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Question:

I need the wisdom and experience of other  Homemaking  Counselors  on the topic of sign up sheets for homemaking classes.

I have just recently been called as Homemaking counselor  after being  in Primary for almost 15 yrs.  One on my biggest problems with  Primary  was the feeling that you were not a part of RS.  Most times I didn't feel  like I knew what was really going on with Homemaking and other events.

I have started to go into Primary to make announcements about what we  are doing and then pass a sign up sheet around.  I do this once a  month--2 weeks before homemaking and then a reminder sheet is passed out  the Sunday before.( No announcements made.)

Now the the Primary Pres.  is asking that we come on a particular  Sunday which can sometimes be the Sunday before and no passing a sign up sheet around.  It is to be left on a table where the teachers can sign up  for classes.  It works in theory but not in reality.  She would prefer  that we don't even make an announcement but just leave the example projects on the table in the Primary room.  We had only 2 sisters sign  up for Homemaking when normally 6 or 7 sign up.

There are about 17 sisters serving in Primary.  Quite a large group of  sisters and I am concerned that they will really miss out.   Has anyone  else come up with this kind of problem and how did you handle it?

PS.  Young women leaders feel the same way the Primary does.  This time  is for the children and it is a waste of  their time to hear  announcements made for the adults.

Elaine,

I agree that your best hope is to prayerfully speak with the primary and YW presidents or have your president speak with them and share with them why it is important that the sign-up sheets be passed to each sister.  It sounds like they need to catch the spirit of the purpose for them.

Over the last year I have really come to understand the importance of the sign-up sheet.  I have one every month even though some month's classes don't really need them.  The sign-up sheet is a way to commit the sisters to attend Homemaking meeting.

We have always had higher attendance when we pass one around than when we don't.  This past Sunday we tried just putting the signup sheet on the table by our display instead of passing it around during RS.  No one signed up.  I guess we won't do that again.  I think that maybe passing the list allows the sisters a chance to hold it in their laps a bit and contemplate what they'd really like to do.

Always having the signup sheet also helps us to get an approximate count for refreshment and handout planning.  Other ways to help include the primary and YW's leaders would be to make sure that homemaking is included in the ward bulletin and any newsletters--ward or RS.  Then when you have reminders for homemaking put each individual sister's names on them for the sisters serving in Primary and YW's.

Donya Maryland

I was bothered by the Primary President who wanted "her" teachers to focus only on Primary.  How sad!  We're ALWAYS members of RS whether we teach in Primary, YW or anywhere else.  I think maybe that Primary President needs to be set straight.

When I served in Primary, I was glad to have the opportunity to visit with the "big girls" on Homemaking Night, but I did see some sisters who felt a little out of the loop because they did not see all the sisters every Sunday.  If they came, they would stay to themselves.  The solution in our ward has been to assign them things to do at Homemaking (help with food, teach a class, etc.) and then to make extra sure they were drawn in by the other sisters when they came.

The attendance is better now and the Primary workers are happier to be there. Now, there's my two cents' worth too!  ;) Vickie

It doesn't solve the problem of your signup sheets,  but the feedback was very positive from all the sisters and there were  comments like they felt part of RS again!      For the sisters on Stake, I used to either post or hand deliver the  announcements (together with an overview of the lesson, which all the  sisters out of RS got) to their homes - there was so much positive feedback  from this also.

I found out from experience not to give to their husbands,  as often the sisters would not get their announcements until I asked the  Priesthood whether they had given their wives their letters! Ü

Re: the above suggestion:

It really is the best way.  I have been serving in the Primary for about 18 years, and rarely go to homemaking.  My "excuse" has been that by the time I get home from work I was too tired, except I only worked the past 3 years, so not a very good excuse for the other 15!

It is true that those of us in Primary often feel "disconnected" from RS.

It is also true that there is so much  to do in such a short time in Primary that taking away from that time for teacher announcements seems to be counterproductive.  Especially so if reverence is a problem a primary  is trying to get a handle on (which is most of the time, I'm afraid) and giving the focus to something other than Primary, no matter for how short  a time, it enough to get the kids off task.

Each Primary teacher receives a role for her class that usually contains the announcements, etc.  Any handouts given out in RS could be put into the teacher's role book.  This would also help because the male Primary teachers would not have to get them.

Also, as was stated, there are usually less than 20 women to contact.

Could there be a person from RS called as a special calling to "minister" to the Primary and Young Women sisters?  They could function as the "link " to RS for the other auxiliaries, contacting the sisters individually by phone or mail or even in the hallway between meetings to let them know of what is happening in RS, passing along any lesson handouts that the rest  of the RS sisters have been given by the teacher of the lesson that day, what is going on for homemaking that month, special events such as RS birthday party, VT workshops, special weekend programs, special broadcasts, etc.

I agree that putting a signup sheet on a table is not effective.  First and foremost, because before Primary I am busy getting myself prepared, mentally and physically, for being the very best Primary teacher I can be.

My first goal is to instill a love of the gospel and the desire to live b y its teachings to the children for whom I am responsible.  After Primary,  I am cleaning up, putting away chairs, etc., etc., and just don't get around d to it.  Second, there is very often not anything I am interested in signing up for.  I am not a "craft" person, nor do I enjoy cooking.  If I do go,  it is usually if there is a book discussion of a book I am interested in, or

if it has been suggested I don't have to go to a class, but can bring a project I may be working on at home.

Of course, all this will change next Sunday, because I have just been called to work in RS.  I am very nervous about this, and feel as though "someone" has made a mistake (I only moved to this state and this ward 1 month ago....I don't know anyone here yet!) but have been assured that the e calling is an "inspired" one, and HE doesn't make those kinds of mistakes !! <grin!

Once I have been sustained, I will officially introduce myself to the list and then beg for lots of help!

Meanwhile, since this topic is one that is near and dear to my heart, I could not help responding with the "other" point of view.  Especially sin ce I am about to face the same problem <grin!

Anyway, here is something that worked for me but you have to be quick.  When sacrament meeting ended, I my HL and I would go over and stand by the Primary doors holding a clipboard and ad each sister if they'd like to sign up for homemaking.

It's helpful if you have called them prior to fill them in on the details of  what's happening.  That was for the face to face contact.

Another thing I've tried---and the sisters seemed to love, was I set up one of my phone mail boxes as a Homemaking voicemail.  It kind of went like this.

Hi.  You have reached the Homemaking Hotline for the SP7 Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS.  The Theme for this month is..  The following classes will be offered...  Our Food Storage Spotlight will be...  Please press 1 to sign up for your favorite class.  Please press 2 if you have a HM idea that you would love to teach or would love to have taught.  EASY.  put the phone number in the Sunday Bulletin--on flyers--little magnetized business cards...get the sisters to learn it.  It worked.  Our numbers went from 10-12 (when I was put in) to around 40 when I was released.  Cool, huh?