A Little Christmas Service: Decorating Cookies with the Young Women 7 Dec 2024

After our lunch at Real Don Restaurant, Annabelle joined the Young Women for a Christmas activity at Sister Joyce’s house to decorate cookies for the upcoming Puchong Branch Christmas party.

It was lovely to know that the young women had an opportunity to gather, spend time together, and prepare something special for the visitors who would be attending the party. Sometimes, the simplest activities bring people closer together. Decorating cookies may seem like an ordinary activity, but when there is a purpose behind it, even something small can become meaningful.

I imagine the girls sitting around the table, choosing colours, decorating their cookies, and sharing ideas with one another. Each cookie would have its own little design, made with care and creativity. There is something enjoyable about making things by hand, especially when we know that someone else will receive and appreciate them.

What makes this activity special is that the cookies were not just for the young women themselves. They were preparing them for the visitors who would come to the branch Christmas party. Through this small act of service, they were helping to create a warm and welcoming experience for others.

This reminds me that service does not always require a lot of time, money, or effort. Sometimes, it is simply about thinking of someone else and doing what we can to make their day a little brighter. A homemade cookie may be a small gift, but the thought and care behind it can make it special.

I also appreciate Sister Joyce for opening her home and providing a place for the young women to come together. Activities like this give them time to build friendships, get to know one another better, and create happy memories outside their usual Church meetings. These shared experiences can help strengthen their sense of belonging and make their time together more meaningful.

I hope Annabelle and the other young women enjoyed the activity and felt the joy that comes from serving others. These opportunities remind us that following Jesus Christ is not only about attending church or learning gospel principles. It is also about putting those teachings into practice through simple acts of kindness.

As we celebrate Christmas, we remember the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and the love He has shown to all of us. Preparing cookies for the branch Christmas party may be a small contribution, but it is one way the young women can share that love with others.

This little Christmas activity reminded that we do not need to do something extraordinary to make a difference. Sometimes, it begins with a group of young women, a table full of cookies, a little creativity, and a willingness to serve.

Perhaps that is one of the sweetest parts of Christmas—not just receiving gifts, but finding joy in giving something of ourselves to others. ❤️

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!

Relief Society Activity ~ Say Cheese ^^

Today Relief Society having the baking cheese cake activity for the sisters at our Puchong Chapel at 3.00pm today.

As Issac is having his art class every Saturday from 1.00pm to 2.30pm, after his art class I just drove headed to the Chapel.

Prior to this activity, there were already sisters in the Church requested if Sister Anita could give a lesson on baking cheese cake.

Sister Anita’s cheese cake during Church activities or linger longer was tasted so yummy and delicious.

She was happily to share her talent with all of us. We started with the opening prayer, then Sister Anita is the one whom will lead this activity.

First of all, she introduced all the ingredients needed to bake a cheese cake. Then she demonstrated step by step to do it, and invite the sisters to try at the same time.

Every sisters take turn to try to do it. After all, when it is done we just wait for the cheese cake to be baked in the oven.

Sister Anita did prepare a cheese cake earlier for us for our tea time! At the same time Sister Saffron did share some gospel media with the sisters.

The cheese cake indeed very nice with served a cup of nice tea. Sister Saffron prepared the nice herbal tea for us.

The sisters had a great time being together and sharing each other talents, learning something new for themselves!

Ongoing Keyboard Lesson

Due to Bro Kok Cin not available today to teach the keyboard lesson, sister Amy and Issac both substitute for the keyboard lesson today at church this morning.

I seldom see how Issac teach the students as I am always stay at the Primary room either writing blog or preparing for the talk or lesson. I just took a few photos during the lesson and I posted it on the Keyboard leaders chat group.

Surprisingly Sister Colman in the group chat and she thanked us for the pictures of the keyboard classes. She could not believe how much Issac has grown! She will always be amazed at the selfless service that all her keyboard students have each given to continue teaching everyone.

Sister Colman wants the Harmon’s to know about our classes, because this is how the Harmon’s meant for the program to be implemented. She congratulate to everyone of the students and bravo for their job. She said she miss us all and love us!

I am grateful that Issac able has the opportunity to participate in this Harmon’s program and able to learn the keyboard from Sister Colman that has the patience and love to teach the students in the branch.