We traveled to Guyana for their YSA activity. It went really well in spite of some setbacks like no water or electricity at the branch when we arrived.
Drowned and drenched stalwarts set up the games and slides in the rain.
The first activity was lunch.
Great visiting time!
· We played zip zap zop, the movement wave and the yarn web. Everyone joined in and it was so much fun! The group dance was a hit and zip zap zop was a blast too. The indoor activities gave us some time for the rain to slow down and work up a sweat so everyone was excited to go out and get wet!
Zip – Zap – Zop / Group gathers in a circle. Leader starts by pointing to someone in the
circle and says, “Zip,” that person then points to a different person and says,
“Zap,” that person then points to another person and says, “Zop!” This continues on and on. They must say, Zip first, then Zap, then
Zop. If someone says the wrong word,
they are out. Say it faster and faster
until only two winners are left.
· Movement Wave/ Group gathers in a
circle. Leader begins by making a
movement with an optional sound; the person on the left makes a movement with a
sound. The leader begins again with each
new movement addition until it has started over and is a wave that goes around
the entire circle quickly. By the end, the movement wave should fly around the
circle.
Beach ball Ice-breaker/ Yarn -Web / Needed items: Scissors, yarn,
large blow-up soft plastic beach ball
The people
stand in a circle. The Leader begins by holding the end of a ball of yarn and
making a statement about an experience or something they like, or something
they feel such as “I have hiked the Grand Canyon,” or “I hate tomatoes,” or “I
don’t like scuba diving because I am a bit claustrophobic.” Someone else in the circle says, “me too!” The leader then throws the ball of yarn to the
person who said, “me too,” continuing to hold the end of the yarn. So a
line of yarn from the first person to the second has been created. Continue to hold the yarn throughout this
activity creating a web that all the people in the circle are eventually tied
into. After saying, “me too,” the
second person makes a statement like, “I love peanut butter and banana
sandwiches.” The game continues until
there are a good number of people that have matched and the web is crisscrossed
and significant, involving everyone. At
this point, the large, light soft plastic beach ball is thrown in the center of
the web and the whole group coordinates lifting their arms at the same time to
throw up the ball and then get into a rhythm of throwing it up and down by the
web. Leader count 123 lift, 123 lift
etc. The
gospel application of the physical web we have created is a manifestation of
the many things we have in common, greatest of which is our shared love for our
Savior Jesus Christ and His gospel. We are more alike than we are different in
the most important ways. If we focus on
our common beliefs and interests instead of pointing out differences we can
become of one heart to accomplish the Lord’s purposes. (In this case, to throw
the ball up without hands.) To remind us
of the ties that bind us together, the leader cuts the yarn and passes the
scissors around the circle;, everyone ties some yarn around their adjacent
neighbor’s wrist as a reminder of the things we have in common, not our
differences.
After crossing the river, we played clumps to get the two teams for the water balloon capture the flag game
Clumps- Divide
entire group into 4 groups by playing clumps. Leader starts out calling random numbers that the group must clump into.2, 15, 8, 6, etc.
in a designated time as measured by a stop watch. No one can be left out, so as soon as the
groups are all in (say #4 groups, they must look around and make sure no one person is left out. They must grab the extras and put them into
their groups before the time is up or that number has to be clumped again. When
the game starts, people tend to gravitate to those they know well, but after 4 or 5
rounds, everyone is clumping randomly. Then you call
out "9" (or whatever the number will be with the total number in
attendance, divided by 4) and you have your groups. The game is about the clumping race! Once the groups are
clumped into the right number to establish 4 groups, the Leader combines two
groups together – not the ones right next to each other but furthest
apart.
Crossing the River- Set Up
· True
friends are a great strength and blessing in our lives. To have a friend, we must be one. Gathering
together with youth of the church fortifies us in our personal decision to
follow the Savior, walk in His ways, and strive to keep the covenants we’ve
made with Him. The safety found in
surrounding ourselves with people of like determination to follow the Lord is
described in Doctrine and Covenants 115:6
And that the gathering together upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth. D&C 115:6
We are going to cross a raging river together.
The river represents the river of water
which Nephi and Lehi saw. It is described as “the fountain of filthy water
which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths
thereof are the depths of hell.” The
strength of relying on each other in this activity will make us succeed. We
will only succeed if we all make it!
Create a river by marking two river
banks with the rope. Make the river wide enough across (from one rope to the
other) to be a challenge for the group to get from one side to the other
((about 25 ft.) Distribute the (rafts) cardboard
squares – 1 piece for every 2 people. Round down with an uneven number,
Directions
·
The object of the activity is to get
all members of the group safely across the filthy river. They must go as one
big group, not multiple smaller ones.
·
Everyone must be on
the river before anyone can get off the river, forcing the entire group
to be engaged at once.
·
Participants cannot touch the water (ground) and therefore must use rafts
(cardboard squares) to cross.
·
The water is filled with piranhas.
Therefore if someone loses their balance and touches a hand in the water it
gets eaten(must put behind the back)
Same goes for a foot (must hop)
·
If a person completely comes off the raft (not in contact with
any square) they are gone and since this is a team exercise everyone must start over!
·
No scooting or sliding
on the squares. This can be a safety issue and it emphasizes individual work
versus teamwork.
·
Rafts must be in contact with a human at all times or they will be swept away with the current. In other words,
they may not put them down and then step on them. Contact must never be broken.
·
Once the group has started the
process, your role is to take cardboard
squares that are “swept away by the current” and to watch for safety
issues. Use this to your advantage as well. The participants will invariably
slip up and leave some rafts here or there with no one contacting them, those you should steal.
·
When the first group members get to
the other side immediately start to encourage
them to hurry and get off the river. Nearly every time the first few people
will rush off the rafts leaving them unattended for you to steal and stranding some of their team-mates. They must then all start over again.
Rules:
- Participants must stay in constant contact
- Each raft represents a symbol ( write on the rafts symbols (with a black magic marker) tied to the gospel that will be places of refuge to help them get through the muddy waters of life and back to Heavenly Father safely) like prayer, scriptures, temple attendance, attending church every Sunday, service, fasting etc. As each one is placed on the river, the person must yell out what it is that keeps them safe from the filthy water and everyone down the line must yell it
- The tiles can only go forward. They cannot move backwards
- No one can finish until everyone has left the “bank” of the river
- Leaders can be "gators" in the river and try to impede those crossing the river, stand in front of the group with arms outstretched to simulate trees they must go around. Obstacle: branches etc. No leaning on or near or around obstacles, must go around them.
Application: What do you
think crossing the river represents in your day to day life? Where and in what ways can we help each other
in our challenges? With the unity I see increasing; the Lord will be able
to perform what the world will think as miraculous. The Saints can accomplish
any purpose of the Lord when fully united in righteousness. Henry B. Eyring The youth of the church can be
strengthened to withstand the temptations of the adversary even in the hardest
times and within their hardest trials when they stand together. A true friend is somebody who helps you get
across the river safely.
Capture the flag with water balloons was a blast! They loved it, really got into the strategy and came down to a tie during the second game.
Water Wars/ Capture the flag with water balloons
Principle: We are in a war between good and
evil! It began in the pre-existence and
continues constantly through mortality. We must be vigilant in protecting
our flag, just as we diligently protect our spiritual health and well-being
from the temptations of the world and the onslaught of Satan. As we become constant guardians of our
virtue, integrity, honesty and purity from the wickedness of the evil one who
desires that all become miserable as he is miserable, we can strengthen each
other.
The objective
of Capture the Flag is to capture
the other team’s “flag” and safely
return it to your area. The first
team to do this wins. In order to safely return to your area, you must not be
hit by a water balloon by any of the opposing team's players.
·
Divide into two teams. Designate a coach for each team.
·
Make sure each player understands
the game's perimeters. Evenly divide the game-playing area between
both teams and set up a no-man's-land
between them which will be designated by
rope lines.
·
Discuss strategy. This includes where the flag should be hidden, the
location of the jail (designated by
cones), splitting the team into offensive
and defensive units (and discussing the respective strategies there). The flag must be hidden in a spot
where it can be seen. Set up the location of the jail and where
the players will be at the start of the game. There should be at least one jail guard. Have the players move into position.
- The game begins when the whistle is blown. The game ends when the whistle is blown and all players gather back to their team coach. Offensive players must attempt to secure the other team’s flag without getting hit with a water balloon. If they get a water balloon hit, (whether or not, it pops) they must go with their captor to the other team's prison. Defensive players protect the flag with water balloon hits to those who try to cross into their territory.
- In order to capture an opponent, the player must simply hit with a water balloon a member of the other team. Once hit, the player cannot run away and must go with their captor to the team's jail. Only one player may be hit at a time and a person may not tag anyone else until they deliver their prisoner to jail. Once in jail, the only means of escape is by either being touched by a free player (someone who hasn’t been hit by a water balloon) on their team or by the team captains agreeing to a prisoner swap.
- A player must call out that they have safely retrieved the opposing team's flag once they make it back to their own side. Once a player has successfully done this, the game has ended and the winning team is determined.
- The referres will blow a whistle if a water balloon hits someone and that person doesn’t stop immediately and go to prison.
Application: We should think of the other team’s effort to
acquire our flag as a symbol of how desperately Satan is trying to tear us away
from all that is good and noble in Christ’s plan for us. We can’t underestimate how vigilant we have
to be to defend our divine nature and path to eternal salvation. We have to fight hard to protect our spirits
from Satan’s grasp. 3 Nephi 18:18
Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always
lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift
you as wheat. We cannot succeed in this effort on our own. That is why we need a team; a team of good
friends, leaders, teachers and parents that assist us in our righteous efforts. That’s why the Lord established a church to
protect us. What
was your strategy? What is a good
strategy for fending off the adversary in his attempt to tear us from God?
Where's my next target?
The rain didn't dampen the water balloon fight at all!
Some serious acrobatics going on!
Then the serious water sliding began! Since there was no water, the hose was not operational - some buckets of water got thrown on the slide from somewhere????
Slip and Slide
Principle: Matt 7:13 Enter ye in
at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to
destruction and many there be which go in thereat. But straight is the gate and narrow is the
way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.
· Long plastic slide that is anchored
on the ends with a long plastic floor stripping. Roll the ends around the plastic and have a
hose set up to run onto the slide and have a small amount of dish detergent to
make it more slippery.
· People run on the grass and then
slide the distance of the slide.
Application:
Remember that it is an easy task to go anywhere. If you don’t care where you end up, it doesn’t
matter which way you go. If you have
your eyes set on eternal life and living with God, then the straight path you
must choose is surrounding yourself with friends that are striving for the same
destination, attending church and keeping the commandments.
We squirted some detergent onto the plastic to increase the slide and then the serious competitors got into it! These three all slid forty-five feet on their stomachs and off the plastic about five more feet!
At the end, the sky cleared and everyone had a hot dog on the way home. A great time was had by all and the only loss was those who did not come and join us! Believe me, they will hear about how much fun we had and come next month!
