Guidebook For Parents and Leaders of Youth

The LDS Church has a publication to help the parents of Youth. It's the "Guidebook For Parents and Leaders of Youth".

Topics included are:
Role of Parents
Role of Leaders
For The Strength Of Youth
Aaronic Priesthood Duty To God Program
Young Women Personal Progress Program
Mutual
Teaching Leadership Principles to Youth

See more at:
http://www.lds.org/youthresources/pdf/GuideParLead36415.pdf or
http://www.lds.org/youthresources/pdf/ForStrengYouth36550.pdf

For The Strength Of Youth

The LDS Church has released a pamphlet to guide the Youth in the Church. The pamphlet outlines simple guidelines to influence the Youth's lives for the better.

Topics covered in the pamphlet are:

Agency and Accountability

Gratitude

Education

Family

Dress and Appearance

Entertainment and The Media

Music and Dancing

Language

Dating

Sexual Purity

Repentance

Honesty

Sabbath Day Observation

Tithes and Offerings

Physical Health

Service To Others

Go Forward With Faith

The Living Christ

The Family, A Proclaimation To The World

Find The Strength of Youth Pamplet at:

http//www.lds.org/youthresources/0,11378,1909-1,00.html or http://www.lds.org/youthresources/pdf/ForStrengYouth36550.pdf

Personal Progress

The Young Women's Personal Progress program is all about individual growth.
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WHAT ARE VALUE EXPERIENCES / VALUE PROJECTS ?
There are two types of goals that will be met through the Personal Progress Program. Value Experiences are smaller goals, while Value Projects are just that, projects! Value Experiences can be completed in a shorter amount of time, while the young women should choose Value Projects that are meaningful and will allow her to grow according to that value. The values are Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice & Accountability, Good Works, and Integrity.

PASSING OFF VALUE EXPERIENCES
There are 9 Value Experiences per value. The Young Woman completes 3 required and 3 optional of the 9 value experiences (per value). This totals 6 of the 9 Value Experiences (per value). Always, the first 3 Value Experiences in each value are required; and the others are to choose from. The last two are left blank so the Young Woman may make-up and write-in her own Value Experience (in accordance to the value, and it must be approved be parents/Young Woman Leader). When the Young Woman finishes a Value Experience she gets it passed off by her parents or Young Woman leader. The parents or Young Woman leader put their initals in the spot located near the Value Experience that is finished.

PASSING OFF VALUE PROJECTS
Once the Yoong Woman finishes the 6 out of the 9 value experiences, they get to choose one Value Project. This should be a project that reflects attributes of that value, and something that interests the young woman. When the Young Woman has completed her chosen Value Project she discusses it with her Parents or Young Woman Leader; who will initial it, showing it has been completed. Once the 6 Value Experiences and the 1 Value Project are completed, the young women has passed off that Value.

HOW MUCH TIME DO THE YOUNG WOMEN HAVE?

The Young Woman has all 6 years in the Young Woman Program to complete the Personal Progress Program. The young women may pass off goals and value projects in any order they choose; but the easiest way is to pass off one value at a time. When the entire program is finished she is recognized. Different wards may have different practices for recognition. There is a Personal Progress Tracker on page 67 of the Personal Progress Handbook so the Young Women may track their own progress.

YOUNG WOMAN LEADERS IN THE PERONAL PROGRESS PROGRAM

Young Woman Leaders encourage the girls to complete Value Experiences and Value Projects. Young Women Leaders and parents may sign off completed goals for the Young Women by initialing near the completed goal. Young Women Leaders may also participate in the Personal Progress program by completing the Value Experiences and Value Projects. They may complete it because they didn't when they were younger, or to go through the program again.

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See the Personal Progress Manual here: http://www.lds.org/youthresources/pdf/YWProgress36035.pdf or here: http://www.lds.org/youthresources/0,11378,1909-1,00.html

For help and more information, visit: http://ywconnection.com/Personal%20Progress/pagePPindex.html (some of the things are outdated -- they are for the old program -- but you'll still find a lot of good stuff on this site)

Young Women Theme

All young women (and young men) are encouraged to memorize the Young Women Theme. The theme is recited at the beginning of Young Women class on Sunday and at the beginning of the weekly Mutual Activity.

"We are daughters of ourHeavenly Father, who loves us, and we love him. We will stand as witnesses of God in all times, in all things and in all places; as we strive to live the Young Women values; which are:

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works and

Intergrity

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, recieve the ordinences of the temple and enjoy the blessings of exhaultation."

LDS Young Women Websites

KEY: (I've color coded the links [if you couldn't tell] ) Young Women Site, Official LDS Church Site, Site With Stuff To Purchase, Relief Society, Other LDS Related Site

'Best' LDS-related Sites:
www.ywconnection.com Ideas for; Mutual, Activities and Thoughts, Youth Conference, Camp, Sacreament Meeting, Personal Progress, Lesson Plans, Lesson Help... EVERTHING! Great site.

www.lds.org Latter-Day Saint Church's site

www.ctr-ring.com Buy LDS CTR rings. Many different types.

http://www.greatlengths.com/ Modest clothes! Modest Prom Dresses!

http://lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4664-1,00.html Introduction to Young Women's program

http://www.mormon-t-shirts.com/ Buy LDS-inspired T-Shirts ("Old Nauvoo", "Church Basketball", "Helaman's Gym", "Young Women Power", "University of Zarahemla Football"...)


'Good' LDS-related Sites:

http://www.debanae.net/ Primary and Young Women. Clip-Art.

http://designca.com/lds/ LDS Clip Art

http://www.homeholidaysfamilyandfun.com/404.html Lots of stories and quotes.

http://www.ldssplash.com/ A fun site. Oriented for the Youth. Play games.

http://www.hedgemom.net/id108.htm Personal Progress Help

http://www.my-personalized-gifts.com/ Gifts -- Including some LDS/Young Women Items


'Okay' LDS-related Sites:
http://www.jennysmith.net/yw/lds-yw-young-women-store.php Online review of LDS Products.


Visiting Teaching (Older Women in the Relief Society):
http://www.ldsteach.com/

http://www.geocities.com/perudol1/vt.htm


I Have These Pages Bookmarked, But Don't Really Know Much About Them (LDS-related Sites):
http://ldsliving.com/

http://www.of-worth.com/

http://www.1on1.net/1valor/ Buy LDS stuff on line

http://www.ctrcreations.com/ Buy more LDS stuff

2006 Mutual Theme - Arise and Shine Forth, That Thy Light May Be A Standard For The Nations (D&C 115:5)

Last year's (2005) Mutual Theme was "A Great And Marvelous Work..."

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2006 Mutual Theme
"The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have approved the following as the Mutual theme for 2006: 'Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations' (D&C 115:5).

"We ask that you encourage Young Men and Young Women leaders to emphasize the theme in Mutual opening exercises and other youth activities. Additional resource material regarding this theme will be available in the New Era and Liahona magazines at the beginning of 2006."
—The First Presidency

The Young Men general presidency also suggests the theme be used for youth talks and thoughts and to provide focus for dance and music festivals, youth conferences, and camps.
It is expected that youth and their leaders will build on the experiences they had in 2005 to honor the Prophet Joseph Smith and commemorate the Restoration of the gospel. Youth can use the 2006 theme to explore ways to give service, share the gospel, and live gospel standards as outlined in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet.

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From www.lds.org

Organization of the Young Women Program

The organization of the Young Women program is as such:

• Beehives (age 12-14)
• Mia Maids (age 14-16)
• Laurels (age 16-18)

The organization of the Young Women program Leadership is as such:

• President
• 1st Counselor (also over the Laurels)
• 2nd Counselor (also over the Mia Maids)
• Secretary
• Mia Maid Advisor
• Beehive Advisor
• Camp Director (as needed)
• Assistant Camp Director (as needed)
• Sports Director (as needed)

The organization of participant (the girls) leadershipis as such:

Each group (Beehives, Mia Maids, Laurels) have a young woman who is in each of these positions for each group. They make up the 'Class Presidency':

• President
• 1st Counselor
• 2nd Counselor
• Secretary

Meetings:

• Board Meetings take place between leaders.
• Class Presidency Meeting take place between the young woman leaders and the counselor and advisor over that group (i.e. the Beehives....etc.)
• Church is a 3 hour block on Sunday. The three meetings are Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and Young Women class.

Also see www.lds.org

Explaination of LDS Church's The Young Women Progam

Latter-Day Saint, or Mormon, girls ages12-18 participate in the "Young Women's" program. Boys of the same age are in the "Young Men's" program. These two youth organizations collectively are called "Mutual". They meet in their designated groups and learn lessons every Sunday at church. They also meet once a week for 'Mutual' for and hour or two in the evening. 'Mutual' is a time for fun and for growth as an individual. Planned activities may include learning to sew or cook, playing a sport (basketball, fotsal, etc.), or just playing games. The activities are designed to help the youth grow as individuals to be outstanding citizens.

www.lds.org