We held New Beginnings for the Young Women last night. I made a Power Point presentation about the Young Women program and peppered it with pictures of our girls and a movie from Youth.lds.org. I like using photos and video at youth activities. We spotlighted each new blushing girl who will enter Young Women when they turn 12 this year. We love them already.

Our invitations were made by the Mia Maids and their leader. The little eggs are beads and the nest is some twine glued to paper.

Our gifts were made by the Laurels and a couple of leaders:

We decorated the tables in white cloths, blue fabric overlays, silver ornaments, tiny nests and battery-operated white Christmas lights.

Last night we placed small silver ornaments in the nests (not candies) and it was lovely. The centerpieces were low cost because we used Christmas decorations and objects from our homes. Each table was a little bit different.

Youth.lds.org has downloadable t-shirt and poster designs for the yearly theme. It’s been so helpful this month as we’ve introduced the youth theme for 2012:

Arise and Shine Forth

that thy light may be a standard for the nations.

D&C 115:5

Here are the headbands I made for the young men and young women for our kickoff activity early in January. I downloaded the design and printed on an iron-on transfer which I applied to muslin strips. The young men wore theirs on their foreheads or around their burly biceps.

Most young women wore them as headbands. These took about an hour to make 30. I didn’t sew the fabric; I just tore it into strips.

If you need a pick-me-up, here is a lovely video.

I visited two temples on Saturday with the youth. Here are the young women in front of the Gilbert Temple construction site. The sister missionary at the construction site gave us a wonderful idea of how temples are built and showed us the plans for the temple and helped the young women visualize themselves going there someday. The land has been dedicated and there was a beautiful spirit there.

Construction workers at temples do not need to be members of the Church, but they must abide by Church standards when on site. They do not smoke, swear, argue, eat (even and especially sunflower seeds), or listen to music of any kind while on site. Temples are built without blemish. No markings are permitted on the construction materials. If a wall has been written on, it is removed  (not painted over) and an unblemished piece replaces it. People in general are not allowed on site: only construction workers, members of the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency are allowed.

Grandma Ruth’s uncle Otto did marble work in the Oakland temple. Grandma Ruth has a lamp with a black marble base from leftover temple marble, and she also has some green marble from the temple.  Otto was not a member of the Church. Years later, the Oakland temple was a place where my dad felt the Spirit as a young man before joining the Church. The Oakland temple is where my parents were married. I love how temples bring families together.

Here we are in front of the Mesa temple where the youth were baptized for the dead.

The image of these girls in the temple, dressed in white will stay with me forever.

We gathered at 6:30 am at our church to make it to the temple on time for our appointment. This was Daniel’s first temple trip. It was a good day and we were tired when it was all over.

Hooray for the youth! Hooray for temples!

These are a few photos of our Young Women in Excellence night. Paige is sharing a Faith value project she completed. The silhouettes were not made by me, but I liked the way they turned out. They were made with vinyl on glass.

The evening was very full. There was acting, a short film, a guitar solo, a flag twirling routine, a trumpet solo, and many testimonies. Paige earned 3 ribbons this year, which means 30+ hours of projects and accomplishing many other goals. We sang the song I wrote (3 times through!) and I accompanied, which was a first for me. Richard took a good number of photos of the dessert table on which there was a pie to represent each value.

And now I can say I have organized a Young Women in Excellence program. I enjoyed it.

There is really no fanfare given to kids who earn this award at church. There is a certificate at the end of the book signed by our Bishop and Primary President, but there is no presentation or pin. That’s okay. The true measure of a person is not the fanfare and decorations they’ve received, but the qualities they have developed.

Here is what a child (age 8-12) must do to complete this award, and it’s significant:

• Pray daily to Heavenly Father.
• Read the scriptures regularly.
• Keep the commandments and live gospel standards.
• Honor parents and be kind to your family.
• Pay your tithing and attend tithing settlement.
• Attend sacrament meetings and Primary regularly.
• Write your testimony
• Memorize the Articles of Faith (13 paragraphs) and explain their meaning
• Complete 24 activities under the following categories: Learning and Living the Gospel; Serving Others, Developing Talents.
• Complete 5 requirements under the Preparing for the Priesthood category.
• Have an interview with a member of your bishopric.

Here are many of the activities that Daniel completed to earn his award:

• Explained how the sacrament helps you renew your baptismal covenant. In a family home evening, he taught us about things we can do to remain faithful.
• Gave a family home evening lesson about Joseph Smith’s First Vision. Discussed how Heavenly Father answers sincere prayers.
• Marked verses of scripture about the Holy Ghost.
• Read a recent conference address given by a prophet. Decided what to do to follow the prophet, and did it.
• Prepared a pedigree chart and shared a family history story.
• Learned to sing “Choose the Right” and explained what agency is and what it means to be responsible for his choices.
• Read and discussed the parable of the good Samaritan and planned a service project to help a family member or neighbor.
• Wrote a letter to grandparents expressing appreciation and explaining what he respects about them.
• Planned, prepared, and served a nutritious meal.
• Learned to practice good manners and courtesy.
• Entertained young children with songs or games he made himself. Showed he knows how to care for and protect a young child.
• Planned a parent-child activity (helped plan and carry out the Blue and Gold banquet).
• Read the twelfth article of faith and discussed what it means to be a good citizen and how actions affect others.
• Learned to play a song from the Children’s Songbook on the piano.
• Wrote a poem about a gospel topic.
• Made an item from wood and displayed it.
• Visited a concert.
• Planned a physical fitness program and participated in it for one month.
• Learned about and practiced good nutrition, good health, grooming, and modest dress.
• Learned about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.
• Read the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood and what it means to do his duty to God.
• Read scriptures about education and discussed its importance in strengthening priesthood holder for service in home and family and the Church.
• Read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and made a list of things to strengthen his family and make a happy home.

Paige and Richard attended a speech by the Candy Bomber, Gail Halvorsen. I think very highly of this man who still keeps speaking engagements around the world. He’s humble and kind. I was doing dishes in the church in November and he walked right in and started drying the silverware. He’s also quite funny. Yesterday he and his wife walked into the church building out of the wind. When I commented about the wind, he said, “Yeah, it sure messed up my hair!”