youths to learn to bake and cook and Relief Society Counsellor Sister Annie whom helped out and teach the youths on the recipes for the baking activity.

All the girls and boy and leaders were tired but I know that they were having much fun, especially during this CMCO time!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Puchong Branch Primary Activity Day ~ The Museums Adventure

Developing Talents #5 ~ Visit an art museum or attend a concert, play, or other cultural event. Share your experience with your family or activity day group.

It is June and we have another Faith in God Activity Day again for our Valiant children in the Puchong branch.

The date was set early to be today after consideration of the school holiday together with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri public holidays which is going to start this weekend and the week after next.

Some families might have planned to be travelled during these holiday seasons, and the children might not be around.

Issac, Annabelle and I woke up early as we need to complete the household chores before we gone out.

I had prepared some finger foods such as nuggets, cocktail sausages and hard boiled eggs for the group. Sister E Chin helped me last evening as we also bought some sushi from Aeon IOI Mall.

We drove to the Four Points Hotel to fetch Sister Jennifer and Miguel. I stopped by the bus stop in front of IOI Mall to meet with Sister Sylvia and she would followed our car from behind. We headed to the National Museum.

We arrived there around 10.00am. Sister Vivian’s family already there, her husband Brother Earnest gave the opening prayer and blessed the food.

Some of us did not manage to have breakfast before we came, and while waiting for Sister Jing Jing’s family to join us, we were having a little feast at the car park. The children were so brilliant! They just makeshift picnic table near the car park area.

I just brought out the sushi rolls, chicken nuggets, cocktail sausages, and the hard boiled eggs. All the children and adults having some food at the car park, before we went to the museums.

We choose the National Museum because it provides a good overview of the nation’s rich historical and cultural heritage. The children can know more about our country rich heritage through this visit.

Besides National Museum, we would be visiting another 2 small museums which are being in the same compound: Malay-World Ethology Museum and Orang Asli Crafts Museum.

Malay Wold Ethology Museum showcase on the traditional arts, clothing and jewellery, traditional games, etc. Orang Asli Crafts Museum showcase their handicrafts, wood carvings and masks.

We hope by this activity, our children would discover ‘gems’ and gain a better appreciation towards arts and culture which heritage from our forefathers and ancestors.

Here were our 2 priesthood whom watched over us during this activity: Brother Earnest and Brother Adrian.

We first visit the Malay-World Ethology Museum. It is located within the grounds of the National Museum and we can see both with the same ticket together with the Orang Asli Crafts Museum which is on the lower ground floor of the Ethology Museum building.

There are 2 types of admission charges – Malaysians and Foreigners, to visit both Malay World Ethology Museum and Orang Asli Crafts Museum with the same ticket: For Malaysians: Adult RM2.00, Seniors and Disabled Persons RM1.00 and Children under 12 is Free. For Foreigners: Adult RM5.00, Children aged 6 – 12 years RM2.00 and Children below 6 years is Free.

The Malay-World Ethology Museum has some interesting exhibits and the children can learn about the Malay world which might new to them. The gallery focuses on the diversity of Malay society and culture in Malaysia through a highly aesthetic collections of artefacts, such as traditional arts, clothing and jewellery, traditional games and weaponry.

The first thing the children saw once they entered the museum was the making of Wau Bulan by a mannequin. It was so kind of Sister Jing Jing to be tour guide of the day in explaining to the children how the process of the making of the kite.

The Wayang-Kulit or Shadow-Play also one of the attractions to the children too. There are wayang-kulit figures and the theatre too. It looks so fascinating to see a real one, not only for the kids the adults too are excited!

The gallery is portrayed by dioramas of a Malay wedding dais. Among the fascinating collections on display are the Cik Siti Wan Kembang dress and the wedding dais of Perak.

Various crafts, cultural activities, games, handicrafts and cottage industries are explained through the exhibits such as Malay clothing, weaponry ranging from Kris and spears to firearms, wood carving, silver and metal work, congkak, gasing and so on.

We were having group photo at the entrance space with the children. After which we visited to the Orang Asli Crafts Museum just at the lower ground floor.

Orang Asli Craft Museum showcases the arts and handicrafts of the Orang Asli people, the aboriginal communities who dwell mostly in rural areas across the Malaysian Peninsula.

The Orang Asli are famed for their handicrafts, particularly the wood carving skills by the Mah Meri and Jah Hut tribes who like to carve masks and figures and these are highly valued by collectors.

The Orang Asli Crafts Museum is an ethology museum featuring the heritage of the Orang Asli craft in Peninsular, particularly those of the Mah Meri tribe.

Most of collected crafts were valued based on the Orang Asli’s way of life; their culture and beliefs; their myths and legends; as well as crafts with carvings and motifs that have intrinsic meaning.

Our children’s favourite carved statues is ‘The Spirit of Mother and Baby’. They are fascinating with the statues, and want to take photos with the famous wood carving.

Suddenly all the children started to ask funny funny questions to their mothers! It made us feeling funny as well!

In addition to statues and masks, there are small Sepili figures used in the traditional medicine system of the Jah Hut.

Blowpipes and ornate bamboo containers for holding blowpipe darts, hunting and fishing traps.

Containers made from screw pine, rattan baskets and trays, palm leaf ornaments and spiritual decorations.

Musical instruments, native clothing and pouches made from leaves and bamboo.

And the coffins which made from bamboo and hang it on the trees too!

There are so many interesting facts to get to know for the children! This basket design is cool! Annabelle and Issac thought the inspirations must be come from the King of fruits - durian!

Finally the children settled down by sitting on the floor and watching a video clip about the life of Orang Asli in their habitats. Everyone were tired.

We roughly spent around 30 minutes for each museum. At last, we completed the Malay-World Ethology Museum and Orang Asli Crafts Museum.

By the time we came to the National Museum, all the children were restless especially the younger children. The ticket price for the National Museum is the same as the prior both museums.

Basically, we just visited the ground floor galleries which are Prehistory Gallery and The Malay Kingdoms Gallery.

The Prehistory Gallery displays the results of historical research and archaeological excavations.

The Malay Kingdoms Gallery traces the development of early settlements, the emergence of Malay kingdoms and sultanates, the coming of Islam and importance of Malacca as a trading centre.

The younger children were getting restless and tired. As it was approaching 12 noon, we decided to end our museum trip by a closing prayer.

I handed out the assignments – journal to both Miguel and Jeneelyn. They just need to write down what are their feelings after this visit in the worksheets, and they can pass up by the following Sunday.

As for the children that did not manage to attend the outing today, we encourage the parents to bring them out for a date. It is not necessary have to visit these museums that we visited today, but anything that relates to art, concert, play or cultural experiences.

It can be happened during their own family trips, whereby they visit other countries’ museums, attend a cultural dance show, go to cultural village and so on.

For example, if going to Malacca, they can visit Baba & Nyonya Heritage house or Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum; if going to Penang, they can visit Penang Peranakan Museum or Khoo Kongsi; if going to Bali, they can watch a Kecak Dance show which it is only can be seen there. Anything about art and culture…They can plan it out with their kids!

We left the National Museum around 12.30pm. All of the parents and children were having fun and  quite an educative trip for all of us, including the adults too!

Even we miss some of the children whom did not manage to join this activity, it’s considered a big accomplishment to me because this is the first time I am in charge of such a scale of Primary Activity Day Outing!