Saturday activity in Balamban - Branch 2

      A couple of weeks ago, Nini asked me if I would do her a favor. Of course, was my answer. "Would you come to our Relief Society activity on Saturday, the 18th of January, and teach us how to bake cookies?"
     "I'd love to. Is there an oven here at the church?" Nini answered, "No!" "Do you have an oven?" I asked. "No!" "Well, let me think about this," I said.

      That was when I began looking for some good recipes for no-bake cookies. During that same conversation, Will asked, "Well, hey, the Priesthood wants to come to. Could your husband teach us how to weave a tray?"
      The next Sunday, she announced in Sunday School that we would be meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday for a combined Priesthood and Relief Society activity. I asked how many women might be there. She had no idea - maybe 20. That seemed pretty high to me, but yesterday I took enough ingredients for 20 women to make no-bake cookies. Luckily, the mission home had a portable hot plate I could use.

Here is Nini meeting us at the church. 

She is holding the weaving material for the trays.

The men met in one corner of the Relief Society room, 

and the sisters met on the other side.

After a demo and  taste test, the women got busy making cookies.

They clearly are already good cooks, but I think they enjoyed the socialization 

with one another, and the sweets to take home to their families. 

We had a fine turnout.

Sister Sawyer, Nini, and Sister Hutchings are in the left hand corner at the back. 

Cherry is on the front row at the left.

 

      During the week last week, Sister Schmutz allowed us to go through some clothes boxes that had been sent to the mission. We are aware of the ages and sizes of Cherry's children. So we took three blankets, and two boxes of clothes to Cherry to see if she could use them. As she removed each item from the box, she would hold it up and say some child's name. She was crying and so very appreciative. This service was such a pleasure to give. 

The Priesthood's project was equally as fun, and definitely more challenging than the cookie making.

What looks like a simple plate or tray is very intricate to make; an involved process.

Nini's husband is a master. 

 Here is Will, laying out his reeds for his tray.

       Brother Pontierare ended up giving Elder Sommerfeldt the demo tray, telling him how to trim off the reeds at the bottom, so he could finish up the project. 

We will never look at one of these woven baskets or trays quite the same way again.
This tray was given to us by Nini and her husband the night of Cherry's baptism.