Daughter of a King...I am a Princess!

Hi...it's me again (in case you forgot). I know it has been ages since I have posted anything of real value but being a first time mother, a wife and working has taken up a lot of my time and to be honest I am exhausted. You get it, right? I can't possibly be the only one who is feeling like that.

I have had this idea in my head for a while, especially the closer that school had become. Many of you know that I am no longer in the YW program but am currently serving as an Activity leader of our girls ages 8-11 and we have struggled with the idea of unity and inclusion. Most of the time, the girls are pretty good. However, there are times when they are not so good. This also has come to my mind after I, myself, personally have felt like a lone little gold fish swimming amongst sharks. I have felt lonely and finding it difficult to want to go to my meetings because I feel that I just don't fit in....anywhere in my ward. Which is a great ward...I...uh...just...don't...fit....well.

So this idea of mine (and I apologize that this doesn't have any pics yet because this is still an idea in my head and haven't put it into reality...just yet...hoping to in November) involves our favorite Disney Princesses and a little known kids book that I have blogged about before (you can read about it HERE), the Paper Bag Princess. 

Every girl has a favorite Disney Princess...and if they don't they are lying *wink wink*. There is Aurora, Snow White, Merida, Belle, Cinderella, Tiana, Jasmine, the list goes on and on. I would have the girls name as many as they can think of. I would write the names on the chalkboard or have them printed up in cute fonts so everyone can see them. I would then ask them, what qualities or traits do each of the named princesses have? This could be a tough question to answer to try and get as many different answers as you possibly can.  

Next, read the book the Paper Bag Princess and talk about the qualities that this princess had and how she didn't need to have the stuffy old prince's attitude or shallowness.  Now that you have done this. The next section will take some pre-planning. 

Make a poster for each girl. Have a crown on the top of the poster and their name below. Then hang them up and have each girl stand in front of their poster. Hand them each a marker or pen. Then, picking left or right, have the girls go to the next girls poster and write something nice, some sort of quality they admire that the girls who poster they are at, has. Keep going until all the girls are back at their own and let them take a moment to read over the things that their peers wrote to them. You can have the girls sign who wrote what or keep it completely anonymous.

 Close with the talk if time allows from President Uchtdorf and remind them that all of them are a princess because they are a daughter of God and that no one, NO ONE can make them feel any less inferior. 

Just Loved This Reminder

I Just Had to Share this with You

As some of you may know I have moved from being an Idaho girl to becoming a Utah wife and yesterday when I checked Facebook, I saw a few posts from a few of the lady's that were in my ward from back in Idaho. I guess in Relief Society they had their President's Message/Lesson on the power of thoughts and the teacher, a good friend to my family shared this video with the sisters. Even though it was used for a Relief Society lesson, I think it would and could be easily used for Young Women's. I hope you find this as inspiring as I did! 

Wouldn't this make for a great challenge or mutual activity or even Personal Progress. I just love it!

In Case You Didn't See This

This was a video taken from the Bountiful Day Parade in Bountiful Utah...for those that haven't seen the video you need to.

Lesson 5:Finding Joy in Our Divine Potential

Here is lesson 5's handout. It is the letter from the General YW Presidency that is included in the lesson manual. 

Click HERE to download 8x11.5 pdf

Here are two videos that are suggested for the lesson...they are wonderful. The first one is from President Uctdorf and the other is a video for YW to discover their divine potential

Lesson 4: Seeking the Companionship of the Holy Ghost

Yes, I have finally gotten back to creating handouts. A little late perhaps...OK a lot late but I know that some of you don't always go in the order that the manual goes in. So hoping that this is going to be helpful to someone.

Click HERE to download a pdf set of 2

This is a great video from our church leaders on the Holy Ghost. Click HERE to be taken to the Mormon Messages page at lds.org to get more information or to share this video with others.

Deep Beauty

Such a wonderful reminder and message. I loved it the moment I started watching so I wanted to share it with you all. Sister Dalton gives an amazing talk that inspired the video. Click HERE to read the talk (there is a link provided) or to share/learn more.

More Great Info Released by the Church for 2012!!!!

I have just been informed here that the church has released more resources concerning the new mutual theme for 2012!!!

some of the resources that are included on the site is a message from Elder L. Tom Perry along with videos for the YM and the YW from the respective general presidencies. Also there is a logo that can be used for just about anything that has to do with the theme (at the bottom under downloadable resources). 

Go and check it out! There is so much there that I don't have the time or space to share it all with you!

Click HERE to be taken directly to the youth church website where you can find all of these wonderful treasures!

Sister Dalton Talks to YW

I must be in a video sharing sort of mood because here is another video that I just love!!!

Click HERE for more information

I Am A Daughter of My Heavenly Father...Who KNOWS Me

I think that every Young Woman (young and old) and even the Young Men need a good reminder that their Heavenly Father knows them and loves and will never leave them in their hour/time of need. A very touching reminder and message. 
Click HERE for link to share or get more information

Youth.LDS.Org Video Intro to New Theme

I just love this video and plan on using it somehow for the new year!! It's way awesome and inspirational. Click HERE to be taken directly to the site.

A Little Bit More of the Christmas Spirit

I just wanted to share this video with you all before the holiday just in case some of you need a little bit more of the Christmas spirit and I might not be posting much til after the holiday...so please enjoy. HERE is the link to the site for direct sharing options or if you wanted to read more on it.

Can I Just Say

I LOVE THIS LADY!! I know, I know I am posting another video yet again. I just can't help it...I LOVE her stuff!!

This video is on virtue and modesty...a must see and possibly a great help for future lessons and/or activities.

Click HERE to share the video or to watch other Jenny Philips videos.

Jenny Philips video for 2012 theme

I going through youtube and browsing some of the pages I subscribe to and I saw this video by Jenny Philips. She is so creative and I love the story and analogy that she gives. Take a few mins and watch...I think you will enjoy it!

Click HERE to watch more of her videos or to share this one

Guys View on Modesty

I was surfing around on the web for some awesome YW ideas and one blog that I came across talked about this video SO I just had to go in search of it. It is an awesome reminder for our young women from the mouths of YM their own age!

HERE is the link if you would like to share or download this video

A Good Reminder

I know this video isn't new and I am sure we have all seen it when we watched the YW General Broadcast for this year but I wanted to share it with you...just as a reminder of the duty we have.

Click HERE for more information and sharing options.

The Book Of Mormon

This was a video that just came out on the Youth LDS website. I loved it when I listened to it. Hopefully you do too!

 
Click HERE to be taken to the website for more information or sharing options!

Finally a Video

Finally a video has been made for this great story from Elder Cook's talk. I loved this story when I first heard Elder Cook give it and loved it even more when it became the basis for our stake yw leadership training (you can see that post HERE).

Please take a minute to listen and watch this amazing video if you havent already!

Click HERE for link to be taken directly to the lds.org/youth website! Enjoy!

Stake Leadership YW Training

So if you have been keeping up with me on the Facebook page (if you haven't liked it...go do it now by clicking on the icon on the right hand side!!!) you would have seen where I attended our YW training with the theme/focus on "PURSE"onal Progress. Here is a picture of what the invitations looked like....

The stake YW presidency started off the night with a story (that   was told at the April conference this year...a copy of it was also included in our little purses that you will see a bit later down) by Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apolostles. It is as follows:

"When I was recentlyassigned to a conference in the Mission Viejo California Stake, I was touched by an account of their four-stake New Year's Eve youth dance. Follwing the dance, a purse was found with no outside identification. I share with you part of what Sister Monica Sedgwick, the YW president in the Laguna Niguel stake, recorded: 'We didn't want to pry; this was someone's personal stuff! So we gingerly opened it and grabbed the first thing that was on top-hopefully, it would identify her. It did, but in another way- it was a For the Strength of Youth pamphelt. Wow! This told us something about her. Then we reached in for the next item, a little notebook. Surely this would give us answers, but not the kind we were expecting. The first page was a list of favorite scriptures and personal notes.

The sisters immediately wanted to meet this stalwart young woman. They returned to that purse to identify its owner. They pulled out the some breath mints, soap, lotion, and a brush. I loved their comments: "Oh, good things come out of her mouth; she has clean and soft hands; and she takes care of herself." They eagerly awaited the next treasure. Out came a clever little homemade coin purse made from a cardboard juice carton, and there was some moneyin a zippered pocket. They exclaimed, "Ahh, she's creative and prepared!" They felt like little children on Christmas morning. What they pulled out next surprised them even more: a recipe for Black Forest chocolate cake and a note to make the cake for a friend's birthday. The almost screamed, "She's a HOMEMAKER! Thoughtful and service minded."

Then, yes, finally some identification. The youth leaders said they felt greatly blessed "to observe the quiet example of a young lade living the gospel."

This account illustrates the commitment of our young women to Church standards. It is also an example of caring, interested, dedicated Young Women leaders all over the world. They are incredible!"

Once that story was read, time was turned over to some of the YW leaders of the various wards to tell the rest of us some ideas that they have done to get their girls motivated in doing their personal progress, such as making it fun, holding a drawing where each girl who completes and experience gets to write her name on a paper and they draw out a name who wins some sort of prize, involving chocolate and pj's with personal progress, etc.

Then the other counselor in our ward was asked to give a presentation to inform all those who don't know that personal progress is now available on the internet, she gave us a walk through on what all you can do and the process that the girls (and leaders) go through to submit and approve their experience and projects. (if you havent checked it out..you can click on the picture of the YW Medallion on the right hand side and it will take you directly to the website!)

Then of course their were closing words by a member of our Stake Presidency and then refreshments. At the end, our stake YW leaders gave each of us our own little purse that includes a 5x7 card of the YW theme, a sticker of the YW torch, the FSOY pamphlet, a copy of that story listed above on pink paper, and a tissue with some mints. SUPER CUTE!!! SEE THE PICTURES BELOW!!!

Email if you would like information on how to make this purse. I will be honest I don't have the actual pattern but I can send you some information on where to find it or provide you with a pdf that is is similiar to this purse @ wearedaughtersofaheavenlyking@gmail.com

*UPDATE* Click HERE to be taken to another cute idea on how to do this!

*UPDATE 10/24* Click HERE to be taken to the lds.org/youth website to see a great video of this story!