Shining Moments

When I think back to when I was a Laurel, I can say that this was the period of my life when my testimony really began to flourish, and I would have gospel insights on my own, not just at church and seminary. The Spirit can teach so much when we are alone, so I wanted to give them the opportunity, and encourage them, to seek deeper Gospel understanding in their everyday lives. I wanted to give my girls a place where they could write down these insights, and just gospel related thoughts. So, I came up with this idea, going along with the 2012 theme, of Shining Moments. Those moments when the truth shines through the darkness of life.

I found these journals for $2 in the cheap-o aisle at Michaels and have since learned that they are now $1!!!

I wasn't crazy about the whole key motif, so I created the label on the front, and a matching name plate for the back.

I love this scripture and I think it applies perfectly.

I had the labels and names printed at Sam's Club as 4x6's and just chopped them up.

click here to download

If you would like to create your own Shining Moments books, feel free to email me a list of your girls' names (at beckarama.blogspot.com) and I would be happy to email you a jpeg of the matching name plates. I can fit 12 names to a 4x6.

Here is the SKU if you are interested.

Hoping my girls like them!

(and Bailey, if you see this, don't tell anyone...)

Lesson 11: Growing and Maturing in Self Reliance, Part One

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Lesson 10: Supporting Family Members

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For this lesson, I wanted my girls to feel like they could really REALLY do what the quote suggests. With that in mind, I tried to aim for what a piece of paper ends up looking like at the end of the lesson if I give them something to write with. Gotta love doodling!

Lesson 9: Honoring Parents

This week's lesson asks for a questionnaire about what the girls know about their parents. I just made it cuter. I have it set up to be 1/2 a sheet with questions about mom on the front and questions about dad on the back. Enjoy!

MOM SIDE

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DAD SIDE

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Lesson 8: Attitudes About Our Divine Roles

I decided to keep the handout very simple this week because the words of the quote are so dear to my heart. They are absolute gospel truth. I live it everyday. The picture is of me and my baby girl when she was 4 days old. Photo credits go to Heather Lesley Modern Portraiture.

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Lesson 7: Homemaking

Giving you two options this week. Happy Lesson Planning!

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Lesson 6: Finding Joy Now

click here to download handout SIX to a page

click here to download handout TEN to a page

NOTE: For some reason the preview is not showing up in Google Docs. The files are there though. I promise.

Lesson 5: Finding Joy in Our Divine Potential

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Lesson 4: Seeking the Companionship of the Holy Ghost

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Lesson 3: Following the Example of Jesus Christ

When I was on lds.org looking up last weeks lesson, I glanced down and saw the title for this week's lesson and couldn't wait to get started. Hence, Monday morning and already getting next week's lesson done. Plus, the baby is sleeping soundly and who knows how long that will last so I better take advantage.

A couple additions I made to this lesson:

1. The scripture in 1 Peter 2:21 - I am extending it to verse 24 to discuss these characteristics of the Savior. (words of character traits below)

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2. After reading the story about Charlotte, the girls will use the handout to silently make a list of how they would personally make changes in their life if the Savior walked beside them. If time permits, we may share a few.

There are two sides to this weeks handout. The front goes with #2 above and the back goes with #3 below.

click to download front

painting copyrighted by Greg Olsen

click to download back

3. I saw this video this past week and loved it. It is one of my all time favorite Primary songs. If I can find a way to use the audio of it and put it to a video of youth serving others, I might do it. And really, who doesn't love a little bit of David Archuleta? My point exactly.

When I started this blog, like 2 weeks ago, I was doing it with the intention of helping other Young Women leaders when they are in a rush at the end of the week. I know that happens. But, in these few weeks I have been doing this, I have been preparing my lessons earlier in the week to get things posted early enough for others to use them, and in so doing I have been amazed by several things. I find that I keep my lesson in my thoughts throughout the week, not just at 11 pm on Saturday night. I see and feel things that I can use in my lesson everywhere I turn. I feel the Spirit more as my thoughts are on things of greater importance than the dishes in the sink or the sales at the grocery store. So, I guess what I am trying to say is, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to have the gospel in my home everyday, every moment. And I would like to encourage you to prayerfully prepare your lessons so that they can be catered to YOUR girls and THEIR needs, not just mine. It brings the Spirit not only into your life as you prepare, but also into your lessons as you present them from your heart.

Lesson 2: Jesus Christ, the Savior

I love the word Savior. There are so many areas of life where "save" has such a powerful meaning. From saving the handkerchief your grandfather brought back from France during WWII, to saving yourself for marriage, it makes something special. That is how the Savior sees each of us. As special, as worth it. I want to encourage my girls to have a personal relationship with the Savior where they feel worth it.

This is one of my favorite quotes. Knowing that the Savior really does save. That is what the Atonement is all about.

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The lesson focuses on testifying of Jesus Christ. The Living Christ is such a powerful testament of Christ. This is shrunk down to 5x7 so folded in half it can fit in scriptures if they want.

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The lesson calls for posting scriptures on the board. If you would prefer word strips, here are all the scriptures plus "Jesus is the Christ" (also from the lesson)

Scriptures #1

Scriptures #2

Scriptures #3 (includes Jesus is the Christ)

Arise and Shine {Forth}

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2012 Theme Introduction Fireside

As we are getting ready for the new year, I have been brainstorming ideas of how to really make this year's theme {Arise and Shine Forth} a central part of our year. A great way to do this, is to make an event out of it. Hence, the fireside. I think it is important to make the theme relevant to the girl, and boys for that matter.

BRAINSTORM:

Things that Rise: balloon, sun, bread, seminary bound teenager

Rise to the occasion

SurpRISE

Arise for the Prize

ANYWAYS...

I love the word ARISE. It is a verb. To ARISE takes a choice. The willingness to act on your own accord. In the world at this time, the youth really do need to make that conscious choice. So how do we teach them that?

A fireside, especially for the youth shouldn't be so long that they lose interest, but needs to get the point across. By having 3 talks, one tailored to the girls, one to the boys, and one to all the youth, maybe one or two musical numbers, followed by a culminating activity, and delicious refreshments, you will have an event that will resonate with the youth. One that they can remember. As long as it is accompanied by the Spirit, of course.

FOR THE GIRLS:

As soon as I heard the new theme, and thought about my girls, I immediately thought of the story of Christ raising the young maid from the dead. She has passed on but the Lord beckons her "Daughter, Arise". She has a choice. She can choose to follow his call, or she can stay where she is, in the peace and comfort of the next estate. When she decides to return to this mortal existence, she is not only becoming who she was before. She is now a standing witness of the divinity of the Savior. Everywhere she goes, she testifies of His power. As we are each baptized, and we ARISE from the water, we too are witnesses of our Savior. We testify of Him everywhere we go by how we live, how we treat others, how we shine.

FOR THE BOYS:

The men of the Church are commanded to serve a mission. We all know, either from experience or witnessing it, this is no easy task. Especially since several years ago the brethren RAISED THE BAR. Since the bar is higher, the young men need to arise to reach it, to be worthy to serve and to stand as a witness to all nations of our Savior. They need to prepare now, not between their 18th and 19th birthdays.

Hymns that could apply:

Awake and Arise

Lead Kindly Light

Teach Me to Walk in the Light

The Lord is My Light

There is Sunshine In My Soul Today

Guide Me to Thee

Musical Number Ideas:

Daughter Arise (Kenneth Cope)

Beacon in the Night (Jenny Phillips)

Reflect the Light of the Gospel (Deanne Cummings)

Here Am I; Send Me (Thomas and Tuiofu)

FOR REFRESHMENTS/TAKE AWAY:

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As a take away mini loaves of bread

Or serve different yummy breads (bread rises right???)

Can I get a shout out for Great Harvest?!?!

FOR INVITATIONS:

But of course, instead of a mother's day note write the fireside information.

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DECORATIONS:

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ACTIVITY:

I saw this activity idea and fell in love with it (the whole post is darling)

Lesson Organization: Color Coding

I color code. Everything. My filing cabinet at home, when I taught school each class period was a different color, my clothes in my closet hang in rainbow order. It is kind of ridiculous, I know, but it makes things so easy to find. This applies to my YW lessons as well. I have a system so that when I glance down at my lesson, I know what is coming next, and don't have to read verbatim or have awkward long pauses while I find my place. So, here is the system. It is all about highlighting.

I don't even bother with the manual I get at the beginning of the year. I just copy and paste the lesson into Microsoft Word. I then open a second document to copy and paste the quotes and scriptures I will hand out to the girls before class, so they are ready to be cut up and handed out.

To do the highlighting, I don't actually use the highlight tool in Word...I use "Shading". If you don't know how to use shading, here's how it is done:

1. Highlight desired text

2. Select the FORMAT menu

and then BORDERS AND SHADING

3. Select SHADING and your color choice

3a. This is just personal preference, but I like to just have the text colored, not all the way to the margins, so I like to select text instead of paragraph

4. And Voila!

I have attached here the link to my highlighted Lesson #1 as well as the scriptures and quotes ready to be printed, cut up, and handed out

link to Daughter of God Poster

Link to Father and Daughter labels for top of columns

Lesson 1: A Daughter of God

As this is the first post on STAND, I wanted it to be amazing. I can't live up to my own hype, but I will do my best. I think it is so important for the girls to see their relationship with their Heavenly Father as they do with their own dad. At least in my life, I have a great, trusting relationship with my dad. I want to find ways to convey that trust, and encourage them to cultivate that trust and communication with their Heavenly Father.

I remember an analogy of a phone call. Imagine calling your dad to ask him a question, and before he has the opportunity to answer, saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. Clearly, we would never do that (unless you don't want to hear the answer, I guess). It is the same way with prayer. If we ask the Lord a question, be patient and listen for the answer. Strive to have your relationship with the Lord be open communication, in both directions.

click here for printable

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DISCLAIMER:
I have to admit, that when creating handouts with background images, I don't usually hold the copyright to the image. I do a lot of searching on google images to find good backgrounds. I don't know if it is adequate, but when I use someone else's image, I will post my source below the handout. Hope that is enough to keep me out of trouble, at least for now. By posting the link to the source I am not advertising any other website or their message.