72 Hours Starter Kit REPACKING

You might asked yourself why repacking? One of the objective I raised with our Stake RS Presidency with this activity is to help the sisters start building their 72 Hours Kit and helping them strengthen their faith of the prophet's counsel. 

I know it has been so easy for some of the members but I was one of the members who struggled building this. I believe that this should be done but I don't know why it is so hard to start. Just so many reasons behind. I feel that others would feel the same as I did. That is why I personally would like to help those sisters to start their kits. 

The main idea of this activity is to:

1.) Bring all the items (that were agreed upon) at church, on the day of activity. 

2.) Repack the items. 

3.) Sisters would receive their 72 Hours Starter Kit.

PREPARATIONS:

-> MEETINGS WITH ALL WARD RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENCY IN OUR STAKE: Meeting is so important for me. I think I can call it council meeting with the ward relief society presidency. I remembered a talked from the latest General Conference by Elder Russel M. Ballard in titled Family Councils. I also like this scripture verse, “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.”Alma 37:37. 

What would be the agenda during the meeting?

        -> ATTENDANCE: We have to know the maximum attendance of each ward's Relief Society class. This will be our basis for the TOTAL NUMBER OF 72 HOURS STARTER KIT. As per our meeting, we have agreed that we declared extra allowance for the attendance but we don't go beyond numbers. For example, the maximum attendance we have during our class 40 sisters but during activities, only 10 sisters or less would go. We declared 25 sisters for this particular activity to anticipate more will come but we did not say 40 sisters. (Hope you get what I mean. :-))

               We have six wards in our stake. Each ward varies of attendance they have declared but we came up with a TOTAL NUMBER OF 140 SISTERS were expected to attend and will be receiving the kit.

         
-> ITEMS: All the wards should agree of the items to bring and the quantity for each item for each packs. After our meeting, we have agreed that each packs would contain the following items with their corresponding quantities: 

               -> TESTIMONIES: Each ward should prepare someone who has testimony on 72 Hours Kit or present something from activity you had or someone from your ward on how she prepares her 72 Hours Kit.

 -> STAKE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENCY PREPARATIONS: We had problems with the venue for the past activities. It happens that we were being tested? or we lack preparations? It could be both. :-) Anyway, we make sure the cultural hall would be available this time. 

Here are preparations you might consider also when you do this activity:

           -> Physical facilities - You need enough table for this activity to be able to properly place things per items
               -> Plastic Bag Containers - You might want to make a complete sample for each pack so that you would what size of container you should buy.
             -> Bring stapler, staple wire and adhesive tape - This is important to seal each container.
           -> Program / Speakers / Snacks / Invitations / Microphone / High Council or Priesthood leaders 

DURING ACTIVITY:

No matter how you planned well, we should always be flexible during the actual day. We realized that other wards did not fully understand how many items for each pack. It is so funny to see some big chocolates and small chocolates coming. :-) And big rolls of tissue paper against a small tissue on the tables. I think we should have make a sample and bring it on during the meeting and show that to each Relief Society President. Also, funny it seems that some plastic bags were too big for light kit. :-) 

In actual, the attendance was not 140 sisters. It was lesser but was not less than 100. It was not bad at all. Those extra packs were divided for each ward and were given during Sunday.

The only confusion that came during the repack time because the sisters were so excited. They did not listen to instructions. They want to move forward. 

During repacking there were too many ideas. But our instructions was, each table was named for each packs. And wards assigned to each pack should attend to that table. After the repacking, I mean when each pack was done packing, their is a big plastic bag that will be filled with all the 5 packs. And at the end of the table, the plastic bag is complete with 5 different packs for 72 hours kit. 

What happened was, the sisters formed a line, and each bring their plastic bag and go through all the items and get one pack, which is okay also.... but you know, their were a lot of comments. I think if we follow the instruction it should not be that way. Others have their own opinion. They want it to change the system in what they think is right. hmm.. Kind a sad and funny... :-) Hoping that all were satisfied. :-)

RESULTS:

Anyway, the end result was SUCCESS!! Some of the sisters says that this was a great activity and is good to be repeated to be able to track if the sisters who prepare their 72 hours kit increase. I agree to them! But it is up to the next Stake Relief Society President if she desire to continue this activity. 

I'm happy that finally this activity was done and everyone was happy because they are bring home! I think the most important is that each sisters should be able to start building their 72 hours kit.