Goals

Many of us set goals. Most of us set goals or New Years Resolutions. By now those of us who set some New Years Resolutions have already failed. That's one reason this year, I really did not set specific goals.

In our church, our youth have programs set up for them to accomplish some goals that will help them throughout life. For our young women, we have the Young Women Personal Progress. As one of their leaders, I have the opportunity and privilege to work with them on these goals, and work on the program too.

They first enter the program when they turn 12. They are presented with their own Personal Progress book, journal and torch necklace. This year, we (their leaders) decided to put together something they can hang their torch pendant on. Since I make jewelry, I came up with this seed bead chain (in the Young Women colors). I really thought it came out nice, and the girls really loved it. We had gone ahead and given these to our girls for Christmas.

I mentioned in the previous paragraph about Young Women colors. The Young Women (YW) have different values they work on in their program, and each has a color. Faith (white), Divine Nature (blue), Individual Worth (red), Knowledge (green), Choice and Accountability (orange), Good Works (yellow), Integrity (purple), and Virtue (gold). In their Personal Progress (PP) books, they have about 6 or 7 different goals, under each value, to work on. Anywhere from reading a scripture passage and talking to either their parent or leader or someone else about what it means, to maybe some sort of service project or memorizing a song and leading it in a meeting, or teaching someone a new skill. After most goals, or values as they call them, are complete they then write in their journals about what they learned or how they grew. They also have ten hour projects they work on in each value. By the time the turn 18 and graduate from high school, they should be done with the program. Some finish as early as age 15. Many have compared this program to the Eagle Scout. I have three son's, two are Eagles, and one is almost finished with his Eagle, and I will have to say I agree--the Personal Progress Program is much like a "spiritual" Eagle Scout.


As the girls work through their values, they earn ribbons for bookmarks in their scriptures. At the end, they are presented with the beautiful Young Womanhood Recognition Medallion.

Over the years, the medallion has changed. Years ago when I was a YW leader, the medallion had a young woman with a flowing dress on it. Then it was changed to a temple. Now it not only has the temple but a red crystal representing a ruby. This is to remind them of the scripture in Proverbs 31:10-31 where it talks about a virtuous woman, and how important it is to be a virtuous woman.

As the YW grow to be adults, it is our hope as YW leaders, that they continue to work on their PP. As women, we all need to working on these goals. Goals, like reading our scriptures, service to our fellow man, learning homemaking skills that will keep ourselves and our future families safe, warm and secure, not to mention healthy and happy. I am happy to say that I have actually earned two of these medallions. I have the old one with the young woman in a flowing dress, and the newer one with the temple and "ruby" on it. I love these medallions, as it reminds me who I am...a child of God, and keeps me focused to always be worthy to enter the temple of God. It is my prayer, that these young women will always be focused, and stay worthy to enter His temple also.