Serving the young women has been such a blessing.
I just love my girls.
It is the most rewarding thing in the world.
One of my favorite things is when it is my turn to teach on fast Sundays.
It’s pretty selfish, but I just I love indulging in the youth curriculum.
It is so inspiring, and always seems to be something I need a reminder on.
I always go into the lessons thinking I am going to teach the girls something new,
but walk away feeling like I have learned the most.
As a presidency, we decided to kick of the first week of the year
by introducing the new mutual theme,
“Stand ye in Holy Places”.
I taught the lesson this past Sunday, and it turned out really well.
The girls were really receptive and happily participated.
Here was the outline from my lesson and a few ideas!
I encouraged the girls to think throughout the lesson how they could “stand in holy places” this year.
I made three suggestions of how they could personally strengthen their testimonies and live the mutual theme.
Stay close to the spirit
We talked about the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives and how it helps us to
“Stand in Holy Places”.
We also discussed how the Holy Ghost is very sensitive and can be easily offended.
Together we brainstormed and talked about ways we can stay close to the spirit.
Have a good attitude.
Steer your thoughts away from yourself & direct them in gratitude and love.
Choose to accept challenges.
Pause to think about the Savior.
Flee from the appearance of evil.
Selflessly sacrifice.
. After our discussion one of our Laurels (who I had assigned earlier in the week)
stood up and shard her testimony on the how the Holy Ghost had blessed her life.
It was great hearing her perspective and we were all very touched to hear her testimony.
Seek to be Obedient
We talked about the importance of PRO-ACTIVELY living the gospel.
I remember once growing up, I had an encounter with my Stake President.
I had a picture of the temple and one Sunday he asked me a little about it
(it was a picture of the Cardston temple where my parents were married).
During our conversation I mentioned how I would “try” to go to the temple one day.
He abruptly stopped the conversation and asked me, “You will try, or you are?”
That moment has had such a great impact on me
and the way I look at my life and how I live the gospel.
Do I try to read my scriptures, or do I read my scriptures.
Do I try to stand in holy places, or do I stand in holy places.
Am I trying to be obedient, or am I obedient.
Granted it’s not a matter of being “ perfect, but rather, a matter of eliminating excuses,
and simply doing our best.
Living the gospel.
I then had the girls close their eyes and think to themselves how much their Heavenly Father loved them.
I had them think about all the good qualities and potential He sees in them.
I then bore testimony on how much their Heavenly Father loved them and had in store for them.
I had the girls open their eyes and I was holding a picture of the temple.
Never settle for less than your
Heavenly Father has in store for You
The point we wanted to get across was this -
remind the girls about their potential and never settling for less than they were worth.
As I taught, I reminded them of their ultimate goal of going to the temple someday,
and how that journey starts NOW.
At the end of the lesson, I invited the girls to go home
and think about what they wanted to do this year to “stand in holy places”
(whether it be get closer to the spirit, seek to be more obedient,
strengthen their relationship with their Heavenly Father, etc).
I gave them each a silk hanger that read,
“Hang on to your values, hang on to the spirit, hang on to your testimony,
so one day you can hang your temple dress on me”.
I told the girls that once they had set their goal, they could hang their hanger up in their closet as a daily reminder of that goal and their ultimate of going to the temple.
All in all, the lesson turned out really well.
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