Wow! What an amazing experience! In talking with the YW about their personal progress we realized that so many of them were getting held up on the Virtue project of reading the entire Book of Mormon. We had quite a few girls that were completely done with everything else except that. (Sadie included) So we decided to give them a push. Us leaders got together and planned a Super 24 hour Book of Mormon activity.
We got everything planned and made arrangements with the Stokes in our ward to take over their basement and backyard. They had the perfect set-up for us. A huge living room with couches and chairs, bathrooms, an outdoor entrance and a big back yard.
Heading in for 24 hours of reading. I was so excited about this activity and being a part of doing something like this, but I was also so worried too. I really wanted to be able to stay the entire time but when I get even a little tired I fall asleep without even realizing it. So I spent weeks praying for strengthen that I would be able to accomplish this activity without going home in the middle of the night.
We planned out the entire schedule, so we knew what chapters to read during which hours. We planned for meals to come in, we had snacks, activities (bracelet making, coloring pages, parts to act out, etc.) and cameo appearances to keep our interest peaked.
We had signs of encouragement all around the room.
Props for acting out some of the stories to help us stay awake.
We arrived at 4:30 for set up and instructions and then started reading right at 5:00pm. I posted an instagram story during the 24 hours for parents and girls who couldn't be there so some of the pics come from that.
Let's do this!!
We had a board set up that anyone could write on during our reading. Any thoughts or feeling that they might have during the activity. The girls loved this part and used it a lot.
The Iron Rod
Binding Nephi
Our first cameo was Nephi. They would come in character and act out and read those chapters. We also had Samuel the Laminate, Christ visiting the Nephites, Helaman and the brother of Jared. It was nice to have a little break from reading.
Making bracelets while listening to the audio. During Isaiah and some of the wars we sped up the speed to get through those parts quicker. You really had to follow along during those parts to understand the words. haha!
Time for Dinner. We were so spoiled when it came to the food. Karen one of the leaders was unable to come and stay so she did all the food for us. She had it all prepared and would just show up at mealtime and feed us. Some times we kept listening while we ate and sometimes we had a break.
We also had snacks all through the night about every 2 hours. Everything was super healthy, full of protein to keep us going. Very little sugar, we didn't want them to crash.
During Isaiah, Bishop and Glory popped in to talk to the girls for a minute and gave them all an ornament with a name of Christ of each one. They loved that. We really do have the best bishop. The youth just love him. We had the entire bishopric stop by at one time or another either as a cameo or just to read with us for a while.
Midnight Break. Keeping up our energy going outside and jumping on the tramp in the cool air!
2:00 am and still smiling.
Back at it.
Gentry as King Benjamin acting out the story as we read.
People in their tents facing the temple.
From 3:00-6:00am was hardest stretch.
Sadie on the exercise bike trying to stay awake. It was so funny. This was a regular occurrence through the night. You'd just see a girl get up randomly and head for the bike. Others would go outside and make a few laps around the yard.
Did a bit of Yoga to keep them relaxed and their minds aware.
We built a timeline as we went of the events that were taking place. This was it at 4:30am
During this time we did lose a few girls and as they succumbed to sleep. They started dropping like flies. At one point or another everyone fell asleep even if it was just a quick nap. We had a chart to keep track of what chapters they missed while sleeping so they could go home and make them up.
Around 5:30 am we had lost most of them so we decided to act out another story and get them all up.
Some were not very awake for the story.
Sadie and I were laughing so hard at Gentry and she stretched and yawned all the way through her part as Abish as we acted out Ammon.
But once the sun came out and we had breakfast, everyone was awake and spirits were high again.
We went outside and read for most of the day for some "much needed" fresh air.
Lunch Time
Looks like a bomb went off. This is what success looks like!
Back inside for the last few hours.
This became a struggle as well. The girl started getting tired again around 2:00pm...just 3 hours left.
The last few chapters we went around the circle and took turns reading and then when we finally came to the last 3 versus of the Book of Mormon we read those all together out loud. It was pretty powerful. They girls all shouted...Amen!!
We did it!! We can do hard Things!!
I was able to do it with just an hour cat nap. I was so proud of these girls. Not only did they give up a Friday night and weekend to hang out with friends but they came with good attitudes and read the entire Book of Mormon. I was so worried about Bo, she LOVES her sleep. I was worried that if she did fall asleep that would be it, we'd never get her up again and she would miss the whole thing. But she, Sadie and all the girls were Rockstars. They fought all night to stay awake, if they did fall asleep it was just for a short time and then they would get up when we asked. WE DID IT!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.