Enriching My Sisters

I’ve been thinking a lot about Enrichment activities. If I were in the states and were put in charge of Enrichment, I would get a bunch of volunteers to head up groups like quilting, scrapbooking, a reading club, cooking, sewing, etc. Here, that’s just not possible. They don’t quilt or scrapbook. They only cook the things they’ve always known, as most of them don’t have oven or even stoves (they cook over open fires in a communal spot). I’m sure many would like to learn how to sew, but sewing machines are expensive here. And most don’t really know how to read, and if they do, books are too expensive to have on hand. What a mess.

So, I’ve tried to think creatively and think of things that would be useful to them. Here are some of the things that I’ve come up with:

• How to have FHE (In the words of my housekeeper: “Family Home Evening is beyond us!”): Family Home Evening should not be something overwhelming and difficult. It’s a time to learn different topics of the gospel as a family. I’d like to have group FHE’s to give ideas on what they can do. After all, the family is important!!

• Singing/Leading the hymns: No one knows how to lead the music here (although, some SAY they do…) and no one has ever sung the hymns in English, so it would be fun to get together every couple of weeks for a sing-a-long. I’ll teach them the basics of how to lead, then everyone can take turns picking and leading a hymn. Sounds fun to me.

• Scripture Study: How to use indexes and topical guides. General instructions on how to use the scriptures for maximum benefit.

• How to teach: Training for teachers. How to use the manuals, scriptures and other helps that are available. How to study to be able to teach effectively: preparation, keeping attention, etc.

• Literacy: My housekeeper told me that there are many members that she has talked to recently who don’t come to church because they’re embarrassed. They can’t read. I can fix that. On my mission, I was trained as a welfare missionary. I have ways to teach reading through the scriptures. I’m sure I could teach someone else how to do it and they would have something ongoing for people who want to learn how to read and learn the gospel at the same time! After all, how are we supposed to know and benefit from the word of God if we don’t know what it is??

• Personal and Family History: How to keep a journal, ideas on how to research family history, the basics of personal history and what it means now and in the future.


Those are a few that I’ve come up with. I’m going to see if I get any reaction and excitement about involvement. I think these would be some invaluable things…and they definitely go along with the idea of activities that enrich and better the lives of the women and families here!

Anyone else have ideas?