Young Women Calendar Idea

Be sure to take a look at the “Your Ideas” page from the tab above. Sister Krista Day, Young Women President from the Methuen Ward opened a wonderful dialog for the leaders to share ideas. (Thank you, Sister Day.) We look forward to gleaning from everyone’s experiences.

Here is an idea from Sister Natalie Garcia, Young Women President of the Lawrence Ward:  

“We utilized the Personal Progress values each month. With each value each month, we did activities that related to that value, and had activities that allowed the girls to accomplish some of the assignments in their personal progress. I feel with the calendar, we have a purpose every Thursday, and have enabled the girls to stay on track with their personal progress, without feeling overwhelmed with it.”

{ You might notice in the calendar header that the Lawrence Ward Young Women also focus on a topic from For the Strength of Youth each month.  In April, they have been learning about Honesty. }

 

Note: There were some “technical difficulties” in re-creating the Lawrence Ward Young Women Calendar above to a jpg (picture) format. For a much better copy, please contact Sister Garcia. Her original is much better.

“At the end of March the youth completed a community project which the YW used towards a project under Individual Worth. The girls loved it, and they felt as though they were truly making a difference.”

 
Muchas Gracias, Hermana Garcia, for all you and your Presidency are doing.   Nos encantan las mujeres jóvenes y líderes de la sala de Lawrence!

“Sing with Grace in Your Hearts”

Are you looking for heart-felt and edifying music to bring the Spirit to your New Beginnings, Young Women in Excellence or other special musical numbers? 

Sally Deford is a great source. She writes all her own music or beautifully adapts familiar hymns and offers most of it all for free.

Here are a few links to some of her most well known works:

Make Us One

If the Savior Stood Beside Me

My Sister’s Hands

This is How I Know

“Music can enrich your life. It can edify and inspire you and help you draw closer to Heavenly Father. Music has a profound effect on your mind, spirit, and behavior.” For the Strength of Youth

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

Cute Idea - Easter

Here is a cute idea for you to give to your Young Women this Easter Sunday that emphasizes an Apostle’s testimony of the resurrection of our Savior.

This would also be a great little treat to give to our families as well and maybe for our Sisters whom we visit teach. Another idea would be to have the Young Women put them together during the week and then give them to friends or teachers at school who also celebrate Easter.

You can download this handout from InkaBlinka.  The easy and simple directions to put them together can be found there as well. The text woven into the heart is from Elder Richard G. Scott’s Talk, “He lives! All Glory to His Name!”

Thinking of each of you.

With Love & Gratitude

April Presidency Message

 

Dear Sisters,

Imagine my surprise when my husband and I, AND our 11-year-old daughter, Emma, were recently invited to attend the Exeter Ward YW New Beginnings. Is it possible that her primary years are already coming to a close and the YW program is just around the corner this fall? Where has the time gone? My tiny little princess is growing up and growing ever closer to the “terrific teens,” as President Monson calls them.

Emma is a very special girl. She already has a strong budding testimony and an inner drive to learn and serve and participate. She is ecstatic about joining the YW program. She cannot wait to begin Personal Progress, attend Girls Camp and go to mutual. She is a tremendous example to me and her enthusiasm could, quite possibly, light an entire city.

Another thing Emma is looking forward to is going to the temple. She has been asking me when she can go for years and years. We are planning to go the day after her 12^th birthday. She and her grandfather, Brother Bibbins, are planning to prepare some family names this summer for her to take to the temple for her first time. This will be a very special day for our family because Emma will be doing proxy work for our cousin, Carole, who passed away last year.

Last general conference, Elder David A. Bednar invited the youth to become anxiously engaged in doing their own family history and temple work for those who have passed on without the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

At our recent General YW Meeting, Sister Dalton said to the young women, “As he [Elder Bednar] issued this invitation to you, my heart leapt inside. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read of “other choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work, including the building of … temples and the performance of ordinances therein for the redemption of the dead.” This is your day, and your work has begun! … The promised blessings of the temple extend not only to you but to all generations. As you make the temple your goal, your influence for good will transcend time and place, and the work you perform for those who have gone before will be the fulfillment of prophecy!” (Elaine Dalton, "Now is the Time to Arise and Shine!" March 2012 Young Women General Meeting)

In Sister’s Dalton’s talk, Return to Virtue, she says that, “the temple is the reason for everything we do in the church.” “We must help every young woman to be worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.” (Elaine Dalton, "A Return to Virtue" October 2008)

Sisters, may you be mindful of the temple as our goal for the young women in every lesson you teach and every activity you plan this year. Be a shining example to them by your own temple service. Tell them about it. Share your feelings and testimony of how your temple attendance benefits your life. I know that if we retain our vision of the temple we will be strengthened, uplifted and blessed. I have a testimony of temple service. I will strive to continually teach my daughters of its importance and I look forward to the day when we will all be there together. Let us all look forward to the day when our young women will arise and take their places at the altars of the temple.

LET’S SERVE TOGETHER:

Sisters, join us on Friday, April 20^th as we prepare for Stake Conference by attending our stake conference temple night together in the 7:00 or 8:00 sessions.

Love,

Sister Amy Edwards

Exeter Stake Young Women Secretary

2012 Young Women Auxiliary Training from Salt Lake

Last Thursday our presidency gathered at Sister Kelly’s home with a pot of chocolate fondue and united hearts to watch the 2012 Young Women Auxiliary Training from Salt Lake. It was tremendous!  We encourage you to gather with your presidencies to watch and then council together about specific things you will implement to strengthen your families and our Young Women. 

Be sure to check in regularly at the News & Announcement and the Church News sites for future information related to the Young Women’s organization.
Off to return back to General Conference…(Hasn’t it been wonderful thus far?)

With Love & Gratitude,
Sister Shannon Gish
Exeter Stake Young Women President

P.S. Be watching your emails for an exciting announcement about a summer multi-stake Young Women Conference August 10-11, 2012. Details will be sent soon.