We Can Clearly See Between Right and Wrong

To end our year of The 13th Article of Faith we chose a black and white  theme to go perfectly with the theme:

We Can Clearly See Between Right and Wrong

We called one of our YW advisors to be a  program specialist, helping us out with planning New Beginnings and YW in Excellence.  She is an amazing decorator, as you can tell!

  

Food

• zebra cakes
• white chocolate dipped oreos
• chocolate cupcakes with white frosting
• white/ black gum balls {they were left-over from a wedding}

Dress-code

• Sunday best for everyone. Leaders in all black and white to emphasize the theme

This was our table{before anyone showed up} for the YW to display what they had accompished over the year in Personal Progress

Handouts

• Sunglasses

Our program outline

Skit: Shades of Grey- performed by the young women --this was originally a camp skit from the Jenny Phillips website  ( if you are interested in the skit, please email me and I can share the file with you) We thought it would be cute for an opening in our New Beginnings.


It is hard to clearly see between right and wrong sometimes.  In Isaiah 5:20 it says:

20 ¶Woe unto them that call ^aevil ^bgood, and good evil; that put ^cdarkness for ^dlight, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

I love this skit and how it demonstrates what is going on in our world today.  It talked about things that are white, those that are black, and those areas that are grey.

Sometimes that is called "the gray area"  [Define what is the grey area]  It is that area where nothing is completely wrong and nothing is completely right.  [Refer to Lehi's Dream and the mists of darkness]  Satan wants us to believe that many of our commandments and gospel standards are grey area---and we can each choose how we want to follow and how we want to obey those. 

How blessed we are to have the gospel, righteous parents, good friends, prayer, the Holy Ghost, scriptures, personal revelation, and living apostles and prophets to lead the way.

With the Lord there are no grey areas.  We are for Him, or we are not.  He asks us to serve him with all our hearts, might and minds.

"Anything that does not draw us closer to God takes us away from Him.  We have no middle ground, no foggy gray area where we can sin a little without suffering spiritual decline." [Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Spiritual Bonfires of Testimony"  Ensign 1992, 34]

The 13th Article of Faith makes it clear what we believe and is a reminder that the Lord's standards are clear and that there is no gray area to Him.

13 ^aWe believe in being ^bhonest, true, ^cchaste, ^dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing ^egood to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we ^fhope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to ^gendure all things. If there is anything ^hvirtuous, ⁱlovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Seek means to search or discover and is an active word.  We do not sit and wait for some-thin good to happen.  We are actively choosing the right.

I love this quote:

"Place me behind prison walls-walls of stone ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground--there is a possibility that in some way or another I may be able to escape, but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it.  Can I get out of that circle. No, never! I'd die first" [Karl G. Maeser]

What are our convictions like?

In our Personal Progress book under the value of Choice and Accountability we are reminded of the scripture, Joshua 24:15

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

Making choices is part of our Heavenly Father's plan for us.  Agency or the ability to make our own choices is one of God's greatest gifts to His children.  HOW we use our agency will determine the outcome of our lives.  With each choice is a consequence that cannot be separated from it.

Value Experience #1 teaches that a daughter of God can make wise decisions and solve problems.  It points the YW to establishing a pattern of regular scripture study and prayer to aid them in receiving the help they need to make personal decisions.

See {Gospel Outcomes}

The Holy Ghost will help each YW to make correct choices as she strives for and lives worthy of it constant companionship.

Close with the young women singing We Believe  by Jenny Phillips

Thanks to Jennyphillips.com for all of her inspiration and ideas. The Black and White theme idea came from her.

Toilet Paper Roll Pillow Boxes

I found the idea and pictures@  thepaperartstudio.com, Her Beautiful Mess, InkaBlinka.com

This is a craft using none other than TOILET PAPER ROLLS.
I am not kidding.  They are so cute and so....affordable.  Start saving your rolls!!

InkaBlinka.com

InkaBlinka.com

You can use scrap-book paper to dress it up or leave it with-out

 thepaperartstudio.com

 thepaperartstudio.com

Although these look a little wider than toilet paper rolls....

 thepaperartstudio.com

the idea is still there of what you can do to make it look cute

I am thinking....this might be a cute something for my Laurels for Christmas.  I am not sure what to put in it...maybe some candy, or a picture, or a quote...etc.

Here is my attempt at it:

To make these all you need is:

toilet paper roll
paper cut to 10 1/2 X 14 cm
any accessories

Packets of Light: YW Lesson

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high."  [Elder Richard G. Scott, The Power of Scripture,] photo found {here}

Young Women lesson

The Power of Scripture

[Elder Richard G. Scott, October 2011 General Conference)

Ask the YW to describe the qualities of a best friend.  Here are some possible answers they may come up with:

1. They help me with my problems
2. I can trust them, they tell me the truth
3. They make me happy
4. I am better when I am around them
5. They are "always there for me"
6. We have a lot in common
7. The listen to me

 "Throughout the ages, Father in Heaven has inspired select men and women to find, through the guidance of the Holy Ghost, solutions to life’s most perplexing problems. He has inspired those authorized servants to record those solutions as a type of handbook for those of His children who have faith in His plan of happiness and in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. We have ready access to this guidance through the treasure we call the standard works—that is, the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price."

  1. The scriptures help me with my problems

"Because scriptures are generated from inspired communication through the Holy Ghost, they are pure truth. We need not be concerned about the validity of concepts contained in the standard works since the Holy Ghost has been the instrument which has motivated and inspired those individuals who have recorded the scriptures."

2. Because the scriptures are written by the power of the Holy Ghost (whose role is to testify of truth) through the Lord's chosen prophets, you can trust them. Scriptures tell the truth.

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ."

3. Like "packets of light", the scriptures inspire us to be better and are like instant messages from the Lord.  I asked a YW to tell the story of the Brother of Jared. We then discussed how the stones the Jaredites used to the promised land can be compared to the scriptures illuminating our mind on our journey back to our Heavenly Father.

"The scriptures provide the strength of authority to our declarations when they are cited correctly.

4. The scriptures strengthen us when we read them

"They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed. Their use provides a foundation of truth that can be awakened by the Holy Ghost. "

5. The scriptures can be our truest friend and are "always there for us"

Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world."

6. Having many favorite scriptures is like having a lot of [instead of just one] best friends

"Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change."

"Pondering a scripture like that gives great direction to life. The scriptures can form a foundation of support. They can provide an incredibly large resource of willing friends who can help us. A memorized scripture becomes an enduring friend that is not weakened with the passage of time.

Pondering a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost."

Lesson Application

Then, separating into small groups, we had each group memorize a small and simple scripture, ponder its meaning, using the footnotes if needed. 

We emphasized that EVERYONE in the group memorizes.  They all know how to memorize.  They have MANY song lyrics and movie lines memorized.  They all know how. This took away any one saying I can't do it!

 We gave them about 15 minutes to do this.  At the end of class each group came up and quoted their memorized scripture and told us what it meant to them.  They seemed to have fun doing this and it was interesting to see each groups method of memorizing.  Some came up with hand gestures and chants, and others just did it line by line.  Bottom line, they applied Richard G. Scott's talk into their own life. 

Young Women Who Know

Teaching our young women to be Young Women Who Know

Using Julie B. Beck's landmark talk, Mothers Who Know, the same principles that were taught to us as mothers, can be used and applied in teaching our young women to be strong in who they are right now, and prepare them for their future roles as righteous wives and mothers.

Throughout the talk, where ever you see the word "mother", you can insert the words "young women"