YW Lesson Connections with 2012 Theme

Hi Everyone,

Here’s an idea which the Portsmouth Ward is doing.  I would have placed in the “Your Ideas” tab of our blog, but the page won’t allow images.

 

 Image adapted from an excel spreadsheet

Feel free to contact Sister Jenny Martin, the Portsmouth Ward Young Women President, for a full copy – or – take this idea and adapt it for your young women.

With Love & Gratitude,

Shannon

Ideas for New Beginnings + Inn Keepers

With New Beginnings around the corner, we hope these links to some fun ideas will jump start your planning.

Leap into Personal Progress :: Cute Young Women Value Cards ::  Live Like You Believe theme idea and invites :: Shine Forth Treat and Handout :: Board Pass Invitations to Enjoy the Journey :: Kick off To New Beginnings  :: Another Cute Enjoy the Journey Idea (scroll down for the good stuff) :: September 2011 New Era

Please let us know when you have your New Beginnings dates and times on the calendar. Come snow, ice or wind – we want to be there.

:: Last night I had the privilege of attending and offering a few thoughts at the Portsmouth Ward Young Women Teacher Training.  What a wonderful evening. Simple and yet so inspiring.

Sister Martin, Sister Lyon and Sister Hammel each taught from Teaching, No Greater Call. We learned about the importance of daily personal preparation in addition to lesson preparation, ways of inviting and maintaining the Spirit in the classroom, and one of the most important elements: teaching with love.

We watched excerpts from a World Wide Training on teaching and discussed ways we can (and will) seek to implement these principles not only in our callings, but in our families as well.  I enjoyed the gentle spurs of the Holy Ghost teaching me what I can improve and how I can go about improving. I invite each of you to continue to discuss the doctrines, principles and applications of the importance of being a teacher.

Briefly, I want to share an insight that came to me as I prepared for the evening. 

The other day while I was pondering a particular passage from the Book of Mormon, I was led to re-read the parable of the Good Samaritan.  I have read this parable for what seems like 1000 times or more. But this time, I learned something entirely new.

Luke 10: 30-31

30 A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and ^awounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

It occurred to me that our sweet and remarkable Young Women are much like the traveler. I imagined them journeying through the world today, particularly along the roads of middle and high school. Can you picture them falling among metaphorical thieves of the Latter-days which may strip them of their raiment, wound their hearts and leave them half spiritually dead?

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

There are those who have the ability to help our Girls, but for whatever reasons, like the Priest and the Levite, pass them by. 

Mercifully, the Samaritan – representing our Savior – stops (think of that)…and helps. 

In what I consider to be the most beautiful atonement language of the New Testament, we read about wounds being tenderly bound, oil and wine cleansing the injuries, and the traveler being carried to an inn to be further cared for.

33 But a certain ^aSamaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had ^bcompassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took ^acare of him.

In a millisecond, while finishing out verse 34, my mind reviewed the rest of the story and I was about to end my reading there. But the thought occurred to me “What about the inn-keeper?”

As you read the following verse, think about the role each of us has as a teacher/leader in the organization for Young Women . . .

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the ^ahost [inn-keeper], and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. (italics mine)

Sisters, note that the innkeeper does not have permanent custody of the traveler any more than we have permanent custody of our Young Women. That is the role of their parents. Yet, our Savior places them temporarily in our care and then gives us talents, revelation, prayer, prophets, scriptures, the priesthood and so many other divinely granted “pence” to help us as we labor with Him to spiritually strengthen our Girls. 

I testify that we are all keepers of the inn for His Daughters. If we serve Him by charitably serving and faith-fully teaching our families and our Young Women, He will “pay” to us all that He has when He comes again.

With Love & Gratitude,

Shannon

Official Arise and Shine Forth Logo Yellow Orange Blue

Image of Good Samaritan 

Hand-out Journal.

Tucked into the creases of journals from my YW days {way back when} are a few hand-outs from lessons that touched me.  They represent doctrines and principles I learned in Young Women classes, at seminary or evening firesides.

I know our young women hold on to a few of yours because they’ve shared them during Young Women Camp or other times when they’ve been asked to offer a devotional or spiritual thought on the spur of the moment.

Wouldn’t it be fun for them to create their own little hand out journal where they can tuck away those little cards, bookmarks and pictures? 

Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

http://blackeiffel.blogspot.com/2012/01/envelope-journal.html

http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/tutorial-envelope-journal/

http://thecreativeplace.blogspot.com/2011/10/diy-mini-envelopes.html

http://www.designsponge.com/2010/10/diy-project-brennas-book-page-fabric.html

http://creativeoperation.blogspot.com/2011/10/birthday-junk-journal-for-jackie.html

With Love & Gratitude,

Shannon

Lesson 3 Ideas – Following the Example of Jesus Christ

 

One of my all-time favorite hymns is “Lord, I Would Follow Thee.”

In my own personal copy of our hymnbook, I’ve underlined themes and lyrics from this hymn which uplift me and motivate me to follow the example of our Savior.

As I read the upcoming Young Women lesson for this Sunday,  Lesson 3: Following the Example of Jesus Christ, this hymn of my heart came to my mind.  I went to it and as I re-read it, I thought of each of you and the service you offer in your families and with the young women of your ward.  Here are some of the phrases which remind me of you:

“Learn the Healers Art”

“Pause to help and lift”

“Show a gentle heart”

“Find in Thee my strength”

In these ways, I have observed you being followers of our Savior’s example.

As I have studied Lesson 3, I came across a few ideas I really enjoyed. I hope they will spark revelation for you as you prepare to teach.

• Study and then prayerfully consider using the wonderful additional resources for lesson 3 found in the Young Women Resource Guide 2012 – Manual 1.
• I really liked re-reading President Uchdorf’s General Conference address “You Are My Hands” (I can see a “hand-out” being created…) as well as doing the Divine Nature Value Experience 7 as the guide suggests.
• Have you seen this Young Women Teaching Guide from lds.org?
• Perhaps a cute little card with the commitment statements found in this month’s New Era “Stand for Truth” can be adapted for the young women in your ward to meet their needs. Better yet, have them come up with their own ideas.  You could even create something like this and leave a blank area for the girls to write just one way they can follow the example of Jesus Christ in the coming week.

What are some things you are planning for this week’s lesson?

I know I speak for our entire Stake Young Women’s Presidency when I say we wish we could be in each and every young women’s class room this Sunday to hear the discussion you will have with the Young Women as you learn together how to better follow Him.

With Love and Gratitude,

Shannon