In response to your note with RS Community questions:

1) Activities of benefit: variety has seemed to be a big help in different wards I’ve been in, for example book group, volleyball or basketball, service projects in the community.

The three most memorable activities for me were:

1) we had a small activity about cake decorating, then sat and played games most of the night and just bonded as sisters.

2) there was a lesson about taking care of ourselves inside and out, then they had everyone (even the 80 year old women) get up and learn the electric slide–literally 30 women were up doing it by the end–and all seemed to have a good time and bond.

3) last year a woman in my ward won a Zen-walking lesson and donated it to the RS. I secretly made fun of the idea at first with my husband, and had no idea what it was. I don’t usually get to go to enrichment these days on evenings due to my work schedule, and as this one was 5:30am on a Saturday, I didn’t really have an excuse to not go. The activity was held at the beach at sunrise. It was one of the most calming and peaceful activities I have done in a long time, helped me develop such a further respect and appreciation for Middle-Eastern healing, and all of the sisters loved it and connected so much. We had fruit and yogurt at the end, and sat and talked there on the beach, with the rising sun and waves in the background. It was such a great experience, that since then I’ve gone back at sunrise again.

2) Humanitarian projects: quilt making, hygiene kits, (also, not a humanitarian project per se, but a fun one we did a while back when the Boston temple was being built was that we learned to crochet…and some people went on to crochet the lace for the altars)

3) Spiritual Experiences: For me, spiritual experiences have come, despite the activity, often when I’m touched by the spirit during a lesson or talk, ie. during Women’s Conference, but most often when I’m visiting with just one sister or small group of sisters, doing service, talking, confiding in each other, talking and pondering about gospel topics, etc.