Good Works

Value Project Ideas:

Adopt a family for Christmas

Babysit for couples attending the temple
Babysit for couples attending ward choir practice
Babysit for free for low income families
Babysit for monthly Relief Society meetings
Babysit siblings
Become CPR and/or First Aid certified
Clean the garage, playroom or attic
Collect items for soldiers overseas
Compile a family health history
Compile a family recipe book
Compile quotes from General Authorities about Good Works
Compile recipes for a cook book or recipe box
Cook meals for your family
Create a day by day calendar with quotes from General Authorities
Create a work of art
Create lesson plans for nursery
Do baptisms for the dead for 10 weeks
Do service for the wives of the Bishopric
Do your own laundry
Family genealogy classes
For my good works project I created a blog documenting my life as a Mormon Teen in this crazy world. It's gotten quite popular, and incredible things have happened because of it, including some of my stories getting published! (Thanks Whitney! Check her out at www.mormon-teen.blogspot.com)
Go Christmas Caroling at a Nursing Home
Help with extra chores
Hold a Conference party
Humanitarian aid on lds.org
Identify areas of town (parks, playgrounds, roadsides, church grounds) that are littered or dirty. Over several days, pick up trash and beautify the areas.
Keep a journal to log service experiences
Learn how to make bread and donated it for the sacrament
Make a babysitting kit
Make a conference Binder
Make baby hats for the NICU
Make Personal Progress reminders for Young Women’s
Make white hair scrunchies for the temple
Name extraction
Organize a food or clothing drive and donate the proceeds to a local shelter.
Organize and carry out a blood drive
Organize and carry out a surprise birthday party
Organize and carry out an art fair
Plan an afternoon of free babysitting at the church for ward members. Advertise the service and circulate sign-up sheets several weeks ahead of time. Prepare one kids' craft or activity for the afternoon.
Plan and carry out a carnival for primary children or children at a homeless shelter
Plan out healthy menus for your family
Prepare family names for temple work
Put together a devotional book
Re-watch Conference and write in your journal how talks apply to Good Works
Read a book by a General Authority
Record family stories from family members and compile family history
Sew an article of clothing
Sew and tie quilts
Sew finger puppets for children in the hospital or homeless shelters
Sew scripture bags
Spend 10 hours as a volunteer indexer for people trying to locate their ancestors.Learn a song and sing/play it for church
Teach something to a younger sibling
Tutor someone for free
Type up old family journals
Volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
Volunteer at the hospital
Volunteer to help with activity days
Volunteer to work on temple grounds
Write letters to missionaries

Lessons I learned as a boy

Super Awesome Quote!!

Hey girls the PRIZE  for this week is...

Double points if you remember the quote without looking tomorrow... and if you don't remember that just remember who said it :) excited to see you tomorrow!!

Mia Maids and Laurels... CHALLENGE

Hey cute girls... I am hoping some of you read this before Tuesday mutual :) 

I know some of you are like "blah" when it comes to personal progress so I am going to tell you a little bit about my experience as a youth with personal progress. I remember turning twelve and being super nervous and excited to go into young women's. I used to watch the girls in young women's for a few weeks before I turned 12 to see what they wore! I noticed a lot of young women wore skirts so I made my mom take me to go buy some skirts so I would fit in. I was super pumped to start my personal progress because I liked things like that. However, the older I got the less and less pumped I was bout personal progress. In fact I was one of the only girls that didn't get my medallion. Sometimes I think Heavenly Father has a sense of humor because now I am your personal progress leader. I was super nervous to be in charge of your personal progress until...

As I was reading the personal progress book from the perspective of a mom and wife. There is so many AMAZING things in the personal progress book. I know that by completing these projects and value experiences your testimony will grow and you will be an even better person then you already are. Let's do this together!! 

So... since I am fairly certain that not very many of you read this blog all that often I am going give a prize to those of you that know this quote when I ask what quote was on the blog this week: 

Individual Worth Project Ideas

Compile a book family testimonies, and record in your journal how your family’s heritage has blessed your life.
Compile quotes from General Authorities about Individual Worth, and record your testimony of living prophets and apostles.
Compile your own works of art, photography, poetry, or other accomplishments and ponder why creating helps you develop confidence.
Create a day by day calendar with quotes from General Authorities on Individual Worth.
Hold a "Princess Day Camp" for the activity day girls to help them know they are daughters of God and to develop confidence and testimony.
Hold a party for watching General Conference with your family or fellow Young Women.
Keep a daily journal for 6 months, and record why keeping a journal is important.
Learn a song, and sing or play it in a church meeting. Ponder how music will help to develop self-confidence.
Learn how good dancing will help you recognize your worth as a daughter of God, and practice making good choice about how to dance.
Learn how to crochet, and record how developing talents will bless you in your endeavors and help you develop self-worth.
Learn how to cross-stitch, and record how developing your talents can bless you in your life.
Learn how to knit, and share how developing talents has helped you to gain greater self-worth.
Learn how to play a musical instrument, and record how developing talents helps you to understand your worth.
Make a book of remembrance, recording your own personal history. Think about the importance of keeping a personal history for your posterity.
Make a conference Binder and take notes during General Conference about what the talks teach you about your individual worth.
Make a portfolio of art you have done and record how developing talents has helped you to understand your individual worth.
Memorize Your Patriarchal Blessing, and study what it teaches you about your divine mission.
Organize and carry out an art fair for others to showcase their talents. Record how this helped develop confidence and self-worth in yourself and others.
Participate in a choir or band, and record how you have become more confident as a result.
Participate in a play or other dramatic performance, and record how doing so has helped you develop greater confidence.
Participate in a sport or group activity, and record how doing so has helped you develop confidence and self-worth, and learn to support and work with others.
Put together a book of devotionals to use in Young Women’s, Family Home Evening, Girls Camp, or Seminary.
Read a book by a General Authority that teaches you about the importance of individual worth.
Record family stories from your genealogy and set a goal to serve your ancestors by performing vicarious baptisms.
Sew an article of clothing that reminds you that you are a daughter of God. Record how doing so has helped you to develop individual worth.
Sew scripture bags to give to primary children, including your written testimony on the importance of self-worth.
Start a band or other music group, and record how developing talents and unity have helped you to increase your friendships and self-worth.
Start a club to develop friendships and unity, and record how doing so has helped you and others develop confidence and self-worth.
Take an art class, and record how developing new skills and talents will bless you in your life and give you self-worth.
Take lessons at a Family History Center and learn how to research your ancestors and perform baptisms for them in the Temple.
Teach a class on a skill you’ve developed, and record how doing so has helped you and those you teach to develop stronger self-worth.
Teach music lessons to those in your ward and community, and hold a recital. Record how you have been able to help your students develop self-worth.
Transcribe and study ancestors Patriarchal blessings. Record how studying their blessings has helped you better understand your divine heritage and individual worth.
Type up old family journals and study the importance of learning from our ancestors.
Type up your old journal entries and ponder why recording your personal history will bless your posterity.
Using your talents, create a meaningful gift to give to friends. Record how you are able to strengthen friendships and develop trust and self-confidence.
Volunteer to help with activity days and help the girls recognize their individual worth.
Write a book, play, short stories or poetry that teaches about individual worth.
Write and illustrate a children’s story about developing individual worth.
Write letters to missionaries asking them to share their experiences, and their testimonies of the worth of souls.

Divine Nature Project Ideas

Hi cute gals! Here is a list of possible projects for divine nature :)

. Learn home improvement skills by remodeling a room in your house, building a piece of furniture, or revamping a thrift store find. 

2. Develop the divine trait of compassion by organizing a service project, volunteering in your community, or making a special effort to serve someone with whom you associate. (Some of my favorite projects have been doing recitals at local nursing homes, sewing for Days for Girls, and helping at a local science museum. See #6, 10, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 21 for more service ideas.)

3. Research or interview women who inspire you. Compile a scrapbook, video, or infographic about their divinely inherited gifts and strengths.

4. Cultivate a new talent that will benefit your future self and family such as car maintenance, sewing, couponing, knitting, interior decorating, pottery, photography, etc.

5. “As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.” - Lorenzo Snow 

Explore your divine heritag by learning more about the creation. Visit a local science museum, planetarium, zoo, or similar exhibit. Watch this Mormon Message and study Moses 6:63, Alma 30:44, Abraham 3:22-26, and the Education chapter of For the Strength of Youth. Record your feelings about God and your potential to become like Him by writing in your journal or by creating an art piece, song, poem, or other form of expression.

6. The Savior was the master teacher. Become more like Him by developing your teaching skills through tutoring at a local school, helping in Primary, assisting siblings/neighbors with homework, preparing and presenting a Sunday School lesson, or demonstrating how to do one of your favorite hobbies at mutual or in a YouTube video.

7.  Learn how to decorate cakes (Yum!) by taking a class, interning with a baker, or following online tutorials. Consider donating baked goods to nursing or Veteran's homes for residents' birthdays or providing refreshments for an upcoming youth activity.

8. Become pen or email pals with a grandmother, aunt, or elderly sister in your ward. (Grandmas love letters!) :) Learn about her life's experiences and ask her how she developed her divine traits. Save your letters and assemble them in a binder or scrapbook.

9. Study The Family: A Proclamation to the World and incorporate it into an artwork to hang in your home. (I love the examples here, here, here, and here.)

10. Develop kindness (and patience haha) by babysitting for someone in need.

11. Memorize your Patriarchal blessing. (This idea is from Bella Online, here but I loved it so much I had to share it.)

12. Help others remember their divine qualities by heart attacking their car/locker/home (see this post for more info),writing notes, or sending kind emails and Facebook messages (see this New Era article).

13. Gather old family recipes and preserve them by scanning, photographing, or typing them. Post them on a family blog, Facebook group, or print copies. (A family cookbook would be an awesome Christmas present!)

14. Choose an inactive young woman in your ward and make a special effort to reach out to her. Invite her to activities (both extracurricular and church related), text or write notes to her, and find ways to serve her. Record your experiences in your journal.

15. For two weeks, work extra hard to help out in your home. Look for tasks that need done and complete them without being asked. (Ideas include cooking a surprise dinner, doing a family member's chores for them, cleaning the family bathroom, making your siblings' beds, etc.)

16. Read the Christlike Attributes section of Preach My Gospel. Complete the Attribute Activity at the end of the chapter. Prayerfully choose one attribute you would like to develop more fully. Use the scriptures and General Conference talks suggested in the manual as well as other gospel resources to learn more about the character trait. Share what you have learned in a devotional, Sunday School, or FHE lesson. Then, apply what you have learned to your life by making specific goals and keeping them for two weeks.

17. Revamp your closet and hone a new skill by learning how to alter clothes. (I love the ideas here and here!)

18. Practice cooperation and responsibility by planning and executing Young Women in Excellence, New Beginnings, a joint mutual activity, or a birthday party for a child in need.

19. Develop charity by organizing a book drive. Record yourself (and other volunteers, if you wish) reading the stories. Download the recordings and donate the books and mp3s to a local children's hospital.

20.  Mentor a sibling or friend in a skill you excel at. (Great at basketball? Help the neighbor girl get ready for tryouts. Like to play the piano? Give free lessons to the neighbor kids. Got a knack for the computer? Volunteer to help a grandparent master emailing. etc.)

21. The Savior spent much of His time comforting the sick and afflicted. Follow His example by volunteering at your local hospital or retirement home. (From visiting patients to delivering popsicles and reading storybooks, a wide variety of positions are usually open.)

22. Read Happiness, Your Heritage by Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Oct. 2008 General Conference), paying particular attention to the section on creating. Learn a new talent (watercoloring, ceramics, stand-up comedy, jewelry making, poetry, etc.) and create something that reflects your divine nature.

23. Learn about how divine traits reflect true beauty by reading this General Conference talk. Study the articles onbeautyredefined.net (a fabulous website written by two LDS girls with PhD's in communications dedicated to helping women free themselves from the pressures of the media). Start a real beauty campaign in your area (the sticky notes heremight help). Make a special effort to see yourself as God sees you and commit to refraining from negative self talk for two weeks. Record your experiences in your journal.

24. Follow the guidance in Colossians 3:16 and learn how to use hymns to become closer to Christ. Volunteer to lead the music in Sacrament meeting, Seminary, or Young Womens, conduct a special choir number, play the piano or organ during meetings, practice and perform a special musical number, or compose and record your own piece of music.

25. Practice being a peacemaker by overcoming the habit of complaining. Read O Remember, Remember by Henry B. Eyring (October 2007). Design a special journal and develop the habit of recording your tender mercies each day like President Eyring does for one month.

What ideas do you have for Divine Nature?

5 Reasons to LOVE Personal Progress

Five Reasons to Love Personal Progress

By Jan Pinborough

Why Personal Progress just might be one of the most important things you choose to do as a teenager.

You’re sitting in your bishop’s office for your birthday interview, and you’ve already talked about how things are at home and in school. Now your bishop asks how your Personal Progress is going. Are you (a) excited to tell him about the experiences and projects you’ve worked on this year, (b) embarrassed because you haven’t worked on it that much lately, or (c) blushing because you don’t even know where your Personal Progress book is?

If you answered b or c, you might be like some young women. You want to work on your Personal Progress. You keep meaning to work on it. But somehow you just haven’t figured out how to transform your “I know I should be doing this” guilt into “I’m really glad I’m doing this” commitment.

If this describes you, maybe you haven’t yet discovered how meaningful Personal Progress can be in your life—now and in the future—or how it can fit in with all the other things you already have going in your life. Here are a few of the best reasons to really love Personal Progress.

1. Because It Can Change the World

President Gordon B. Hinckley once described the young women of the Church as his best hope for the world:

“When you save a girl, you save generations. She will grow in strength and righteousness. She will marry in the house of the Lord. She will teach her children the ways of truth. … I see this as the one bright shining hope in a world that is marching toward self-destruction” (“Standing Strong and Immovable,” Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 2004, 20).

Could it be that Personal Progress is one reason young women have such tremendous power to make a difference in their homes, among their friends, in their communities—and, ultimately, in the world?

Think about it mathematically. It takes at least 70 hours to complete just the value project requirements for your Young Women medallion, and there are about 435,000 young women in the Church today. If each one completed the Personal Progress program, they would collectively spend more than 30 million hours doing good in their homes and communities. That’s roughly a total of 1.25 million days or about 3,400 years. How could this army of young women serving and doing good not make the world a much brighter, better place? And how much poorer would the world be without them?

2. Because It Can Change You

But many of the biggest miracles in this powerful program are the most personal. During her sophomore year, Mary Mulvey found herself being pulled further and further away from church and family. “My life was going in a very bad direction,” she recalls. Then she was called into the Laurel presidency in her ward. Her adviser asked her to help get other girls involved with Personal Progress, so Mary started working on it herself. “I started with some of the easier experiences,” Mary explains. “For two weeks, I tried being nicer to my older sister, and that really changed our relationship.” Next she set goals to clean up her language and improve the way she dressed. “Everything I did helped change my overall attitude. I was changing all the little things that had pulled me away in the first place.”

Soon Mary felt worthy to receive her patriarchal blessing, another huge help in her life—especially when she lost her old group of friends and had to start over socially at school. “Personal Progress was life changing,” Mary reflects. “It redefined who I am and helped me see where I need to go in my life.” As her last value project, Mary set a goal to go to the temple regularly to do baptisms for the dead. Today people in her ward often tell Mary that she now has a visibly brighter countenance. It all started when she started her Personal Progress.

3. Because You’re So Busy

If you’re like most young women, you may feel like you have a lot to keep up with. When you’re not studying for a test or writing a paper, you might be working at an after-school job, going to a sports practice, or doing chores at home. With all these things going on, it might be easy to think you’re too busy to do some really valuable things—such as playing the piano for nursing home residents or making a memory quilt for your grandmother. Personal Progress helps you make time for things that will be important to you long after a test score or a soccer game have faded into insignificance. It also gives you a chance to try something new. And it teaches you the habit of striving for goodness.

It’s hard to imagine how Alexis Thompson’s life could be much busier. She juggles a demanding academic load with frequent duty babysitting her two-year-old sister. And she is a dedicated musician who belongs to her high school orchestra, jazz band, chamber orchestra, and barbershop chorus, as well as a local youth symphony. So where does she find time for Personal Progress? Alexis uses time every Sunday to plan out what goals she will work on for the week. She also takes advantage of summer vacation to focus on Personal Progress.

For one of her value projects, Alexis used a talent she already knew she had, singing in her ward choir. For another, she branched out, volunteering to help in a special-needs seminary class. “This has been an incredible experience,” says Alexis. “It’s amazing to see the love and the testimony of the kids in the class.” It’s an experience she might not have made time for without Personal Progress.

Personal Progress also teaches you to integrate spiritual goals into your everyday life. Sister Julie Beck, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, explains: “The busiest girls use Personal Progress as a tool to accomplish what they most want to do. It brings your temporal and spiritual pursuits together. It shows you that what you do on the volleyball team or the chess club has a direct relationship with who you are as a daughter of God.”

4. Because It Leads You to the Temple

Have you ever wondered why the Young Women medallion and the cover of your Personal Progress book depict the temple? The First Presidency has said: “We want the young people of the Church to be valiant and righteous servants of God, dedicated to living each day so they can go to the temple and receive God’s greatest blessings for them. Therefore, we have chosen the temple as the symbol for the youth of the Church” (Guidebook for Parents and Leaders of Youth [2001], 1; emphasis added).

But how does Personal Progress lead you to the temple? Sister Beck explains: “The way to prepare to make temple covenants is to remember and keep the commitments you’ve already made. Personal Progress is a temple preparation course.”

Ilnara Peixoto Marinho of Fortaleza, Brazil, had been sealed to her family in the temple. But for a long time the family had not been as active in church as they once were. Then one Sunday morning, Ilnara’s Young Women president showed up at her home, along with Sister Beck, who was in town and wanted to visit some young women. When Sister Beck asked Ilnara about her Personal Progress, Ilnara had to admit she had never worked on it at all. Then Sister Beck gave her a challenge. If she would find her book, finish one of the short experiences, and bring it to the fireside that night, Sister Beck would sign it off for her.

That day, Ilnara not only started working on Personal Progress; she also started helping turn her family’s life around. She began attending church. Then she and her sister began going with their mother. When Ilnara’s dad finally joined them, he was called to be in the bishopric. The whole family returned to the temple together. And it all started with Personal Progress.

5. Because It Can Help You Reach Your Dreams

What do you dream of doing? Who do you dream of becoming? Fulfilling those dreams can start today when you choose one small Personal Progress goal. Then choose another, and another, and another. Over time, you’ll grow in the direction of your dreams.

Even after you’ve earned your Young Womanhood Recognition, you can still use Personal Progress to maintain your spiritual focus and keep reaching for your dreams. The members of the Young Women general presidency do exactly that. Sister Susan Tanner set a goal to do one temple endowment for each year of her life. Sister Julie Beck is reading the Book of Mormon in Portuguese. And Sister Elaine Dalton reached her dream of running a marathon. “It took mornings of getting up when my body wanted to sleep,” Sister Dalton recalls. “But as I crossed the finish line, I was happy. And I decided that this is what Personal Progress is really all about—being focused on good things, becoming a better person, feeling the Spirit, and being happy!”

What dreams will Personal Progress help you achieve?