If you have any ideas for activities that have worked well for you and you would like to share it, please feel free to contact a member of the Stake Young Men's presidency and it may be added to this website.
Missionary Skills
Purpose
Develop skills for a more comfortable transition to missionary life
Description
There are so many skills a missionary needs, there could be an entire month dedicated to learning missionary skills. Call it Missionary Month or something. The first week’s activity could focus on things that are needed in the house such as proper cleaning, using appliances (the kind most likely to be found in a missionary apartment), keeping things stocked up. Go to someone’s house or apartment to practice washing dishes by hand, go over the use of basic appliances like a hot plate, toaster oven, or rice cooker in addition to regular appliances such as a stove, oven, blender, pressure cooker. Learn how to handle situations like no power or no water.
The second week’s activity could be to cover budget keeping, grocery shopping, and meal preparation in accordance to how a missionary would normally do such things. A missionary’s budget is usually as minimal as the mission can possibly make it. Plan for a week using a typical missionary’s budget. This might take the form of first sitting down to figure out how much money is available for gas, meals, and supplies then going out to a store to look at ads and shop as smart as possible.
The last week could be more social and gospel oriented. The quorum can learn about and practice conflict resolution, having a strong relationship with your companion, studying, conversing with strangers, and sharing the gospel.
Small Engine/Equipment Repair
Purpose
Learn how to maintain and repair useful equipment
Description
The most common pieces of small equipment they are likely to encounter are lawnmowers, trimmers, and pressure washers. Teach the difference between a 4 stroke and a 2 stroke engine. Because the most common issue of a piece of equipment not starting is usually a bad carburetor, start with teaching them how to clean or rebuild a carburetor. Have them take turns disassembling and reassembling the carburetor. If there is still time, cover valve lash and adjustment. There is not nearly enough time in a single activity to do an entire tear-down of an engine.
Money
Purpose
Learn about the prudent accumulation and use of money
Description
Bring in a professional who deals with money, an accountant is usually a good choice, to teach them about how to handle this critical resource. Start the lesson off with examples of the use of money in the scriptures and the Lord’s instruction on its use. Give scenarios where they have to set a realistic budget and use software to make things more efficient. Talk about how to wisely spend money to live within that budget (using coupons, not always buying name brand, buy used, waste not…). If there is time in the same week, discuss ways to make money and different ways to invest it. Talk about the parable of the talents and if you feel it is appropriate, give each young man a certain amount of money with the instruction to do their best to make that grow. Have them return and report in a month or at the end of the quarter what they were able to make with it. They can either keep their profits and return the money or use all that to have a party for the whole class.
Resources
Any people in the ward or stake that are professionals in finance and willing to give instruction, Matthew 25:14-30,, 2 Nephi 9:50-51, First Presidency Message in the Self-Relince workbook
Woodworking
Purpose
Learn a skill that can useful as well as therapeutic
Description
This would most likely need to take place over the course of a few weeks to be meaningful. Start with introducing the class to the many different tools (both hand and power) that are used in woodworking. Give them time to get used to handling things like saws, chisels, hand planers, hammers and nails, sawhorses, sandpaper, etc. Have the group choose a project they can either work on collectively or individually. You can choose to either complete this project using only hand tools or power tools. If you decide to use hand tools then the next week the class could begin the construction of their project if there was not enough time to start during this first lesson.
If you decide to teach and use power tools, this would take place the second week. Teach the proper use of drills and drivers, circular saw, miter saw, bandsaw, planer. Maybe stay away from having them use the table saw. The use of power tools could make the project go faster but add a level of danger. Great care should be taken or avoid power tools altogether depending on the abilities and maturity of the class.
Resources
Any people in the stake or ward who are proficient in woodworking and have a shop they can host such an activity
Event Planning
Purpose
Develop skills that will be useful in life and prepare them for leadership opportunities
Description
Guide the class members through the whole process of planning, executing, and reviewing an activity. Have them work together to plan an event of their own. This would be something larger than just an activity at their class level, but rather something that involves all the youth in their ward, their entire ward, or even something in the community.