Today I had a wonderful experience that made me just feel so ... known, heard, and loved.
As you can probably tell from some of my posts lately, I have been stressing about all that I have to do with YW lately. It has really been weighing on me. So the other night I was praying about all of it and really trying to have a good attitude but also trying to be somewhat realistic. I have had times where church callings have stressed me out before. Planning major events tends to stress me out. And somehow the Lord has always helped me out and been my partner when I turn to Him. So that is exactly what I did.
"Father, I can't do all this. It is simply more than I can do. I need help. This is Your work and I know you want the best for these girls. So I am turning this over to You. You find me the help I need to make this happen and I will work my best to do all I can. I am turning it over to You."
I felt confident that somehow, in someway, the Lord would provide. I got into bed that night and ideas started to come to me about some aspects of our YW in excellence program that would really be special and wonderful for the girls. I thought, "well this is good help, but if He is giving me inspiration as help I guess I am going to have to carry out the leg work."
We are planning to do a skit for this program and the date was up in the air as I am scheduled to be out of town for the night we had it penciled down. I was waiting on my advisor to let me know if she could run it without me or if we would have to move it to an alternate date when I would be in town but she would be gone.
The next day I worked on Clue and banged that out. YW in Excellence was still weighing on me, but I was too tired to work on it. I heard back from my advisor that she thought she could run it the week I would be gone (which was a better week anyway) and although I will be really sad to miss the night, I was glad we could do it on this better date and that she would bear the burden of making it happen that night.
Still I had the skit to worry about and all the other assignments to make. I really wanted someone who was going to be there that night do the skit just in case something went wrong or needed help that night. But I was uncertain I could burden my advisor with any more than I already was. But somehow the Lord would help us get it done. Of that I was confident.
Today I took my materials over to watch conference at our Personal Progress Leader's house with several of the young women. After the morning session I was going over the PP Leader's responsibilities for that night with her. The young women were milling around. I asked our PP leader to let me know where the girls were in their progress. She told me one of the young women who was sitting a few feet from us was just one project shy of earning her medallion. I told her she HAD to be done by that night so we could present her with her award then.
The PP leader told her she would have to find a different project for her Faith value because there would not be time to grow flowers between now and then. She looked over some of the options and there was one about writing a skit or play. The PP Leader asked me if this highly responsible laurel could take over the skit portion of our YW in Excellence night and do that as her project. The laurel was SO excited and totally wanted to do it. I giddily handed over my materials and gave her instructions and told her to make it her baby. I told her she was literally an answer to my prayers for help.
I have felt so much better since I handed that over to her. I know she will do a great job with it. It will help her finish her Personal Progress and it means so much less burden for me and my advisor. I am just so thankful tonight for a Father who knows me and loves me and truly does answer my prayers for help even beyond what I expected. I feel to shout Hallelujah!
HALLELUJAH!!!
7 comments:
Don't you love the way the Lord works things out?
=)
That is so AWESOME!!
I was going to say the exact same thing as Sue. We had a great experience as a family yesterday. We were just getting some shopping and we saw 4 missionaries looking confused on the street.We pulled over and it turns out they were going to the Stake centre to watch conference (It's not on tv here) but were lost. We couldn't fit them in our car but gave them directions (they were only 15 mins walk away). I just commented 'I wonder if they had a prayer.' My 8 year old said 'If they did we were the answer to their prayers, that's cool.' Then we were able to talk about staying in tune and how good it feels to help Heavenly Father by being an answer to someone's prayer.
Have you ever considered that this kind of stress is not really what heavenly father has in mind for us? So much of church work is busy work - over done and not needed. Focus on your home life rather than shallow activities for children who have their own parents and you will be better off.
stephanie, i believe that the yw program is wonderful, it teaches our girls so many things not only about our father in heaven but also about having integrity and valuing being a just young woman. your doing an excellant job... listening to the promptings of our heavenly father... he knew exactly where that project needed to be handed and because you listened... the right person got it. good for her and good for you :)
Dear Anonymous,
While I do believe it is vitally important to focus on our own families there is nothing shallow about these activities she has been planning.
I certainly hope that when my children begin the youth program {which is not to far off} they will have excellent leaders that will back what they are already learning in the home. Sometimes children need someone besides what parents can give.
I for one, loved my young women's leaders and all of the hard work they put into these supposed "shallow" activities helped shape me into the woman and wife/mother I am today.
I would not underestimate the importance of the youth getting together for activities at the church as opposed to the hundred other places they can gather together that aren't going to help build their testimony/character and could actually tear it down.
After conference yesterday and the amazing talks about what we need to teach our youth. I believe that YM/YW's leaders need to keep on keeping on and I am ever grateful for the sacrifice of their time and talents. Isn't that what the gospel is all about?
I can understand if someone cannot give that at a certain period in their life. They should let the Bishop know it is too much and someone else can step in. I myself have been released from a calling that was too much. My husband was also in a demanding calling and our family couldn't do it. It was too much. We talked to the Bishop and the best thing was to release me.
My husband currently serves in the YM program. While I don't love having him gone as often as he is, I completely understand the need for it and I can see that the boys he works with NEED a good leader, who is willing to give of his time.
Stephanie,
What a blessing that you are for the YW in your ward. I was always so grateful for leaders that went the extra mile to make activities and events meaningful and fun, but also spiritual. I am now a mother to a 6 month old baby girl, and it is my prayer that one day she will have leaders in YW that will be willing to give so selflessly of their time and talents to bless her life. I am grateful that the Lord is easing your burden when it becomes too much to bear alone.
My mom is the YW president in her ward, and I am sure she would love to do the Clue game. Would you mind emailing me all of your hard work? :)
lizsproul@gmail.com
Thank you so much!
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