MTC Experience

A few of the youth and leaders met together to discuss a MTC activity for all the youth.  The following is what developed.  (Thank you Brother Garcia for being so organized!)
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PURPOSE:  To help the youth feel the spirit, arm themselves with tools necessary to share the gospel, and prepare to serve full-time missions.
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Oh the memories! 
INVITATION
Each of the youth received a mission call prior to the activity, in the form of a written letter.
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ARRIVAL (10 minutes)
Upon arrival each youth received their personalized missionary badge, orange dot (optional), their companionship assignment, and of course... pictures with the world map (map created by the youth).
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Originally, I wanted to purchase these Missionary Badges.  But at $1.99 a piece - for approximately 50 youth, I could not justify the expense at this time.
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I decided to create my own.  I cut the badges out of black card stock (which I already had).  I used gold and silver Sharpie brand paint markers for the text.  Each missionary badge has been personalized with the names of each youth.  The only thing I chose to purchase was Pin Style Name Badge Sleeves (24 for $6.00).  I showed them to the girls and they didn't seem to mind my handwriting.  :)
 
WELCOME and OPENING DEVOTIONAL  (10 minutes)
Conducting:  ____________________
Opening Hymn:  #270 "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go"
Opening Prayer:  ____________________
Devotional:  This was presented by our chosen "MTC Mission President" for the night.  Thinking about it now, it could have been the Ward Mission Leader.
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Note:  Companionships were switched during each transfer.
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WORKSHOPS  (each 15 minutes, including 3 minute transfer time)
The youth were divided into 3 groups for the workshop rotations.  When they received their mission calls they were called to specific missions within these three areas:  European, Asian, or Spanish.  Those were our 3 groups.  Each group had 2 adult leaders, who happened to serve full-time missions in the respective areas.  They were the "Mission Presidents" for the night and rotated along with their groups.  They were also the ones to run the "Language and Culture" workshops.
1.  Door Approaches:
The youth were given a brief (3 minute) instruction on effective door approches.  They then had 8 different doors, designated throughout the building, to knock on.  Little did they know, each door provided them with a unique experience.  Golden Contact, Slammed Door, In a Hurry, Courteous But Not Interested...  just to name a few.
- 3 minutes to change companionships and transfer to next station -
2.  Language and Culture:
Each group learned about their own specific mission area:  European, Asian, or Spanish (depending on which missions their adult leaders served in).
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Things discussed and shared included:
  • Language
  • Culture
  • Food (samples)
  • Items from areas served - money, pictures etc.
  • "Why did I go on a mission?"
  • "How did you knew the church was true?"
  • One story from mission experience
  • Testimony
- 3 minutes to change companionships and transfer to next station -
3.  Companionship Study/Preach My GospelWe invited the Full-Time Missionaries to discuss how to use Preach My Gospel.
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- 3 minutes to change companionships and ALL groups met together in the gym
4.  P-Day/Service  (15 minutes)
  • service activity (letters to missionaries currently serving from our ward)
  • letters from home  (requested and collected from parents prior to activity)
  • care packages (small package of candy for each youth)
I actually thought it would be fun to have someone, dressed as a Mail Carrier, come into the gym and deliver the care packages and letters during the service activity. The excitement, the anticipation.
CLOSING DEVOTIONAL - HOMECOMING
Closing Comments:  Bishop
Closing Hymn:  #249 "Called to Serve"   (standing of course)
Closing Prayer:  ____________________


OPTIONAL
  • These were placed on the restroom doors.  (for fun)
  • Video/Slideshow of leaders, parents, and siblings serving missions.
  • This music video would also be a great way to end the evening:

18 comments:

  1. I randomly came across this and this is SO Great!!!! what a great experience for both the ym and the yw! I bet they will remember this for the rest of their lives!

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  2. This is a phenomenal activity! How long did it take and how long did it take to prepare everything ahead of the activity? Thanks for posting it!

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  3. Likey! Thanks for sharing! Thinking of tweaking for a Primary activity.

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  4. "Recently Church members have been counseled to not have children pretend to receive callings as full-time missionaries or wear pretend missionary name tags." - Friend, Oct 1999

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  5. Tressa, I appreciate you sharing that information. I did look up the reference in the Friend.

    There were some great ideas shared in the same paragraph of how we can encourage children to be involved and excited about missionary work. such a great reasource!

    I am not sure if the request pertains to the youth as well. I would be curious to know. (and knowing me, I will most likey be making a call - or sending an email to find out) :)

    There was such an incredible spirit and a fire lit in a number of those youth who took part in this particular activity. (an other activities similar to this)

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    1. Did you ever find out whether it's appropriate for youth to wear pretend missionary badges, etc.? Your activity sounds so good!

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    2. I haven't been able to find the official documentation of where church members have been asked not to do that. In fact in a Friend magazine in March 2009 it has a picture of primary children with missionary name tags and talks about their MTC primary activity. Also, in the Primary 3 Lesson Manual there is a lesson on missionary work, and within the lesson it suggests preparing a missionary name tag to place on the children and discuss what missionaries look like, act like, who they represent, etc. So, I too am curious if you ever did find out whether or not it is appropriate for youth to wear pretend missionary badges, etc. We're in the midst of planning an MTC activity for the YM/YW. Thanks for this post with so many great ideas!

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    3. I'm so bummed, I found the reference under Let Your Light Shine: "Recently Church members have been counseled to not have children pretend to receive callings as full-time missionaries or wear pretend missionary name tags". Uggg, so dumb.

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    4. This is from the church website
      https://www.lds.org/youth/activities/missionary-work/learn-about-and-experience-missionary-work/mini-mission?lang=eng

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  6. So great! We are doing a week long MTC experience for our years youth conference. I like these ideas! I would love to know how you made those bathroom signs too.....

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  7. We will be doing this on the 8th of May. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing idea!

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  8. What a fabulous idea. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  9. Thank you so much for this post! We have an "MTC Night" coming up and I desperately needed ideas. And this is exactly what I needed. Thanks again!

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  10. would you be willing to share your bathroom signs?? they are so cute! we are doing a MTC night next week.
    jillangell@hotmail.com

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  11. Would you be able to send me your bathroom signs to my email or the link on how found it? Here's my email; sipepaff@gmail.com

    Thanks for sharing your activity.

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  12. Thank you for some great ideas. By the smiles on the youth I would guess they had a great time.

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  13. awesome. Thanks so much for sharing the details!

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