“Big Hearts, Busy Hands,” Friend, Sep. 2015, 14–15
Friends Who Care
Big Hearts, Busy Hands
What are your favorite activities to do with friends? When these activity day girls from Mesa, Arizona, USA, get to choose an activity, they like to plan fun and creative ways to serve. See how they’ve made friends and helped their neighbors!
Service Scavenger Hunt
The girls divided into teams of three and went to elderly neighbors’ houses. They did chores like sweeping patios, vacuuming rugs, and washing windows. While the girls worked, their neighbors shared interesting stories about their lives.
Stone Soup Day
The girls read the folk story “Stone Soup.” Then they each brought an item to help make a meal. They cooked the meal together and took it to members of the ward who were having a hard time.
Fuzzy Service
The girls had fun tying cuddly baby blankets. They gave the blankets to children in homeless shelters and foster care.
Beans and More Beans
In one hour the girls bagged 1,400 bags of pinto beans for the bishops’ storehouse to give to those who need food!
Make-a-Difference Day
The girls gathered a thousand pounds of food from their families, neighbors, and schools. When they took it to the food bank, they gave a copy of the Book of Mormon with their testimonies written inside to the food bank director.
Including Everyone
Several girls who aren’t members of the Church have joined in and become great friends! One of them loves what she’s learned so much that she wants to be baptized. When they visited the Mesa Temple visitors’ center, this friend said, “I’m going to go inside that temple someday.”
How You Can Help
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Rake leaves or shovel snow for an elderly neighbor.
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Put together a care package for a missionary or member of the military.
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Donate your gently used stuffed animals to a local firehouse or police station to give to children in emergencies.