Latter-day Saint Youth: Ward/Stake Activities

Welcome!

The activities described on this page have been successfully used by Young Men/Young Women groups in wards and stakes. You may download the materials on this page and use them with your own youth family history program. Note : These activities are provided or referenced by The Family History Guide Association, not by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"The youth need to be anxiously engaged in this work right now. They will help identify things to do—ways of accomplishing this work that majestically move this work all over the earth. Please do not underestimate what those Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Young Women classes can accomplish. When the Elders quorums, Relief Societies, Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Young Women classes are 'laser-beam singularly focused' on the work of salvation, the miracles that occur in the advancement of this work in the earth will be astronomical."
David A. Bednar Temple and Family History Leadership, RootsTech 2020

Check out this article to get started: Help light the temple and family history fire (the Spirit of Elijah) in your ward.

Rockin' the 50's

This activity is a fun way to celebrate family connections, go "back in time" to see what life was like in the 50's, discover tools to learn about our ancestors (including the 1950 census), enjoy gathering as a ward or stake, and have a blast! See the adaptable instructions here: Rockin' the 50's!

Participants will rotate through booths and use a check-off chart to show what discoveries they have made. At the conclusion they get a treat at "Grandma's Diner." The discoveries could include:

Finding your family in the 1950 U.S. census using FamilySearch
1950 U.S. census with FamilySearch
Get Involved app
Record-A-Story (FamilySearch)
FamilySearch Family Tree and Memories apps

Throw in some 1950's fun such as a hula hoop contest, coloring for kids, 50's look-alike contest, karaoke, a sock hop, a 50's board game, and a photo booth, and you have the makings of a night the entire ward can "rock!"

Crack the Case

This is a family history mystery by the ward youth, for their parents (siblings could also be invited). This activity is co-sponsored by the youth and the Temple and Family History committee. Beware—it is a highly detailed strategy for solving even the toughest family mysteries.

See this document for "top-secret" instructions and ideas to help crack the case. You've got this!

5 Minutes of Family History, 21 Consecutive Days

Youth consultants and class presidencies can help enlist the entire ward in a challenge to do five minutes of family history for 21 consecutive days. This is a great activity for individuals or for those who want to "group up."

See this article for a list of over 50 five-minute activities from which to choose, and explore ideas for invitations and resources. The article also provides examples from a ward who carried out this activity. The list of five-minute activities is also located in The Family History Guide here.
See also the 21 Day Family Family Connections Experiment. Select from a variety of plans or create your own using the Idea Generator. You can also visit their Facebook page and Facebook group.

"Fast Friendship" Senior and Youth Dinner, Story Sharing, and Follow-up

Plan a "Fast Friendship" dinner and activity for the seniors in your ward. After dinner (youth serve the seniors), arrange rows of chairs facing each other and have the youth ask family history questions (rotating through by moving to a new chair in order) until each youth has chatted with each senior. See #52Stories Printables for question suggestions and print them for each youth. Later in the year, you could also do a follow-up dinner (or lunch) and record the seniors' stories using the #52Stories Printables. Leaders and youth go into separate classrooms of the building to record. Record on the interviewee's device if possible. If not, download from your device and share the recording with the senior or his or her family.

Sharing Memories

During a ward event or at a special activity, invite those in attendance to share a memory (and gather memories those who can't attend). One ward did this at a Christmas party. These can be recorded, collected and printed with permission.

Redeem The Dead

Plan a stake or ward "carnival" with booths (areas or rooms) that participants will rotate through. These could include indexing, finding clues in an "escape room," recording family history stories, eating strange foods you may encounter as a missionary, viewing a video about how family history helped a young man overcome his addiction to pornography, signing a "Youth Battalion" flag, signing up for a FamilySearch account, and more.

When each station's activity is completed (as many times as desired), the youth receive a ticket to exchange for food or to get a friend out of "spirit prison." Check out more details in this Come, Follow Me Companion for family history lesson (scroll down to Youth Activities).

Senior Dinner - "A Night To Remember"

"A Night to Remember" is designed to recognize the seniors in a ward, to help them feel remembered while recalling and recording their own memories. Along with that, it's a great way for the youth to get to know them and their stories. To remember those in the ward who have passed on, you can make a photo display. The theme of the evening can center around "The 50s," including music and decor from that period. The youth can prepare the food and act as the servers. During the evening, youth can ask the seniors to fill out forms with their names, dates, events, and comments. The timeline can be displayed and more events added to it at an additional ward event. The recorded events can also be preserved on FamilySearch Memories.

See photos of one ward's "A Night to Remember" event here.

Mission Possible

This activity is a series of "missions" that youth can complete to build skills and knowledge of temple and family history work.

Temple and Family History Mission Possible Activity Instructions has a sheet that details the information for the activity and has a picture of the packet.
Mission Possible Manila Envelope Label is a sheet for printing Avery labels, four 4 per page (Avery Template 5168, 5"x 3 1/2" shipping labels). One of these is placed on the outside of the manila envelope.
Mission Possible - 7 Missions contains each mission, formatted as two per page in color. Print these on 8x11-in. sheets of paper.

Scavenger Hunt

Enjoy this fun scavenger hunt with a family history twist, adapted from the FamilySearch activity.

Scavenger Hunt Intro Letter is an example of a letter that can be sent out in advance to help youth prepare for the activity.
Scavenger Hunt Instructions shows a program that leaders can use to conduct the activity.
Scavenger Hunt Form is the FamilySearch document with the items to search for.

Ordinances Ready

This activity can be taught by Youth Temple and Family History Consultants or leaders. After finding names through Ordinances Ready, you can use the CARD system: (Interview your ancestor before doing temple work): C=Correct and complete vital information; A=Analyze family relationships; R=Review Sources; D=Duplicates should be resolved. Each youth receives a card with the CARD info on it.

Ordinances Ready Outline shows a program that leaders can use to conduct the activity.
Ordinances Ready Instructions has steps for learning and using Ordinances Ready.
Ordinances Ready Interview has stickers that show the CARD steps.

Youth Family History Boot Camp

This three-day Youth Family History Boot Camp is a great way to get youth immersed in family history while working with each other to solve problems and share achievements. Note: The Mission Possible activities above can also be included in the Boot Camp.

Boot Camp Schedule—You may want to include at least one or two youth helping at each scheduled rotation in the camp.
Instructions—You can use these ideas in organizing your Boot Camp activities. There are links to materials and additional tips in this document.

The Family History Sharing Basket

This activity is adapted from The Family History Fun Basket which is the first activity listed in the Family Activities Section of The Family History Guide (F1-01). It can be specifically tailored to your group - small or large. With almost no prep, this activity can easily be ready when you are!

Select questions or activities that would work for your group and write each one on a separate slip of paper and place them in a basket.
If your group is small, take turns drawing from the basket and answering the question or leading the activity.
If your group is large (this activity has been done in conferences with hundreds of people in attendance), ask for three or four volunteers to come to the front to draw from the basket. Each will now have a slip of paper and take his or her turn to answer the question or lead the activity. Extend participation after each question from the basket by asking the audience to “pair and share” by turning to someone sitting close and asking the same question. Allow enough time for conversation, and then move on to the next person (up front) who will draw from the basket.
See this printable list of questions and activities.

Ward and Stake Activities

These resources are for adult and youth leaders to plan and carry out family history activities in wards and stakes.