Acheivement Days

Hailey, Kinzlee, Lizzy, Clair, Jessica and Emily

I have 6 Achievement Day girls that come to my house twice a month. These girls are 8-9 yr. olds. They take the school bus to my house and we have an activity that has to do with talents, service, and the gospel. Today we went to the Nursing Home to bring the nurses Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies for their hard work and to visit with the residents. I would have liked to take a picture of the girls with some of the residents, but that isn't allowed. They enjoyed visiting with the ladies. One little lady yelled, "Help me, help me...." and wouldn't let go of my hand, that scared them a little. For the most part their visit brought wonderful smiles to the residents. Their heads came up slowly, their eyes brightened and their hands reached out to them. They called them, "Angels". We talked about the importance of remembering the elderly and treating them kindly.

The nurses were excited for the cookies. I thought of letting the girls help me make the cookies, but the thought of 6 little chattering girls helping me wasn't appealing. Sometimes we can hardly get through the activity because they have so much to tell me.

For our last activity we wrote letters to someone that we respected and appreciated. While the girls were struggling with what to write and after a few sentences asking if they had written enough Clair was busily writing and drawing all over her paper. Clair was very secretive about her letter and wouldn't leave it with me to mail with the other letters. A few days later I checked our mailbox and found her pink letter in there addressed to me. It touched my heart. Her Grandmother brought her to our first activity. She was so scared and shy that she didn't want to come, so her grandmother asked if she could stay with Clair for the activity. That was 2 months ago. It made me so happy to know that she was enjoying achievement days and most of all that she called me her "friend". The first time Jessica came she was clinging to her mother's arm so tightly that she was hurting her mother. When the girls and I first started meeting I think I was as nervous as they were. Sister Flynn (their leader before me) had been doing such a wonderful job of building their testimonies, developing their talents and providing them opportunity to serve, I thought, "There is no way I can follow in this reverent, loving, gentle sister's footsteps". They love her so much and were so concerned for her when they knew she had gotten cancer. They loved when we secretly planted flowers in her flower bed while she was out of town for a Dr. appointment. Now they look forward to coming. When they see me park the postal truck by their school playground they all come running over to say hi "Sister Mills". I am grateful for this calling and the opportunity to serve these little girls who have become my friends.