Value Video of THIS Month: Integrity

I don't want two late videos in a row, so I'll just do the February video now! I love the topic of integrity! Have you ever heard this story of President Monson? He stood for what was right, even when it seemed he'd be alone, and found that there were others doing the same thing! Heavenly Father truly blesses us when we stand for Him!

Dare to Stand Alone

A Journey's Ending...

Ready??

I GOT MY YW RECOGNITION AWARD!

I am so happy! 

So here is a recap of my Value Projects, if you guys need ideas (and a huge thank you to all the YW I know who suggested great projects that they did that inspired me!).

FAITH:

I memorized 'The Living Christ'! So cool! My testimony of the Savior and His life was really strengthened and solidified through this.

 

DIVINE NATURE:

I organized, coordinated, and participated in an annual Christmas Cousin Gift Exchange on both sides of my family. I was able to start it for the first time on my dad's side, and continue the tradition on my mom's side!

INDIVIDUAL WORTH:

Family History! I was able to do ten awesome hours of searching for and reserving names and performing or sharing ordinances for my ancestors! Throughout this project, I visited the Jordan River, Mt. Timpanogos, and Draper Utah temples, as well my 'home' temple, Columbia South Carolina.

KNOWLEDGE:

I read D&C 89 and committed to ten hours of exercise and preparing a healthy snacks and meals for myself. Many summer evenings, I'd grab my brother and a cousin or two and walk, run, scooter, or bike around the block for 20-30 minutes. And I ate lots of salad!!! :)

CHOICE & ACCOUNTABILITY:

I took a week-long tech vacation! This was an interesting one and harder than I expected. Even though I don't have a phone, tablet, or iPod, I was still tempted. For example, the TV show Granite Flats (which is, btw, phenomenal, and produced by BYUtv) is premiering on TV and my siblings and I were anxiously awaiting its release. However, because of my project, I had to be able to suggest not watching the new episode. That was probably the hardest moment throughout the week. (I have caught up on all the episodes now!) I stayed away from tech for the majority of the week, but I must admit to giving in for a total of probably 1 1/2 hours. But we are all human, right? Anyway, I spent the time I would have used on technology to get more sleep, read, or finish schoolwork. It was so cool! 

GOOD WORKS:

All right, I really loved this one! I put together a recipe book of my favorite recipes, as well as others I've never tried that sound great! I still have lots of room for more as I grow up, but I have enough to give me a start. This is one way to ensure that my future college student self and her roommates won't be eating Chinese takeout every night! :) I think it will also be awesome for a mission. 

INTEGRITY:

You saw this, but I'll link to the post here:

Integrity, YW in Excellence, and Things People Hang on Their Walls!!!

VIRTUE:

I also posted about my reading of the Book of Mormon here. I love this book!!!

So, there's my Young Women's journey for you, project by project! Please tell me about yours in the comments, whether completed long ago or not yet through. I'd love to hear from you! 

Integrity, YW in Excellence, and Things People Hang on Their Walls!!!

I promised I would post pictures of my Integrity project, which I displayed at our Stake Young Women in Excellence last week, and I am following up on that promise! Photos courtesy of my awesome mom!

My Title of Liberty 

Quote Book on Integrity and Honesty

For those of you who are not familiar with Personal Progress, there are eight values in which six experiences and one ten-hour project are completed. For my ten-hour project, I chose to research quotes in General Conference on the subjects of integrity and honesty and compile them into a quote book. But that was only the half of it! I also made a Title of Liberty that I'm going to hang in my bedroom where I can see it every day. This was a great experience (do you expect anything less from Personal Progress?!), although I have to admit that I found that I am not a huge fan of sewing...:) Well, you learn something new all the time, right?

Our Stake YW in Excellence was way cool! The theme was 'light'. Light is just a great thing! I even wrote a post about the sun (and the Son!) and its light in March or April. Our ward YW sang "Keepers of His Light" by Tyler Castleton and Jenny Phillips for the closing song, and the Spirit was so strong! I love that song! Definitely worth looking up and learning yourself or with your local YW!

I was reading a fantastic interview with President Nelson earlier and at the end there is a series of pictures of the things President Nelson displays in his office. There is a bust of the Savior, pictures of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, a polished rock, a wooden beehive, and President Nelson's triple combination, among other things. I wonder--how do these items influence President Nelson's decisions, thoughts, and actions throughout his day? How do the things we display in our surroundings influence OUR decisions, thoughts, and actions? For example, the polished rock on President Nelson's desk may remind him of the importance of building our testimony on the Rock of our Savior, or being steadfast and immovable. Perhaps it reminds him of the stone Daniel saw in vision, tumbling down the mountain. Maybe he envisions becoming as polished as that stone in the hands of his Master. Whatever he thinks of, it must be of some importance if the stone is on his desk where he sees it for much of the time he is in his office!

My Title of Liberty will hopefully serve the same purpose. Same thing with the quote book. I want them in places where I can see them and be reminded of my commitment to stand for truth and righteousness!

What are some objects you surround yourself with and how do they remind you of good principles?

Are You a True Disciple of Christ?

Hi guys! I apologize for the wait! Life can be a crazy thing.

Right now, I am working on Integrity Experience #7:

List the issues, trends, and problems that weaken the family. Read the First Presidency message, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”, and the section on family in For the Strength of Youth. Then research in the Church magazines the counsel of those whom we sustain as prophets, seers, and revelators. Write in your journal your plan to strengthen your present family and the values and traditions you want to establish with your future family.

Each of the listed resources are definitely applicable, useful, and meaningful, but what I want to share today is what I found by researching in the Church magazines the counsel of Church leaders. Pulling up lds.org, I glanced over the home page and found an article by President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It’s called “Disciples and the Defense of Marriage”, and it’s taken from a BYU commencement address given about a year ago.

The entire thing is wonderful and I strongly advise you to read the whole thing! Here I will just share a few quotes that really impacted me and really relate to what is going on in the world today.

“Male and female are created for what they can do and become—together. It takes a man and a woman to bring a child into the world. Mothers and fathers are not interchangeable. Men and women are distinct and complementary.”

“Will you be ashamed of the gospel? Will you be ashamed of your Lord and His plan? (see Mormon 8:38). Will you yield to voices of those who would have you join them on the popular side of contemporary history?

“No! The youth of Zion will not falter! I believe you will be courageous and proclaim God’s truth with clarity and kindness, even when His truth is politically unpopular! Paul set that pattern when he declared, ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth’ (Romans 1:16; see also 2 Timothy 1:8).” (emphasis added)

I especially love when he quotes the Apostle Paul about the awful things that will happen in the last days and then adds his (President Nelson’s) interpretation--

“The Apostle Paul foresaw our circumstances when he said:

‘In the last days perilous times shall come.

‘For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

‘Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, … despisers of those that are good,

‘… lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”

'Then he concluded: ‘From such turn away’ (2 Timothy 3:1–5)

After his remarkable prophecy of our time, Paul added this word of warning: ‘Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution’ (2 Timothy 3:12).

“Ponder that! It means that during these perilous times, life will not be comfortable for true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we will have His approval. He gave us this assurance: “Blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (3 Nephi 12:10). In short, as disciples, each of us will be put to the test.”

Read the rest of his article and let me know in the comments what your favorite quote was!

Now Serving!

This is a wonderful video produced by the Church! Please take the time to watch it.

While we are on the topic of service...Personal Progress has tons of ways to serve! Just a small listing below:

You need Faith that your service will bless you and the recipient of your service.

You have to know of your Divine Nature and the potential you both nurture and gain when you serve. 

Remembering the Individual Worth of the person you're serving can help you to serve them more personally, knowing that you are both Children of a King!

When you've made gaining varied Knowledge and experience a priority, you can serve people in more unique and personalized ways.

Choice and Accountability - you can choose to serve or not, but you will be accountable for that choice!

Good Works and service are the same. Service can only be good works. Good works is defined as service!

Integrity is required to do the service well and to do it with a pure heart, with no intent of personal gain. 

And finally, Virtue is needed because, as one 2009 MormonAd put it, "Virtue [is] the Gold Standard". And how can we achieve the 'Gold Standard' without serving others as Christ did? Christ led a virtuous life, and thus we can look to HIM as our Gold Standard.

I hope we can all remember how our Savior lived and how much He served everyone during his life and through His Atonement!

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Note: I found this video on my cousin Lily's blog. Please read her many informative and fun posts on family history and the Spirit of Elijah here. Don't forget to comment!!!