Growing and Maturing in Self-Reliance - Part Two

This week's Young Women lesson is from Manual 1 Lesson 12 on Growing and Maturing in Self-Reliance - Part Two.

Here is the handout in jpg.

Here is the handout in PDF.

Growing and Maturing in Self-Reliance, Part One

This weeks lesson is on Growing and Maturing in Self-Reliance, Part One from the Young Women Manual 1, Lesson 11. Another worthy lesson for the young women.

Here is the handout in jpg.
Here is the handout in pdf.
Here are the Chalkboard Labels in pdf.

Supporting Family Members

The next Young Women lesson is from Manual 1, Lesson 10 on Supporting Family Members. I absolutely, LOVE the YW lessons and am so grateful for the many ways they have made sure to cover so many subjects so well. The handout this week is two sided so the class can write down their ideas and have a reference in order to keep their challenge.

Here is the handout in jpg.
Here is the handout in PDF.

Also, here is another little bonus. Chalkboard labels for discussing ways to support each family member.

Honoring Parents

The next Young Women lesson is from Manual 1 Lesson 9 and is about Honoring Parents. I look forward to this lesson and the accompanying handout....

Here it is in jpg
Here it is in pdf

Finding Joy Now

The Young Women Manual 1 Lesson 6 is on Finding Joy Now. I like the idea of teaching our YW to take responsibility for their own happiness and provide ways in which they can recognize the good things they have in their life already.

Below is a sample of the handout I made for this lesson. On the back are the two columns with the headings "Long-Range Happiness and Joy” and “Temporary Fun and Satisfaction" with lines for them to write on as directed in the lesson.

Here is the PDF version of this handout.

Finding Joy in Our Divine Potential

I don't teach next week, but I wanted to make a handout for the lesson. I love the personal message from the YW General Presidency given to the youth. I'm so glad I made this handout... I might keep one for myself! Here it is in PDF.

Seeking The Companionship of the Holy Ghost

The Young Women lesson from Manual 1, Lesson 4, is Seeking the Companionship of the Holy Ghost. If it hadn't been for some computer challenges, I would have had more to share that were recommended in the lesson. Maybe another time I will finish my plans. For now, here is the handout in PDF.

Following the Example of Jesus Christ

Marion G. Romney, in the September 1972, New Era article, "What Would Jesus Do" gave some terrific advise on how to make decisions according to the will of our Heavenly Father. Below is a handout for the Young Women Lesson 3, in Manual 1, Following the Example of Jesus Christ.

Here is the direct link.
Here is the handout in PDF.

Jesus Christ The Savior

This is the handout I made for the upcoming Young Women Lesson, Manual 1, Lesson 2, Jesus Christ The Savior .... I hope you enjoy it.

Here is the front
Here is the back
Here is the PDF version, front and back

A Daughter of God

Next week is the first Sunday of the year and how appropriate to begin with the understanding of our divine heritage.... A Daughter of God, with YW Lesson 1 from Manual 1. Here are the handouts that I've created for this lesson.

Here are the PDF versions, too. Version One. Version Two.

Here are the JPG versions. Version One. Version Two.

Avoiding Crisis Living

I love this lesson. Every week I enjoy reading, studying and preparing the YW lessons. I am reminded of just how inspired they are and am relieved that through this inspiration our leaders have thought of everything our youth need to be taught. This is one of those lessons I wish I could teach to many adults.

Here is the handout I prepared for this lesson and below is a blank version as a template for future YW handouts.

Associations With Others

I really like the Young Women Manual 3 Lesson 43 lesson about Associations With Others. This explains why we were not meant to be hermits or to give into shyness, etc. Here is the handout I created for this lesson.

Recently, I read a question asking if we could spend a lifetime of nothing but learning and reading without anybody else and simply devote our life to reading, and "understanding humanity on a more broader level than what the majority of people know?" I thought that a very bold and naive conclusion that we can only understand people by being away from them. I appreciated the answer one person gave...

"We do spend our life learning.... and living life in it's fullness still allows plenty of time for a lot of reading. It just takes less TV time.

The ONLY way to understand humanity on a more broader level IS to live with people, associate with them, and even better and more especially with your companion or soul mate.

It would be a gullible assumption to think that one can understand better than the majority through isolation and books. It takes a well-rounded education and experiences to obtain that which you have described. A great objective, none-the-less, and one that we should all be striving is to understand more about each other and to immerse ourselves in good books where we can draw from the experiences of other folks to help enhance our own understanding and personal growth."

Lesson 41 Being Dependable

Today's lesson was on Being Dependable. We had opening exercises in Relief Society then we all went to the YW room. We had three young women, a very small class. So, rather than splitting the classes we met together. Our plan worked perfectly. In fact, it worked too perfectly. We walked into the room and I announced that since we were meeting together today Sis. D. would be teaching. Well, Sis. D., the advisor, wasn't scheduled to teach until Fast Sunday's. So, it was easy for her to say she wasn't prepared. Oh, NO! Whose teaching?! I looked around at the other leaders and asked them if they had prepared. Nope. No one had, they said. What is the lesson about? Don't Know! What was last week's lesson and one of the girls reminded us it was on learning to love ourselves. Does anyone have a book? Nope. Oh, then I will just look in my purse and see what I have in there. One YW said we could just make something up, maybe discuss something from the For Strength of Youth Pamphlet. How sweet. I pulled out of my purse some colored paper that I had printed the lesson onto so that I wouldn't have to bring my manual along. I announced that today's lesson would be about "Being Dependable" I had the lesson, quotes to handout, a skit to play (the Cindy story found here), and handouts (see above). One yw said "Wow, you're really prepared!" I thought they had figured it out. I must've forgotten to really make it clear that we had played a practical joke on them because at the end when we were talking about our "mix-up" at the beginning of the class the leaders and I were laughing because we weren't sure if we could pull it off without laughing or being believable. I admitted that I'm not a very good actress and cannot usually pull something like that off. Then, the one YW said "That was all acting!?" The other said she couldn't figure out if was a joke or not but found it coincidental that the lesson being taught fit so well that it must've been planned. How funny! We all had a good laugh. I hope this will be one they will remember for a long time. I just wish all of the other YW had been there, too.

Preparing for Change

This next Sunday's Young Women lesson is from Manual 3, Chapter 42, Preparing for Change. I have made this handout for the lesson. I thought about incorporating a bit of the book "Who Moved My Cheese" but decided against it because it's really not church approved.

The Word of God as a Standard

For the Young Women Manual 3 Lesson 37, The Word of God as a Standard, I prepared the following visual aids and handout.

To distinguish between Worldly Philosophies and Gospel Principles and Truths I created this table in order to discuss the topics one by one.

As we discuss the topics one by one, I prepared The Word of God as a Standard document for the youth to reference as we read and discussed them together. They are separated by the YW value colors.

Finally, I prepared this handout for the YW to take home.

None of the three Laurels that I teach attended this Sunday. So, I joined the Beehive class instead. In addition to using the Worldly Issue Poster, she used an orange with commandments written on it in permanent marker. She discussed how we are like the inside of that orange and when we follow those commandments that they help keep us afloat. Then, she placed the orange in a clear bowl of water to demonstrate that the orange floats while the peel representing those commandments is still surrounding the orange. After that she removed the peel and demonstrated how the orange now sinks to the bottom of the bowl. The commandments give us the ability, tools, and strength through our lives. (Idea found at Sugardoodle and described as follows: for an object lesson she had taken an orange and with a permanent pen wrote: chastity, temple marriage, pro-life, honesty, etc. She had a bowl of water and dropped the orange in it, after a second or two, it floated up!! She talked about the skin of the orange being kind of like a life jacket - keeping the orange a float - she likened this to the standards of our church. She then peeled the orange and asked the girls what they thought would happen if she put it back in the bowl - it sank of course! I thought this was a great object lesson for the girls that they could relate to. It was also good for them to hear each other talk about the differences between the world's view and ours. (Idea shared by Lynette Packard))

Scavenger Hunt

We had the most fun with this Scavenger Hunt. Even the adults wanted to join in. This is how it went. My counselor took pictures that morning of the building. She made sure to use items that would not move, would be there (like the cars), or they could access (meaning not using any rooms where classes would be taking place.) She made sure that within the picture there was enough information to distinguish between similar choices. For instance, the exit sign. It was the only one to the left of the door, rather than above the door. The outside windows, they were the only ones that had one smaller to the right of the larger with a bush, and so on. She did such a terrific job making us guess. I couldn't figure out how she took pictures of screwdrivers (see #2) that were even at the church and wouldn't be moved by that night. It turned out to be a New Era Mormonad behind the glass case/bulletin board. Do you know which one?

Here are the photos she took. She divided the girls into two teams. Each team had a different set of photos and a blank answer sheet numbered with numbers corrisponding with those in their set of pictures. The girls had so much fun running all over the building and outside of the building. It turned out only one item had been moved, which was the wood. She didn't realized that the YM were going to be using it that night and they had taken it.

Dating Basket

For the young women who are moving from Mia Maides to Laurels I created this dating basket. All of the contents are dating related. For instance, there is the Kissing Poem.

Then, there is the other fun stuff. (I had found this online) I didn't use them all. Here are the tags I used to make it.

1. Two dates (wrapped in saran warp) -"Double date, it's twice as fun."

2. Gum - "Eternity is a long time to be married, be Chewsy."

3. Small bar of soap - "Be morally clean - Keep yourself and your thoughts pure and clean."

4. Sucker - "Don't be a sucker for the temptations of Satan." OR Avoid all Immoral and Suggestive Materials and Entertainment - "Lick temptations! Don't participate in activities that aren't appropriate."

5. Ruler (or cut up measuring tape) - "How does he measure up? Choose now to only date young men who "Measure up" to high standards."

6. Eraser - "Repentance is like an eraser, it rubs out wrongs."

7. Hershey Kisses - "Save your hugs and kisses for someone special."

8. Tootsie Pop (with different color wrappers than the flavors) "Don't judge by outward appearances."

9. Frog Sticker or plastic toy frog- "You have to date a lot of frogs before you find Prince Charming."

10. Ring Pops (or play rings) - "Beware of Imitations - Date young men who are honest in thought, word, and action."

11. Candle - "Let your light shine - be an example in your appearance, speech and actions."

12. Now & Later candy - "What you do 'now' will affect what happens 'later' - make temple marriage your goal."

I printed out 7 articles (enough to cover the seven YW values).

1. Celestial Dating
2. A Note To the Good Girls
3. How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream
4. Preparing for an Eternal Marriage and Family
5. Q&A Dating Non-Members
6. Searching for the One You Will Marry
7. What Do Kisses Mean?

I folded them and put them into the Seed Template packets. I had to fold them four times length wise, then in half to fit them into the envelope.

Finally, there was the Candy Bar Men. I clipped them together using silver rings, a white ribbon and groom or bride wedding rings all found in the wedding section of Hobby Lobby.

Finally, I took little flowers, one each of the YW
value colors and tied them together with their own wires and placed them into the basket, too.

Seed Packet Templates

This has been so fun. I'm in the process of creating a Laurel's basket for those YW who are moving up from Mia Maids and the focus will be on dating. This focus was chosen because girls become Laurels at the age of 16 when they can begin dating in groups. I thought to make a cute little "seed" packet to go along with a quote I had found. I had so much fun that I just kept making them and making them. Mostly I used clipart that I already had with a YW theme. I cannot remember where I found them. I will post all the Seed Packets as I am able. Here are a few to get started.

First Set
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity

Second Set
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity

A Couple More Favorites
I will add them as I make more

Temple Marriage
Reap What You Sow
Reap What You Sow - Blank
6 YW Values - One page for each value
6 YW Values - one page covering all 6 - Having Fun

YW Mini Golf

Last night the Young Women played a homemade mini golf game. Using these printed onto cardstock the area was set up as follows:

There are 7 groups. One representing each of the YW values. Each group contains four things.

1) What NOT to do
2) What TO do
3) Blank Sun representing the Celestial Kingdom where they will write the blessings they would recieve by following the commandment or council that group is suggesting. Ex: NO PEER PRESSURE, instead CTR. What are the blessings of choosing the right over peer pressure.
4) Quote cards for them to receive when they get the golf ball into the hole. There are four per page. Print as many as needed for all the girls.

How to set it up.
What NOT to do should be put in the direction you do NOT want the ball to go. The arrows should be placed heading in the direction you want the ball to go. The sun should be placed at the final destination and the girls can decorate the cans however they like in addition to the sun. Then, as each hole is played, the girls get a quote card.

Because I was too late getting to the dollar store for plastic golf clubs, they used crutches and whatever they had for hitting the ball. We didn't have enough used cans, so they used pitchers for the holes.

Young Women Quotes

During the Spring of 2008 I felt compelled to compile a daily calender with quotes from leaders of the Church pertaining to youth for my dd. I used Publisher to create this collection, dividing a page into quarters. Each quote has it's own background image using one of the colors from the Young Women Values. After I printed out the pages, back to back, and divided the pages in half I took them to a local print shop where they bound them to the stand I had made for it. The stand was a box of crackers (because the fold was a perfect width and didn't require that I make my own folds) that I cut to the size of the pages and then the pages were bound to it. The whole project was a very daunting task, yet very worth it.

Because each quote often took all the room I had alloted for quote space there was not room for the source. Furthermore, I would use the same article for many quotes... sometimes, I would even use the ENTIRE article somewhere within the entire collection. So, I have a source list at the very end of the calendar. I had read so many articles pertaining to youth and the councel that our leaders have given them that I learned quite a bit about that organization, the expectations and counsel provided to them, and the love that our Church leaders have for them.

When I finished the calendar I presented it to her as a gift. She must like it because she is always making sure that she reads what it has to share each day. This was my original intention. I wanted her to have a daily reminder of specific counsel for youth that could serve as a strength and guidance throughout the year. It turned out to be that and more.

There have been three examples of it's use thus far. First, one day she was having trouble with a specific situation in her life. I don't even remember what it was. Something told me to check the calendar to see what it said that day. It just so happened that she hadn't yet flipped it to the current date. When I did so it turned out to be the EXACT council from a leader that pertained to that situation. I referred her to the calendar.

Then, by mid-summer I was called as YW president. The research I conducted to create the calendar provided some excellent training to understand the councel and direction provided for the youth, especially considering I had never gone through the YW program myself.

Third, but not finally as I am confident that I will continue to find additional blessings from this project, as I prepared an activity for the YW and needed quotes from our Church leaders I simply did a "ctrl" + "F" to find what I had already previously collected... and, even had multiple choices from which to choose.

This document is a list of all of the quotes and below are all of the sources. YES! I had read ALL of these and a few more. Toward the end of this quest I became addicted to the CES Firesides and overwhelmed with the amount of information and councel they had to offer. Again, what perfect training for a future YW leader. This list will allow you that same training and spiritual blessings while perhaps something specific will stand out to you for your own youth. Where available, the links are provided.

Sources:
Rhett Wilkinson, “A Note to the Good Girls,” New Era, May 2008, 23
"A Reservoir of Living Water", Elder David A. Bednar, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, CES Fireside for Young Adults • February 4, 2007 • Brigham Young University
“I Have a Question,” Ensign, Apr 1981, 24–25 Are the movie ratings a reliable way to select movies?
Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Plague on the World,” New Era, Jul 1990, 4
Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for Youth,” Ensign, Jan 2001, 2
Becoming You, Bishop Richard C. Edgley, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, CES Fireside for Young Adults, 3 November 2002
CELESTIAL DATING or...HOW TO PREPARE FOR LIFE AND REALLY FALL IN LOVE ON THE LORD'S TERMS by Steven H. Satterfield
Ryan Jenkins, “Don’t Chance It,” New Era, Jan 2008, 34–36
Dallin H. Oaks, “Eight Ways God Can Speak to You,” New Era, Sep 2004, 4
Neal A. Maxwell, “Enduring Well,” Ensign, Apr 1997, 7
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley,” Ensign, Jul 1996, 72–73
"Experiencing Happiness in Marriage" Teachings of Presidents of the Church, David O. McKay, Chapter 15
Joyce Kinmont, “I Have a Question,” How can parents make Halloween a fun time while avoiding practices and behaviors that may grieve the Spirit? Ensign, Oct. 1996, 33
Faith and Families, Elder Russell M. Nelson, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, CES Fireside for Young Adults, February 6, 2005
Faith and Works in a Secular World, Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. CES Fireside for Young Adults, Nov 5, 2006.
Jennifer Parry, “Fitting In,” New Era, Mar 1997, 26
President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Gambling,” Ensign, May 2005, 59–60, 61.
Gordon B Hinckley Given at the Dedication of Gordon B. Hinckley Building (Oct. 22, 2002)
Excerpt from Hearing the Voice of the Lord, a book on personal revelation that was written by Elder Gerald N. Lund. (I don't even have this book and now cannot find where I had even found these quotes)
James E. Faust, “Honesty-A Moral Compass,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 41
Gordon B. Hinckley, “How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream?,” Ensign, May 2001, 93 Russel and Brad Wilcox, “Keep Texting from Taking Over,” New Era, Aug 2007, 30-33
R. Gary Shapiro, “Leave the Obscene Unseen,” Ensign, Aug 1989, 27
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Lessons I Learned as a Boy,” New Era, Oct 1998, 4
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Let Virtue Garnish Thy Thoughts Unceasingly,” Ensign, May 2007, 115–17
Virginia H. Pearce, “Listening with New Ears,” Ensign, May 1996, 85
Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Live in Obedience,” Ensign, May 1994, 39
Richard G. Scott, “Making the Right Choices,” Ensign, Nov 1994, 37
Making Ourselves A Perfect Fit In Marriage By Orson Scott Card
Joseph Walker, “More than Hemliness and Haircuts,” Ensign, Feb 1992, 22
Jack R. Christianson, “Music: Apples or Onions?,” New Era, Apr 1984, 14
Spencer W. Kimball, “Oneness in Marriage,” Liahona, Oct 2002, 36
Neal A. Maxwell, “Overcome … Even As I Also Overcame,” Ensign, May 1987, 70
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 2
Ezra Taft Benson, “Prayer,” Ensign, May 1977, 32
Victor L. Brown, “Preparation for Tomorrow,” Ensign, Nov 1982, 79
Chapter 14 Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: David O. Mckay Preparing for an Eternal Marriage and Family
Spencer W. Kimball, “President Kimball Speaks Out on Morality,” New Era, Nov 1980, 39
Spencer W. Kimball, “President Kimball Speaks Out on Profanity,” New Era, Jan 1981, 4
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, CES Fireside for Young Adults, Nov 4, 2007, “Push Back Against the World”
Dallin H Oaks, “Standards of Dress and Grooming,” New Era, Dec 1971, 46
H. David Burton, “Standing Tall,” Liahona, Jan 2002, 75-77
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stay on the High Road,” Ensign, May 2004, 112
The Blessing of Work, Elder David E. Sorensen, Of the Presidency of the Seventy, CES Fireside for Young Adults, March 6, 2005
Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Law of the Fast,” Ensign, May 2001, 73
Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Other Prodigal,” Liahona, Jul 2002, 69–72
The Power of Music “FYI: For Your Info,” New Era, May 1994, 34-37
The Two Guiding Lights, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Of the Quorum of the Twelve, CES Fireside for Young Adults, 1 February 2004
“The Value of Self-Esteem” President James E. Faust, 2nd Counselor in the 1st Pres, CES Fireside for Young Adults May 6, 2007 Salt Lake Tabernacle
James E. Faust, “The Virtues of Righteous Daughters of God,” Liahona, May 2003, 108–11
L. Tom Perry, “Thy Speech Reveals Thee,” Liahona, Jul 2007, 30-33
Robert D. Hales, “Tithing: A Test of Faith with Eternal Blessings,” Ensign, Nov 2002, 26
Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Single Adult Sisters of the Church,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 96
Jeffrey R. Holland, “To Young Women,” Liahona, Nov 2005, 28–30
“Unlocking the Door to the Blessings of Abraham” Julie B. Beck, RS General Pres, CES Fireside for Young Adults, March 2, 2008 Brigham Young University
“What Can One Do to Keep Profanity (spoken by others) From One’s Mind and The Tip of One’s Tongue?”Q&A: Questions and Answers Russell L. Osmond, New Era, Sept 1977, 42-43
John Bytheway, “What Do Kisses Mean?,” New Era, Oct 2004, 39
Withstand Every Temptation of the Devil, Elder W. Rolfe Kerr, Of the First Quorum of the Seventy, CES Fireside for Young Adults • February 5, 2006
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Words of the Prophet: Daughters of the Almighty,” New Era, Nov 2003, 4
Dallin H. Oaks, “Worship through Music,” Ensign, Nov 1994, 9
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Your Greatest Challenge, Mother,” Liahona, Jan 2001, 113–16