My Crochet Mission
We were asked to help in Rodez,
but it was a mystery what would help this small branch.
The first obvious challenge was four rowdy toddlers from two families
who ran nonstop through the small chapel all during the meeting,
banging their toys and shouting.
Some branch members complained and others just stayed away.
It occurred to me they could at least have quiet toys
and I could help occupy them on my lap.
So I set to work researching toys and crocheting them.
The happy and grumpy faces are both on the same toy
when turned inside-out.
But instead of the loose babies which could be thrown around and lost,
I made them all attached to the mother.
And they still can be matched up to find pairs of twins.
This is an interactive toy called a popper,
except the pops are silent as you turn them inside-out
except the pops are silent as you turn them inside-out
These pieces fit together to form a ball
But it's a little tricky, like a puzzle.
This is a vase of flowers
and it also turns into a little girl
and it also turns into a little girl
It took awhile to make friends with the rambunctious kiddos
but they now look for the bag of toys each week.
The children are still just as active,
throwing toys and fighting over them,
but now their toys are silent instead of clattering on the tile floor!
The children are still just as active,
throwing toys and fighting over them,
but now their toys are silent instead of clattering on the tile floor!
For the branch Christmas party
I was asked to donate crocheted items for the gift exchange.
Last month I was asked to help make bowties for another ward's Primary,
that the children wore for their Sacrament Meeting program.
that the children wore for their Sacrament Meeting program.
I made 6 green and 6 red -- and that's just for the boys.
This is a big Primary!
These slippers have come in handy for RS gifts
to some dear sisters in the Rodez Branch:
to some dear sisters in the Rodez Branch:
My biggest project so far is this quilt block blanket,
that I worked on while listening
to conference talks and studying French.
And this one is still underway:
that I worked on while listening
to conference talks and studying French.
It helps to keep my hands busy while concentrating!
And one more note about crocheting:
A long-running study from the University of Helsinki found that women who regularly engage in traditional “grandma hobbies” such as knitting, sewing, crocheting, and gardening tend to live up to eight years longer on average.
These activities help calm the nervous system by lowering stress and promoting a meditative, focused state through repetitive movement.
They also build confidence by creating a sense of purpose, routine, and visible accomplishment.
Mentally, such hobbies keep the brain active, supporting memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility as women age.
Together, these effects show that simple, creative pastimes can be deeply therapeutic, emotionally grounding, and beneficial for long-term health.
Church History Moments
Here is a story about a woman who also valued the contribution of children:
Valerie Triplet grew up as a Catholic, with a Catholic mother and a Latter-day Saint father. She said she knew all about St Vincent and St Francis, but little about God or Jesus. Her parents did not discuss religion, but her father mentioned religious concepts a few times over the years. When she was 15 she asked to go to church with him, and he introduced her to the sister missionaries. He told her she could talk to them without interference from him. Valerie told the missionaries she wanted to learn about the church as long as they agreed not to talk about baptism.
She continued through the missionaries’ lessons and was especially touched by Joseph Smith’s first vision. She felt unusually strong emotions as she learned more about the plan of salvation, feeling that it answered questions she didn’t even realize she had. When she was 16, she asked to be baptized. Her testimony was strong and continued to grow throughout her life.
Valerie was an excellent student and planned many different career paths, as a writer, a naval officer, a historian, a researcher and an archeologist. At the BYU-Jerusalem Center she met Hugh Nibley who influenced her research. While working on her master’s degree she met a medical student Hikombo Hitoto, at a church New Years Eve party, and fell in love. They married when they were both 27.
Although she had many career plans and never wanted to be a stay-at-home mother, they ended up having 6 children. She said, “the moment my first baby was placed in my arms, an immeasurable love overwhelmed me along with a certainty: I was born to be a mother.” She devoted her time to her husband and children.
Over the years she went back to writing now and then, and when her youngest was two, she published a book about Noah, which is a philosophical tale for young readers.
She continues to write books aimed at youth, and is a popular speaker at FSY. She also continues to support her husband who is a busy doctor, was President of the Paris South Stake, and in 2026 was called as an Area Authority Seventy.
Story Source
Ulrich-Bichierri, O. and Euvrard, C. (2023). « Vous êtes les femmes qu’il a vues ! » Portraits de femmes de l’Église de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours en Europe francophone. (
Chapter 21 Valerie Triplet Hitoto
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