Crystal Springs Ward Relief Society ‘Gathers Their Pods’ for evening of fun, friendship and fellowship

Laughter echoed throughout the Crystal Springs Ward meeting house Thursday evening as ward members and community friends gathered for a “Gather Your Pods” activity hosted by the Crystal Springs Ward Relief Society.

As part of a new effort to strengthen friendships and encourage service, women were organized into pods of six to eight participants from the ward and community. The pods created by the Crystal Springs Ward Relief Society presidency are designed to help women support one another through continual companionship, helping with children, rides to appointments, meals, service and friendship. Each pod has a leader who shares information through a group text while encouraging members to stay connected and care for one another.

“We really want to encourage service, love, friendship and fun to enhance the lives of women within our community and help make life simpler by knowing no one is alone,” said Relief Society President Milly Walch.

The evening centered on the theme “We Are All Different, But in These Pods We Swim Together,” reminding participants that although everyone is different, they become stronger by serving and supporting one another.

The event was organized by the newly formed Crystal Springs Ward Activities Committee, consisting of Deanna Miller, Missy Lasike and McKenzie Mathews.

The committee transformed the cultural hall into an underwater escape with blue tablecloths, ocean-themed decorations and sparkling blue punch. Guests enjoyed a build-your-own taco salad dinner before participating in a variety of games designed to encourage teamwork, conversation and laughter.

Each table, assigned by the pod number, had women using tiny skewer fishing poles with colorful paper fish containing icebreaker questions about favorite foods, hobbies, music, temples and more. Pods also competed in relay races, potato-peeling contests and other lighthearted challenges. One humorous surprise came when women who selected the word “longest” stepped forward only to discover they were competing for the longest leg hair, sending the room into laughter.

At the end of the evening, members of the winning Pod No. 11 proudly wore gold-medal Twix bars around their necks, while second-place Pod No. 9 also received Twix medals.