Values & candy treasures in Plastic Eggs

         Dee, who is the young women's personal progress specialist in our ward, had passed out bags of plastic eggs to the young women on Easter Sunday.  The eggs were to be opened during conference weekend, and as Jenna would be turning twelve on Sunday, a bag was given to her as well.  The eggs came with these directions:

I did find these instructions on pinterest, but
could not find any other information when I
clicked on  "view" and so do not have original source

          We were in Roseburg when Conference started, but was recording, and so when we returned home, I told Jenna that she could open an egg.     She chose the dark blue one.  

          I wanted Jenna to read and follow each message, but her heart seemed to be in the candy and the clues. 

          I decided that I would answer the questions on my own and discuss their meaning whenever she felt ready to participate. 

          Jenna would open 3 eggs for each session, one during each singing break.  Each egg contained a message with clues and a treat.  She felt obligated to eat the candy immediately. These are the first six messages which she received in the order they were open.

          and her incomplete message on Saturday

I had signed onto facebook just after conference and found this message from Dee:

Here are the Value Experiences that you can start with your General Conference Easter Egg Hunt...

Clue #1- Faith #3
Clue #2- Divine Nature #7
Clue #3- Individual Worth #4
Clue #4- Knowledge #1
Clue #5- Choice & Accountability #4
Clue #6- Good Works #1
Clue #7- Integrity #7
Clue #8- Virtue #3
Clue #9- Faith #2
Clue #10- Divine Nature #1
Clue #11- Individual Worth #6
Clue #12- Good Works #3

I then went to the Personal Progress online and found transferred this information according to the same order as she had opened

Read Mosiah 18:7–10, and in your journal list three ways you can comfort others or help them bear their burdens. Do the things on your list, and tell a family member or leader about the experience and how your attitude and understanding have changed.

Learn the definition of the word peacemaker. Then find and read five scriptures that teach about peacemakers. Become an example of a peacemaker in your home and at school as you refrain from criticizing, complaining, or speaking unkindly to or about others. Pray each morning and evening to Heavenly Father for help to do this. After two weeks write in your journal what new habits you want to develop, how being a peacemaker is part of your divine nature, and how you will continue to be a peacemaker.

Discover the principles of faith taught by the mothers of Helaman’s stripling warriors. Read Alma 56:45–48 and 57:21. Review what “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” says about a mother’s role. With a mother, grandmother, or leader, discuss the qualities a woman needs in order to teach children to have faith and to base their decisions on gospel truths. How can these principles help you in your life today and help you prepare to be a faithful woman, wife, and mother? Record your thoughts and feelings in your journal.

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.

Read about repentance in Isaiah 1:18; Alma 26:22; 34:30–35; Moroni 8:25–26; and Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–20; 58:42–43. Record in your journal what repentance means to you. Study the process of repentance, pray for guidance, and apply the principles of repentance in your life.

Prepare to be worthy to enter the temple and to participate in temple ordinances. Read Alma chapter 5. Make a list of the questions Alma asks. Answer the questions for yourself, and make a list of the things you can and will do to prepare yourself to be pure and worthy to enter the temple and receive all the blessings our Heavenly Father has promised His beloved daughters.

then repeated for Sunday - her birthday. 

1.            The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Learn about faith from the scriptures and living prophets. Read Hebrews 11; Alma 32:17–43; Ether 12:6–22; and Joseph Smith—History 1:11–20. Read two general conference talks on faith. Exercise your own faith by establishing a habit of prayer in your life. Begin by regularly saying your morning and evening prayers. After three weeks of following this pattern, discuss with a parent or leader what you have learned about faith and how daily personal prayer has strengthened your faith. In your journal express your feelings about faith and prayer.

3.       You are preparing now to fulfill a unique mission on the earth. Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:119. In your journal make a list of your hopes and dreams for your future home, family, and education and some important things you would like to accomplish in your life, including becoming a wife and mother. Then write a plan that will help you achieve your goals. Share this plan with a family member, leader, or friend.

4.       Learn about the importance of gaining knowledge by reading Proverbs 1:5; 4:7;2 Nephi 28:30; and Doctrine and Covenants 88:78–80, 118; 90:15; 130:18–19;131:6. Think about why you need to gain knowledge and understanding about how to apply gospel principles to your present and future home and family life. Write in your journal what you have learned about knowledge, and discuss it with a family member or Young Women leader.

6.       Spend at least three hours giving service outside your family. Ask your ward or branch Relief Society president or a community leader for suggestions for service. For example, you might take care of children while parents attend the temple; collect, make, or recondition toys or games for a nursery; accept an assignment to clean the meetinghouse; or perform errands for or read to a homebound person or others in need. Record in your journal the reactions of the person you served and possible goals for future service opportunities.

10.     What are some of the divine qualities of a daughter of God? Read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”; 2 Peter 1; Alma 7:23–24; and Doctrine and Covenants 121:45. In your own words, list the divine qualities discussed in your reading. Think about how you can discover and develop each of these qualities. Record your ideas in your journal.

11.     When you participate in family history, you come to understand your identity and individual worth. Visit with your living relatives to learn as much information about your family history as possible. Then complete a pedigree chart of your family and list the temple ordinances that have been completed for each person.

She did not open the last two eggs until just before 5:00.  

I was too lazy to text the message in it's entirety and so scanned and messaged on facebook.
 

We forgot to ask who would/will receive the extra treat awards.  Perhaps it will be announced on Sunday

Stay Tuned

As usual, I have more on my mind than I have time to type.

            We're supposed to close on a house today and so "New Beginnings" and "Plastic Eggs" will have to wait. 

            I have to comment on my daughter's growth.  The school's bands

performed their second concert last night.  And I choir was introduced.  I would like to see Jenna take choir next year.  Roland wants her to go out for basketball. 

            I need want to download pictures and scan a few items and visit the internet.  It's normally Roland's late day, but he said he took today off.  And so I will spend the day with him rather than work on my blog.

            So perhaps I'll be able to work on this tomorrow.  In the meantime here is this thought:

Speaking of Not Being Able to Plan a Party Due to the Weather . . .

               Earlier last month, the neighbor next door invited Jenna to a birthday party for her niece.  The plans included outdoor bbq, games and a bouncy house.  She somehow had the impression that Jenna was/is younger than she is (that is actually the first time anybody has made that assumption. Based upon physical appearance alone, people have always thought that Jenna is older than she is.)
 

       

        I, too, had been misled.  I presumed her niece, Molly, would be a little older than she is.  She is actually younger than what Jenna and I had been expecting.  But still, the family really did want Jenna to come.  The weather put a damper on all original plans.

        The party had been moved from next door to grandma's house located downtown.  She (the grandma) had even stopped by our house an hour before the party started to extent the altered invitation.  The room was decorated nicely.  The girls wore crowns that said "Happy Birthday". Games had been thrown together to accommodate the last minute change.  And it showed.

        When we arrived, we were told that the guests were working on an art project, but there wasn't actually any evidence of any art related materials or craft projects that I could see.  Jenna tried to make the best of it, but I could tell she was bored out of her mind. 

        There were hot dogs served and a rather quick game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. 

        One of the girls wore a shirt with a "Merida" print. 

        I made the comment that Merida is Jenna's favorite princess in which the birthday girl responded that Merida is her favorite princess, too, because she's not so girly.  I was amused by her comment as the birthday girl was dressed in pink with frilly tutu and looked very girlish.

        Presents were handed out, and I was impressed by Molly's pleasant gratefulness as she opened each gift. 

        There were a lot more cupcakes than there were guests - probably enough for four each, but everybody took only one.

       

        About an hour after we arrived and presents had been opened, the girls were taken outside to break a piñata - of course Jenna was chosen to go last. 

        She managed to whack it open.

        I remember taking pictures, but somehow they didn't get transferred over.  I didn't get to view them.  I don't know what happened.
        In the meantime, Roland was circling around the house, but finally parked.
         We thanked Molly and her family for having invited us and they thanked us for coming. 

        I don't know how often we will see Molly in the future.  We don't close on our house for another two weeks.  We'll still be living in the rental next week when we celebrate Jenna's birthday.  But we'll be moved out before April is halfway through.  Or at least that is our plan.

YW Personal Progress Trivia

On November 28, 1869, President Brigham Young established the Young Women Program for his daughters.  The aim of this movement was designated to cultivate true womanhood and recognize that outward appearance is not what’s important so much as what shapes us from within.  See here

In 1972 the YWMIA became an auxiliary to the priesthood.

I vaguely remember the “Behold Thy Handmaiden” handout introduced the same year as I entered young woman.  It says that there were six areas of focus and My Personal Progress introduced in 1974.  If I were able to view my scanned “treasures” right now, I’m certain I could dig up some memories about it. I do remember Joyce giving us instruction on things we needed to know.  As I mentioned in my last post, I SAVED EVERYTHING - but I know I didn't scan it all.

I remember hearing about some of the project qualifications given to Beehives in 1915 which was very different from what we were taught during my years of YWMIA

Service, choosing projects from over 300 options.  In 1915, those options included:

Care successfully for a hive of bees for one season and know their habits.

During two weeks, keep the house free from flies, or destroy at least 25 flies daily.

Each day for one month, commit to memory a quotation from either Bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants.

During three consecutive months abstain, between meals, from candy, ice cream, sundaes, sodas, commercially manufactured beverages, and chewing gum.

Mend six pairs of stockings, two knitted undergarments, and hem six dish-towels.

During three months, assist the Relief Society in their work of caring for the poor and sick.

Without help or advice, care for and harness a team at least five times [and] drive 50 miles during one season.

Clear sagebrush off of one-half acre of land.

Additionally, each girl was required to memorize “The Spirit of the Hive,” which was the Beehive motto: “On my honor each day I will have faith, seek knowledge, safeguard health, honor womanhood, understand beauty, know work, love truth, taste the sweetness of service, feel joy.”

In 1985 a new Personal Progress book is published (obviously different from “Behold thy Handmaiden” plan) and age-group mission statements, motto, and logo were introduced. More information on evolution of recognition found here

In the summer of 1998 I’d been called as secretary to the Young Women’s organization in my ward.  It wasn’t until I was a leader that I remember actually working on my personal progress.  Here are some pages from the 8 ½ X 11 book that I still have in my possession.

This is what the cover looked like:

this is the theme I learned

more words were added to theme in 2002

 Just behind the cover was an inlet of Salt Lake Temple - 

the idea was to see not only Jesus through/in the temple, but also ourselves

this picture was taken shortly after I
returned home from my mission.  It
is not something I would wear to the temple

Mission statement and medallion for each class

and " the standards of personal worthiness" check off list

 Laurels had the option of picking two values and creating the projects that would express that value

 as leaders we were given these samples as guidelines

 last page in the book

Recognition jewelry matched the values. 

I was a leader for two years before I was released. I never did receive the final signature to receive my own recognition though I'm sure I earned my medallion.  I decided to collect signatures from leaders and the girls. I'm okay with that.  

Remembering Mutual

      After summer of 1974, there were a total of twelve first year Beehives starting our first year of Mutual (or MIA which meant Mutual Improvement Association). Lessons and activities were held on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights.  There were the occasional overnighters or getting up early to do baptisms for the dead.  That usually took place a couple of hours before school started I think on a Friday.

            Joyce was the president for the girl’s classes.  She had two counselors.  I think there was a teacher for each class – though I don’t know if we actually had six classes.  We may have only had four.  Unfortunately I can only remember three of the leaders. 

            My first year Beehive instructor was Renee Barber.  I had always been taught to call my leaders by Sister or Brother Last Name.  I felt like the only Beehive who referred to her as Sister Barber.  Most of the girls called her Renee.  I don’t recall Joyce being addressed as sister.  She was always Joyce.

            I remember activities more than I can remember lessons – although I do remember smidgens of different lessons given.  For example, one of the leaders had given a small paper sack to one of the class members to pass around so each of us could guess what might be in there besides air – or was our faith wavered because it was too light to contain anything.  Most believed the bag was empty.  It wasn’t until the end of the lesson that the leader revealed the cotton ball inside.

            I also remember having a lesson in which papers were handed out to each of us and we were told to write a trait or attribute we admired about each class member.  Most of the girls commented on my inner strength and self-esteem – which actually surprised me.  I didn’t think they had even noticed me for the most part.

            I don’t know how often we did combined activities with the boys.  The only combined activities I remember doing was the summer escape and one during the winter season when the leaders would take us Tracey Wigwam (a boy scout camp) located at Millcreek Canyon in Salt Lake City, Utah.

            We would ride tubes and toboggans down a snowy ice-formed trail and drink hot chocolate and cider at one of the recreation buildings.  Though I did enjoy this activity (I must have – I think I went every year) it was always cold, and the drinks were always scalding and I always burned my tongue and would have sandpaper tongue for a few days.

            The summer group activities varied from year to year.  I recall one time we went to BYU and slept overnight in the dorms and followed a day to day activity that probably last for three or four days.

            One time we had gone to the Sports Mall here – I think right after it opened.  We stayed up late playing with the equipment.  I think we spent the night there.

            The girls ages 14 and up went to rough camp.  Beehives went to Oakcrest here. Oakcrest offered cabins and bunk beds and thousands of girls.  Rough camp was pitching tents – but actually not all that “rough” from the boys’ point of view.  Rough camp was done at a stake level and just felt more interment than did Oakcrest. 

            Each ward had it’s own campground.  There were activities to do on a stake level, and time to do things as a ward. There wasn’t the enforced rule of keeping leaders in a tent separate from the girls.  I can only remember going to rough camp one year.  Our theme had to do with holidays and the holiday that we either chose or was assigned was Valentine’s Day.  

           There were two tents set up.  One was overly decorated in hearts and a path marked lover's lane.  The tent was full of four boy-crazy girls.  The tent I was in was decorated, but certainly not over done.  We had fun discussing any other subject that wasn't boy related.  Joyce stayed in our tent with us. I don’t recall any other leaders from our ward.  Just Joyce and seven girls.

            Joyce had brought a parachute to stretch among the trees to be used as an awning.  I think it was on our last day it caught on fire along with our breakfast.

I don’t know if it was before or after the three-hour block in which we had a lesson on temple marriage and how we should “wait” for that “perfect” someone. The example used was Annie Osborne.  

I don’t recall the exact way it was taught, but the point was she had waited.  She didn’t get married right away.  It sounded as though she would have liked to, but “God had other plans”.  She hadn’t married until later in life (by LDS terms at an age where most righteous girls woman her age were sending their eldest sons into the mission field) but by waiting and "enduring" in her righteous act she had been blessed with marrying a general authority.  As the lesson was given, I remember thinking to myself, “Dare to dream”

And yet I broke her record.  According to this article, she married when she was 38.  I was 39.  I did not marry a general authority.   I didn't even marry in the temple until Jenna was nine months old.  My view of temple marriage is so much different than what it used to be.  (See here and here)

I remember having been given a white hanky to have to use in the temple when the time came.  We each received a white hanger on which we could hang our wedding or temple dresses.  I still have both.

I believe I had the thought card until 2012
I don't know if the card was scanned or not
I put the hanky in my temple bag

           

From Primary to MIA

When I was in primary, our classes were made up of those in the same grade at school.  We went to a class from September to September (or whenever the school year started.)  Primary was on Thursdays – just right after school. Each class had it's own name: Sunbeams, Stars, CTR, Targeteers, Merrie Miss and Blazers.

We were given paper crowns in Sunbeams and Stars and a CTR ring in CTRs.  We were given a flag in the Targeteer class.     

I don’t know if it was every other lesson, or once a month or exactly when the ribbons were passed out.  Each ribbon was a different color as I recall (I don’t know if the color was symbolic) – and I think they came with printed verse or scripture as a reminder of that lesson.  We were supposed to tie each ribbon on the “pole”, I guess just under the flag.  I can’t remember if we “earned” our ribbons or if they just came automatically.  I don’t even know what became of my flag.  It is one of the few things from my childhood that I didn’t manage to hang on to.

The only pic I could find with Targeteer anything.  Notice
the flag is rolled up so I still don't know its true shape.

Blazers and Merrie Miss were each for two years.  The boys were put in the Blazer class while the girls went to Merrie Miss.  We were given challenges and “awards” for passing off each Article of Faith and more.  Somewhere in my pack-rat memorabilia I have saved my Merrie Miss marker (banner passed out the first year) and bracelet (earned stones the second year) and Highlight Circle (which I couldn't find a picture of on the Internet, but have packed away - probably somewhere in Kayla's house - I do have a Merrie Miss Circle - still.  I'll have to photocopy it if I ever get the opportunity to do so)

I remember from early childhood that my mom had taught the Blazers.  I remember seeing the bandlos that the class members had to work on – particularly her youngest Blazer as he seemed to be the only one present for many of the classes. I don’t recall having bandlos in the Merrie Miss program, though they evidently did exist at some point

We didn’t go into Mutual (contrary to belief about some of our youth, the LDS term for “MIA” does not stand for “missing in action”) we didn’t enter just one at a time according to whenever our birthdays were.  We “graduated” from primary as an entire class.  We had a ceremony of recognition and we each received a pendant – though not from the LDS Jewelry collection offered today’   

Mine had a red flower on a white background similar to this:

 The chain broke, but I still had the medallion part until before the move to Oregon.  I don’t know what became of it after that.

I remember having learned my articles of faith – having memorized them so that I could “graduate” and not be held back in primary.  What a dork.  I realize now that I would have gone onto young women’s no matter what.  But I remember having had pushed myself just to get out of primary.

Today we still have Sunbeams and CTRs.  We no longer have classes called Merrie Miss, Blazers or Stars. The children 4 – 8 are CTRs.  The older classes are all Valiants. (I personally liked singing the Targeteer more than the Valiant song)

Primary youth no longer wait until the final class to pass off Articles of Faith.  Jenna had her AofF memorized before we moving to Oregon.  She also has the opportunity of attending Activity Days (or Achievement Days as referred to here)

Achievement Days wasn’t offered when I was a youth, but then again, neither was the three-hourblock.  Meetings were held Tuesdays through Thursdays as well as two to three meetings held on Sunday (as mentioned here)  The three-hour block wasn’t introduced until a few months before my 18^th birthday.

When I attended Mutual, each girl was given a “Treasure of Truth” book.  I could only find one picture on the web – it appears to have been around a lot longer than mine.

The one I had been given was pink with yellow flowers or white with pink and yellow flowers as I recall.  Title circled in white.  I saved everything, every handout, every scrap of paper used during each lesson.  It’s disgusting that I was such a pack rat at such a young age.

Before we had moved my mom into assisted living, I scanned a portion of my Treasures of Truth book as I just didn’t have the room (or desire with a lot of it) for storing aged memories and mostly garbage.  I did keep the binder. I’m guessing that may also be in Kayla’s possession.  Maybe not.  It could have got thrown out when Tony moved out of the WV house and Randy moved in.  Oh, well.  Not important. 

Personal Progress was not introduced until five years after I had moved on from Young Women to Relief Society (sort of) .  My sister, Kayla was able to work through it as a young woman.  I hadn’t been given that opportunity until after I had been called as a leader.  Perhaps I’ll get into that later on this week.

Reflections of Young Women

Throughout my life, I've noticed that if something doesn't get written down, it generally doesn't get remembered - especially as the years pass by and I have grown older both in mind and in body.  It seems to be especially true when trying to remember what it is I wanted to post to my blog - or sometimes just getting on the computer in general.  It doesn't even take that long to boot up, but for the most part, once I'm signed in, I forget what it is I got on the computer to do.     

Right now my head is flooded with thoughts of the young women's program - past and present - but nothing falls in order.  It's all jumbled still.  Today my baby is now a young women.  She will be meeting with the Young Women when we return to our ward next week (this week is GeneralConference) 

Currently Jenna hates the thought of her birthday falling on Conference weekend.  In Utah, I remember several years of having done something on the Monday following conference - that is when the schools were out for spring break.  In Oregon, it doesn't seem to matter as the average person is not LDS nor pays attention to the world wide broadcast.

We had to postpone the party we had scheduled for yesterday - which I will go into more detail in a future post but not here.  So instead, she'd been given a bag of plastic Easter eggs with instructions to join in on a challenge of young women values and has gone from this treasure hunt to this one

          Jenna is now a Beehive (the youngest class of young women's program) see here

Beehives, Mia Maids and Laurels existed when I was in young women's - only we didn't refer to it a young women's at the time.  We called it Mutual or MIA (Mutual Improvement Association) and we met on Tuesdays or Wednesdays for our weekly lessons as well as activities.  The church hadn't introduced the three hour block until my last year which is when MIA became YM/YW.

          We didn't have the personal progress program here at least not that I can remember. In primary we had Merrie Miss markers and bracelets, 

Took these off the internet.
My originals are packed in
boxes I'm hoping at Kayla's house

but I don't recall having incentive program in Young Women's.  The program that is offered now isn't outlined the same as it was when I was a leader.

Anyway, I would like to take this week to sort out my thoughts and create  posts about Jenna's Easter egg enthusiasm, young women's growing up, young women's when I was a leader and my observations now.  I don't know how well I will do.  But that is my goal.