The Little Red Hen’s New Call with A Chicken Soup Visiting Teaching Conference
We decorated in a chicken/barnyard theme (easier than I thought it would be. I was surprised by the number of people who had “chicken” things!)
We enlarged cute animal heads for the skit characters to wear around their necks and we all waited in the hallway for our “cue” to enter. The sisters chuckled every time a new character entered the RS room. We really hammed it up and had fun with it – but it makes some great points and I could see sisters nodding their heads.
Then, just for fun, we followed that with a silly song “Called to Serve – Soup!”. Some of the sisters wore aprons and all of us waved wooden spoons or ladles around as we sang. Then we began to get serious.
We had great talks and a beautiful musical number. Then the highlight of our conference is always listening to several sisters we have prayerfully (and previously) invited to bear their testimonies of visiting teaching.
At the very end, I read our selected scripture and reminded the sisters that we had been commanded to watch over each other and that Visiting Teaching was the way the Lord had prepared for us so we could accomplish that. I invited them to join with Nephi and the Little Red Hen by saying “I will”.
We served croissants and chicken salad as light refreshments and sent the sisters home with a jar of “Friendship Soup” mix.
Visiting Teaching Conference Program October 29, 2000″
. . . I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments. . .save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” I Nephi 3:7
Opening song: #223
Opening prayer: As announced
Skit: Little Red Hen
Musical Number: “Called to Serve – Soup!” by the Auxiliary Presidencies
Taking Stock – “The importance of visiting teaching”
Follow the Recipe – “The ‘ingredients’ of a good visiting teacher”
Fried, Fricasseed and Frazzled – “Overcoming the Challenges of Visiting Teaching”
Musical Number: “My Sister’s Hands” M’mm, M’mm, Good –
Invited testimonies
Closing song: #270
Closing prayer: As announced
FRIENDSHIP SOUP MIX
(The original recipe is below. The jars distributed at the VT workshop were pint jars, so the amounts were halved. We used extra rice in place of barley and the instructions called for additional water rather than diced tomatoes.)
½ cup dry split peas
⅓ cup beef bouillon
¼ cup pearl barley
½ cup dry lentils
¼ cup dried minced onion
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
½ cup uncooked long grain rice – brown
½ cup alphabet macaroni
1. Layer the above ingredients in a quart jar in that order.
2. When ready to prepare, carefully remove macaroni from top of jar and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, brown 1 lb hamburger and drain.
4. Add 7 cups water, 1 can diced tomatoes and soup mix, then bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the reserved macaroni. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until macaroni, peas, lentils and barley are tender.
The Little Red Hens’ New Call
NARRATOR:
(dressed in work overalls, wearing a straw hat, holding a piece of wheat between fingers, red bandana around her neck freckles on her checks. She comes walking into the Relief Society Room picks up the book “Little Red Hens’ New Call, opens the book. The following part is inside the book and she reads . . . .)
Once upon a time in a barnyard not too far from here, lived a little red hen. She served as the ward homemaking leader. (This was way before this Home, Family and Personal Enrichment stuff!) Anyway, back to the story. The Little Red Hen tried to hold a mini class on wheat gardening and bread making. You all remember what a disaster that was. She ended up doing everything all by herself !! Well she has just received a new call as the Relief Society President. Today she has decided to reorganize visiting teaching. Oh, look who’s here, Sister Little Herself.
LITTLE RED HEN:
BOK, BOK, BOK, BOK! Who will help me do this visiting teaching?
DUCK:
(WALKING FAST) Quack, Quack! Not I, not I! My goodness, with 8 ducklings to take care of, I have swim team, quacking lessons and waddling classes for all 8 of them. I have one ugly duckling and I’m working on his self esteem. I’m exhausted all the time. Oh, and please don’t send Sister Cow to visit me, I’m afraid she’ll step on one of my children.
LITTLE RED HEN:
Who will help me do this visiting teaching??
COW:
MOOOOOOOO! Not I, not I! I’ve been visiting Sister Duck but with all those ducklings running around everywhere and all that quacking, my nerves just can’t take it. I don’t want to visit her.
LITTLE RED HEN:
Who will help me do this visiting teaching??
PIG:
OINK, OINK , OINK! Not I, not I!. I’ve been visiting Sister Goat and she’s always in the dumps. She’s depressed about everything, it’s just no fun to visit her.
LITTLE RED HEN:
Then who will help me do this visiting teaching??
GOAT:
BLAAAAA! Oh not I! Sister Sheep is my companion. She takes no initiative to make appointments or give the lesson, she just follows me around. I need someone with more enthusiasm.
SHEEP:
BAAAAAA! Not I either, Little Red Hen. I don’t really think visiting teaching is that important and besides, Sister Goat so sooooo bossy!
LITTLE RED HEN:
WHO WILL HELP ME DO THIS VISITING TEACHING?????
DOG:
WOOF, WOOF! Not I, not I!. I visit Sister Cat and her immaculate home intimidates me. I’m afraid I’ll leave a paw print somewhere. Besides, she seems a little aloof.
CAT:
MEOWWWWWW! Oh not I! I do fine all on my own – I don’t even need visiting teachers. Especially Sister Dog, she scares me.
LITTLE RED HEN:
(The farmer is played by the Bishop, dressed in overalls, straw hat, holding a piece of wheat between his fingers , and scriptures , when called he comes walking into the Relief Society room)
Farmer Shumway, Farmer Shumway!!! Whatever shall I do? I just know I can’t do all this visiting teaching by myself!! ( STARTS TO CRY.)
FARMER SHUMWAY:
Now, now Sister Little. Let me talk to the Sisters: Sisters, as your barnyard leader, I want to remind you about the time Sister Little asked you to help her make bread. Remember how you all had some “IMPORTANT” reason why you couldn’t help her? You all missed out on the blessing of her delicious baking. Remember how you felt when you smelled the bread baking and as you watched Sister Little and her chicks eat all of that warm yummy wheat bread?
Why this is the very same thing. You will all miss out on the blessings of visiting teaching and you will miss having made some wonderful new friends. Now then, who will help Sister Little do the visiting teaching?
COW:
I will, Farmer Shumway. Perhaps I could watch Sister Ducks’ ducklings at the pond and give her an hour to herself.
PIG:
I will! Maybe all Sister Goat needs is friend. Someone to listen to her. And I can bring her a cheerful message each month.
GOAT:
I will! Perhaps I was a bit hasty, don’t change Sister Sheep and I yet.
SHEEP:
I will! I’m sure there is a lot I can learn from Sister Goat.
DOG:
I will! This is the first time I’ve heard that I scare Sister Cat. All this time I thought she just didn’t like me.
CAT:
Maybe I misjudged Sister Dog – and even independent cats can use another friend.
LITTLE RED HEN:
Oh thank you, dear sisters! I know if we all do our part we can watch over each other and not one of our Sisters will be without a friend.
NARRATOR:
So, the sisters were faithful in their visiting teaching, and unity and peace filled the barnyard – until the day Chicken Little got hit on the head. But that’s another story! The End.
Called to Serve – Soup!
(to the tune of “Called to Serve”)
Visiting teachers – called to serve each other;
as His servants, in His path we’ll troop.
We’re His daughters, rain and snow won’t stop us,
Serving with our pots of soup.
Here’s our motto, “Charity never faileth”.
Visiting teachers – what a glorious group!
We heal hearts and make eternal friendships all with just a pot of soup!
Chorus:
Broccoli, Chicken noodle, fill your tummy, cure the croup.
Chili, bean and bacon, If you’re hurt and you can’t stoop.
Gumbo, Minestrone, If your spirits tend to droop,
Pour your heart and soul into His work and make a pot of soup!