Young Woman's Values that Should be EVERYONES.

Hey everyone! So I was struggling with what topic to choose and then one of my best friends ever (Sarah Wilkinson) told me to do it on the Young Women values. So I agreed! :) Here it goes...

"WE ARE DAUGHTERS of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation."

So the first value being faith, all the way down to Virtue, I just want to quickly go through these great values that make up great goals for Young Woman to try to achieve! These make Young Women great people. I am so grateful for this program. 

"Personal Progress is a pattern of small, righteous actions that, if done consistently over time, will strengthen your faith in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and build your testimony and prepare you for your future roles. Doing Personal Progress will prepare you to enter the Lord’s holy temples. As you participate in Personal Progress, you will be fortifying yourself spiritually." ~Elaine S. Dalton

Faith

Faith is a necessity in this life. Without having strong faith, in moments of confusion or in trials that faith will crumble. We need to build up our faith in small consistent little things that we need to be doing everyday. "Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love . . . It means believing that even though we do not understand all things, He does. Because He has experienced all our pains, afflictions, and infirmities, He knows how to help us rise above our daily difficulties." I find that faith helps me through my hard days. I encourage you all to strive to increase your faith everyday. 

Divine Nature

We are all children of God. We all have the opportunity to become like Him, if we are righteous on this Earth. We can inherit all that He has. Think about that. ALL THAT HE HAS. That's pretty cool. That's one reason why I strive every day to please my Heavenly Father, because if I have the chance to inherit all He has, I'm not going to mess around. I need to develop those important habits of daily scripture study and talking with my Father. Who sent me down here to learn. And I want to return to Him in a way that will make Him proud. I hope you all have that same goal. If not, make a goal that will increase your faith and reliance on the Lord. When you get to this point (I haven't yet), you will "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings" and become a man of God. And don't we all want to become like our Heavenly Father? 

“Who are we? We are children of God. Our potential is unlimited. Our inheritance is sacred. May we always honor that heritage—in every thought and deed . . .” ~Russell M. Nelson

Individual Worth

We all are worth something. We have individual worth. Our Heavenly Father loves us. We all have specific talents and missions that are meant to be performed on this Earth, and it is only US that can do it. I can't do what my best friend is meant to do. He can't do what I was meant to do on this Earth. We all have our different responsibilities. We came down to Earth at a specific time. There is someone out there that needs us. We may never help this person face to face, it could be somebody simply seeing something that we do. Our example. Remember that you are always loved. Remember that you are here for a specific reason. Rely on the Atonement. Remember that you chose to come here to Earth. You chose to follow Christ. You chose to follow Christ. Wait, one more time. YOU CHOSE TO FOLLOW CHRIST. Why don't you follow Him every day here on Earth? 

"There is something of divinity within each of you. You have such tremendous potential with that quality as a part of your inherited nature. Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part." ~Gordon B. Hinckley

   Knowledge

Knowledge is something that we all desire. When we are knowledgeable, we can more easily make the right decisions. Example: When we don't know how to cross the street, by going on crosswalks, we walk right in front of traffic. But when we know that there has been a way made for us to cross the street, we will take that route. Just like when we first hear about the Gospel. When we hear that there has been a way made for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father, we will hopefully follow that path and take the steps needed to reach the top of the Celestial Kingdom, to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is also very important to work hard in school. When we push ourselves in high school, college is easier and we will be more prepared to work hard. Then we'll get better grades in college and we will be ready to go out into the work force and it will be easier to become independent when we have these skills. Our testimonies need to be right there with our readiness to become independent. Our testimonies need to become that independent. When we are out of the house,  there won't be parents to remind us to do our homework or to make us go to Church. Develop those habits now. Enjoy going to church. Do your homework first. Before fun. When you can do this, life will be more easy to handle. If our testimony is as strong as our education, we will rely more on the Lord and seek for His guidance in our lives. Continue to strive to attain knowledge.     

Choice and Accountability 

We all make choices every day. Choices lead to consequences. We can't escape them. Whether they are bad or good. When we make a bad choice, we need to take accountability for that decision that we made. When we are in situations when there is a gray area, always choose the right. However, that gray area is beginning to dissolve. You cannot choose Satan and Heavenly Father anymore. You just can't. It's not possible. Choose one. And stick to it. What the Lord needs, are followers of Christ. Disciples. That will declare His Gospel with boldness. Whether it be in the work place, in school, or in our everyday conversations with our friends. The world is quickly turning to the worse. Our Standards need to stay firm. Helaman 5:12 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." Make Christ your Foundation. When you do this, you will make the right choices. Your consequence will be a blessing. Make Christ your Foundation.  

Good Works

Doing good works. Faith without works is dead. We must first have faith. The first value. But we cannot be saved on faith alone. We need to work for it. When we do good works, we are being righteous, we are serving others, and listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Without listening to the Holy Ghost in our lives, we forfeit precious opportunities to serve others and grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When we perform good works, we will make right choices because we felt good following Christ's example. We will want to continue to become as He would have us be. 

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; . . . For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." (D&C 58:27-28)

Integrity 

If a man has integrity, he is a true man. Those with that are full of integrity will always do what is right. If 5,000 people are watching or if he/she is by themselves. One of my great leaders once said, "When you have the opportunity to choose integrity, CHOOSE IT EVERY TIME" (Justin Dew). Integrity is something that I am striving to have with me. A permanent characteristic. I want people to say, "Hey yeah I remember him! He always did what was right! Even if people chose something else, he stood up for his beliefs!" That would be super cool if I was like that! I would challenge you all, along with me, to have the courage to stand for right. Because you are never alone. Remember President Monson's video, He knew he was a Mormon. And didn't move an inch. It turned out that there were others that didn't move either! You may think you're standing alone, but you truly aren't. Your Heavenly Father is ever watchful of you. 

“It is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.” (Moroni 7:15-17; emphasis added).

Virtue

LAST ONE. "Let thy thoughts be garnished with virtue." Virtue is key in our relationships with other people. There are so many distractions in the world today that can lead to bad thoughts and temptations that need to be fought off. I don't think it is a coincidence that this is the last value. It is one of the most important to understand. The most important to work on, and a good one to master. "If there is anything VIRTUOUS, lovely or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." Remember to be virtuous. I would like to close with a quick video entitled: "Return to Virtue" 

I know that this Church is true. I know that if we put God first in our lives, we will be blessed with peace and patience to get through our day to day lives. "Life by the yard is hard. But life by the inch, is a cinch." If we do the consistent little things EVERYDAY, we will have the Holy ghost with us and will know what to do in every situation we come into. I know that Joseph Smith restored the fulness of the Gospel back on the Earth. I know that the power of the priesthood is for everyone. And all we have to do is reach out. I know that God lives, and He has a plan for us. And I would like to say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.