Make a Die with sides that say:

1) Left turn, go l blk

2) Left turn, go 2 blks

3) Right turn, go 1 blk

4) Right turn, go 2 blks

5) Straight

6) Free Choice

I made a dice from a square gift box that I had laying around the house. I took pastel colored paper and cut it to fit the six sides with the different directions written on them and then glued them to the sides, the main reason I used the colored paper was because I goofed the writing on the box, so this is optional. It was nice because it was a colorful dice. You could also use regular dice with a code sheet saying if you rolled a six what direction to go-anyway you thinks is easiest.

Since we don't live close to a temple we pretended that the church building was a temple. We started at our city park just down the street and followed the directions on the dice. I told the girls we our goal was to get to the temple and we needed to follow the directions that the dice gave us. Several times we came really close to the "temple" but then the dice would lead us away again. We ended up way outside of town.

When we got back to the church I told the girls that I hope that they would set a goal to go to the temple and do all in their power to plan now to get there and not to be followed by the beckoning voices of the world. I then gave them a little card with the following saying and a game dice hot glued to it:

You need to plan and map out your plans to get to the temple. You can't just leave it to the whims and fate of life. If you don't know where you are going and how to get there, its like throwing the dice and leaving it to chance. AND...you can't wait until you are at a crossroads to make a decision. The decision needs to be made well ahead of time so that when you get there you know just which way to turn!

Some thoughts from Sue in San Diego

"We did a temple activity several months ago that was entirely based on the preparation part of temple marriage. If your temple is close by, you could do this the same way that we did, and if not, you can use the Church building as your destination.

To begin, we met at a place near the temple, where the spires and everything were in sight but we were still a short distance away. We divided the Laurels into groups and gave each of them a die (singular for dice, I think!) and a "key" for the directions their driver would go based upon the roll of the dice (1=Drive straight ahead 3 blocks, 2=Turn right and drive ahead 1 block, etc.). We told them they had 10 minutes to try and get to the temple grounds where we would meet again.

After all drivers arrived at the temple...of their own accord since the dice didn't get them there...we met in one of the sitting areas and talked about the importance of making choices that would prepare them for temple marriage vs. the risk of leaving a goal as important as temple marriage to chance or "the roll of the dice."

After that, we handed out pretty stationary and pens and had them separate from one another to write a letter to their future husband, telling them what they're doing TODAY to prepare for their temple marriage. They sealed the letters in envelopes and gave them to me. I told them I would mail them back in the future when I received their wedding announcement so that they could share their letter with their future spouse, telling him what they'd done to keep themselves worthy to enter the temple. ( We decided that if a temple marriage isn't part of their plans at that point, they can choose to do what they want with the letter.)

We concluded by giving each of them a white satin hanger with the "Temple Hanger" poem attached. It was a wonderful, spiritual evening, and I liked the fact that it focused on the preparation of the YW, not just another "this is the kind of man I want to marry" activity...which is also good, but doesn't address the preparation required of the YW. This is less formal than your
previously planned activity, but it's a good temple prep activity, just the same.

Carissa suggested:

You could hand out the candy bars at the beginning and ask them not to eat them or even when you arrive at the temple - let them write their letters, then talk about the candy bar while on the temple grounds????????? Have fun tonight!!

Another successful experience from Shauna

I read the post about the dice game and thought it was great. We did this years ago but instead of using dice we used a coin. You have 20 minutes to find your way to the temple. (Even if you get there if it is before your 20 minutes you have to keep going) At each light or stop sign you flip the coin and heads you go left and tails you go right.

Vicki B. Wright wrote a poem to go with it.

So many paths, so many doors,
And choices all around.
Eternity, the perfect goal,
Is earned and not just found.
Call "Heads or Tails" while in the air,
The coin toss helps you choose.
Yet if you make your choice like this,
You'll be the one to lose.
Just stay along the narrow road,
And keep your choices straight.
When planning for eternity!
Don't leave it up to fate!."

By Vicki B. Wright.

Jana Fail   janaf28@yahoo.com ( 9/9/04 - Sharing their Experience)

We recently did this as a YW combined activity and it turned out so cool. We met at the Gallivan Center downtown Salt Lake City and walked trying to get to temple square.  I made some "celestial" treats to go along with us as our refreshments. They were things like sweetharts and I attached a little saying to each one. Like "when you meet your sweetheart make sure he is temple worthy." etc.

When we got to temple square we all met by the reflecting pool and we talked about the temple. I had some of the girls share experiences from doing baptisms and one of the YW leaders shared her recent sealing to her husband and kids. As we were sitting there talking the sun was setting and the lights to the temple came on and several girls (mostly leaders) were crying. The spirit was so strong. We also gave white temple hankies as a handout.

M1L18 Index

Activities

Personal Progress