Candle Dipping
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Before the candle dipping activity, discuss the following ideas: When candle makers dip candles, the first dips are not very noticeable. But each dip of the candle holds more wax and slowly a candle emerges and takes shape. Each experience that a girl has in the young Women's program puts more "wax" on to her candle and by the end of 6 years, there is a beautiful, well tapered Young Woman 'candle'.

Waxing experiences in the Young Women's program include helping with service projects, going to New Beginnings, Sunday lessons, completing Personal Progress value experiences, going to a youth conference, doing baptisms for the dead, paying tithing, saying personal prayers, reading the scriptures daily, etc.

At the end of her years in the Young Women's program, a girl has truly 'waxed' strong and has a light from within that will provide a light for others. The difference between a 'waxed' beehive and a 'waxed' Laurel is only that the Laurel has experienced more 'dips' into the Young Women experience than the Beehives.

You might want the girls to read and underline Psalms 18:28 and 3 Nephi 18:24.

The candle making process is very simple. Put a large metal juice can in an electric frying pan. Add 2 inches of water. Put paraffin wax in the can and melt it over low heat to a liquid. You can put pieces of old crayons in for coloring.

Have another large juice can filled with water nearby. Use a wick out of 100% cotton twine or twill so that the wick will burn when lit. Cut a piece to the desired length, making sure it is not longer than the depth of the can holding the wax.

Slowly submerge the string into the wax and then into the water. Go back and forth until the candle is the desired thickness. When finished, you may roll it on a table to make it smoother. Press the bottom of the candle on the table to flatten it. The first few times you dip, the string will curl, so run the waxed string through your fingers to straighten it.

If you want to be adventuresome, dip one wick end in the wax and then the other end to create two candles on one wick that can hang from a hook as a decoration.

(Note: You can purchase the wax in a grocery store and it will be much cheaper than getting it at a craft store. You can buy 'real' candle making supplies from a craft store, but that is expensive. The only thing that you might want to get from a craft store is the wick.)