Connie's File Cabinet: January 2012

Saturday, January 28, 2012

MANUAL 1: LESSON 5: Finding Joy in Our Divine Potential

Lesson 5: Finding Joy in Our Divine Potential

Young Women Manual 1, Lesson 35

Objective

Each young woman will understand her divine potential and learn how to find joy in it.

We Can Find Joy in Recognizing Who We Are and Who We Can Become

There should be great joy in our lives because we are daughters of God!!

You Young Women, have such great potential and today we want to help you catch a vision of that.

Guest speakers and discussion

5-10 minute presentation by an "exemplary sister" about how the Young Women's program brought her joy and has bless her to have joy in her life and to understand her Divine Nature.

FAIRY TALES vs REALITY:

Who loves a “fairy tale”, a “Cinderella type” story or a good “chick flick?”

· Each girl name their favorite fairy tale/love story

Part of the “fairy tale” is true – you are a daughter of God, you are of royal birth, you have great potential!! You have “Divine Nature”!!

What does Divine Nature mean????

I love each of your girls! I can see your talents inside and out!

· Express a specific appreciation for each girl

Another part of the fairy tale is also true ----

Life isn’t all palaces and diamonds for your whole life.

There are some grungy, rough times to go through.

You may never live in a palace, wear a diamond tiara, or ride in a pumpkin carriage your entire life!!!

HERE IS THE QUESTION:

How can your knowledge of your Divine Nature help you to have joy now, today, and everyday regardless of what life brings?????

True joy and peace are available at any time of life to all those who live as their Heavenly Father wants them to live.

The gospel and your personal testimony will guide and bless your life by helping you understand your divine roles and potential as women.

True "deep beauty", as Sister Elain Dalton calls it, comes from truly knowing who you are! Knowing that you are a daughter of God.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCESSES WHO UNDERSTOOD THEIR DIVINE NATURE:

Eve

Esther

Ruth

Mary

Elizabeth

Miriam

Sariah

YOU ARE OF ROYAL BIRTH AND POSESS THE POWER TO RISE ABOVE:

I have always loved the story of the son of King Louis XVI of France because he had an unshakable knowledge of his identity. As a young man, he was kidnapped by evil men who had dethroned his father, the king. These men knew that if they could destroy him morally, he would not be heir to the throne. For six months they subjected him to every vile thing life had to offer, and yet he never yielded under pressure. This puzzled his captors, and after doing everything they could think of, they asked him why he had such great moral strength. His reply was simple. He said, “I cannot do what you ask, for I was born to be a king.”¹²

Like the king’s son, each of you has inherited a royal birthright. Each of you has a divine heritage. “You are literally the royal daughters of our Father in Heaven.”¹³Each of you was born to be a queen.

ELAINE DALTON, YW GENERAL PRESIDENT

DAVID O. MCKAY AND HIS QUEEN:

When I was attending Brigham Young University, I learned what it truly means to be a queen. I was given a unique opportunity, along with a small group of other students, to meet the prophet, President David O. McKay.

After we had finished, he leaned back in his chair and reached for his wife’s hand and said, “Now, young women, I would like you to meet my queen.” There seated next to him was his wife, Emma Ray McKay. Although she did not wear a crown of sparkling diamonds, nor was she seated on a throne, I knew she was a true queen. Her white hair was her crown, and her pure eyes sparkled like jewels. As President and Sister McKay spoke of their family and their life together, their intertwined hands spoke volumes about their love. Joy radiated from their faces. Hers was a beauty that cannot be purchased. It came from years of seeking the best gifts, becoming well educated, seeking knowledge by study and also by faith. It came from years of hard work, of faithfully enduring trials with optimism, trust, strength, and courage. It came from her unwavering devotion and fidelity to her husband, her family, and the Lord.

ELAINE DALTON, YW GENERAL PRESIDENT

Young women, look into the mirror of eternity. Remember who you are! See yourself as our Heavenly Father sees you. You are elect. You are of noble birth. Don’t compromise your divine inheritance. You were born to be a queen. Live so you are worthy to enter the temple and there receive “all that [the] Father hath.”Develop deep beauty. There is no more beautiful sight than a young woman who glows with the light of the Spirit, who is confident and courageous because she is virtuous.

The biggest thing that changed in "mia" is that she learned who she was and believed in who she was.

“If you live close to God and His infinite grace—you won’t have to tell, it will show in your face.”

(quoted from Elain Dalton)

Truly knowing who you are, changes who you are and how you approach everything in life.

We Can Experience Joy at Every Stage of Life

Express your joy at being a woman and your belief that Latter-day Saint women can experience great happiness at every stage of life.

If time permits and the mood seems right, invite class members to describe some joys they experience as Latter-day Saint young women.

Conclusion -- Handout

Reading and optional handout

Read a special challenge to each young woman from the Young Women general presidency. If you made copies of this message, hand them out now.

Our Dear Young Friends:

You are blessed and favored of our Heavenly Father to be alive today. The world is full of beauty and opportunities—greater than any other period in the history of mankind. These special years of preparation will be filled with discovery, seeking, finding, growing, stretching, reaching, and learning of God’s plan and what he expects from you, his daughter.

The same world is full of ugliness and evil influences. You will be challenged, tempted, thwarted, and attacked in every way by the plans and persuasions of the adversary.

Our Heavenly Father knows all this and knows you. He has confidence and faith that you will use these years of preparation in being an obedient child of God who can be molded and shaped for the special mission and destiny he would have you fill. Pray always, know your Savior Jesus Christ, study the scriptures, and think of specific ways you can apply the teachings in your life. Live to be worthy of the blessings of the priesthood, be happy, and walk tall with joy and thanksgiving in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You are surrounded by many who love you and want to protect and guide you—friends, your class officers, adult leaders, your bishopric, your parents and family, and above all Jesus Christ and your Father in Heaven.

May we be included among those who care and love you very much. We pray always that you will be blessed and strengthened in your preparation to live with your Father in Heaven again, for he has invited “all to come unto Christ” (D&C 20:59) “and be perfected in him” (Moroni 10:32).

Affectionately,

Young Women General Presidency

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

MONTHLY BLANK CALENDAR PAGES FOR A YEAR

MONTHLY CALENDAR PAGES

TEACHING CHILDREN

TIME MANAGEMENT PRESENTATION

TIME

MANAGEMENT

“Coping with the complex and diverse challenges of everyday life, which is not an easy task, can upset the balance and harmony we seek. Many good people who care a great deal are trying very hard to maintain balance, but they sometimes feel overwhelmed and defeated. … Many people have heavy demands upon them stemming from parental, family, employment, church, and civic responsibilities. Keeping everything in balance can be a real problem.”

Conference Report, Apr. 1987

WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH ABOUT TIME??

• TIME on earth had a beginning

– “In the Beginning God created the heaven and the earth. …. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:1,5)

• We all have an “allotment” of TIME here on earth

– “Is there not an appointed TIME to man upon earth?” (Job 7:1)

– “…it was appointed unto men that they must die …” (Alma 12:27)

– “ … and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.” (D&C 42:48)

– “For there is a time appointed for every man.” (DC 121:25)

TIME is a part of our mortal experience

How do we use our TIME?

We all receive 24 hours a day &

168 hours per week.

Two men formed a partnership. They built a

small shed beside a busy road. They obtained a

truck and drove it to a farmer’s field, where they

purchased a truckload of melons for $1 per

melon. They drove the loaded truck to their

shed by the road, where they sold the melons for

a dollar a melon. They drove back to the farmer’s

field and bought another truckload of melons for

$1 per melon. Transporting them to the roadside,

they again sold them for $1 per melon. As they

drove back toward the farmer’s field to get

another load, one partner said to the other,

“We’re not making much money on this business,

are we?” “No, we’re not,” his partner replied.

“Do you think we need a bigger truck?”

NOT A BIGGER TRUCK, BUT A CLEARER FOCUS

DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US HOW TO USE TIME??

• “… Thou shalt not idle away thy TIME, …” (D&C 60:13)

• “To every thing there is a season, and a TIME to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die …” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

• “…now it is high TIME to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)

• “ … a TIME granted unto man to repent … a time to … serve God.” (Alma 42:4)

• “… a TIME to prepare to meet God; …” (Alma 12:24)

HOW DO I DO IT?

I can’t give you that answer.

It is personal. It is specific to you.

Only the Lord can instruct you in your quest of personal time management.

“Every discovery in science and art, that is really true and useful to mankind, has been given by direct revelation from God…We should take advantage of all these great discoveries .. And give to our children the benefit of every branch of useful knowledge, to prepare them to step forward and efficiently do their part in the great work.”

(Desert News, 22 Oct. 1862, 129)

#1: PLAN TO PLAN

Every minute invested in planning will save you

10 minutes down the road.

Also saves money and reduces stress!

Know where your time is going now and

start planning how you’re going to

spend your time in the future.

Take the first 30 minutes of every day

to plan your day.

Spend up to 1 hour each week

planning out your week.

PLANNING SESSION IDEAS:

Check calendar for appointments

Make a “to do” list

Make lists!!!

Plan dinners

Create a shopping list

Take freezer items out to defrost

Check weather forcast

SEARCH, PONDER & PRAY

• Make prayer a significant part of your planning.

• Ask the Lord for specific guidance and inspiration to accomplish the tasks before you.

• “Seek ye out of the best books” and learn from others.

• Ponder on your tasks and let the inspiration come in unexpected ways.

• Remember your priorities:

– “… thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things better.” D&C 25:10

– “good, better, best” Dallin H. Oaks

– “must do, should do, would like to do”

“If it is a priority, it will happen.” Vernon Richardson

DON’T TRY TO BE SOMEONE ELSE!

If you think your life is perfect –

you’re in denial.

If you think your life should be perfect –

your delusional.

If you think someone else’s life is perfect – you’re just not a very good friend.

A POTPOURRI OF TIPS
Pick 1 to work on for a few weeks then think about another

• PLAN – weekly and daily

• UPDATE the FAMILY CALENDAR – if you don’t have one, get one!

• Keep a “RUNNING-TO-DO LIST”

• MENU PLANNING

• CLEAN AS YOU GO: Never leave a room or climb the stairs empty handed

• ASSIGN TASKS TO CHILDREN: The goal is to work ourselves out of a job!

• Make a “Donation Station”

• AVOID “CRISIS LIVING”

• KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS

• SEEK FOR BALANCE : Karate Kid

• TAKE TIME TO FILL YOUR OWN LAMP WITH OIL

• 10 MINUTE TIDY BEFORE BED

– Do a mini-prep for the next day: look through your schedule and be a step ahead!

• PRIORITIZE RUTHLESSLY

• IT IS OK TO SAY “NO” TO NONESSENTIAL TASKS

• DELEGATE

• TAKE THE TIME NEEDED TO DO A QUALITY JOB

• BREAK LARGE, TIME-CONSUMING TASKS INTO SMALLER TASKS

• 10 MINUTE ATTACK ON DREADED TASKS

• EVALUATE HOW YOU ARE SPENDING YOUR TIME

• IDENTIFY YOUR “TIME WASTERS”

– Phone, internet, pinterest, facebook, newspaper, tv, sleeping, etc.

– You don’t have to answer the phone when it rings!

• LIMIT DISTRACTIONS

• FIND YOUR “RIGHT” TIME – When do you do your best work?

• GET PLENTY OF SLEEP, HAVE A HEALTHY DIET AND EXERCISE REGULARLY

• TAKE A BREAK WHEN NEEDED

• DON’T WASTE TIME WAITING

• USE SPARE MINUTES WISELY

• SET SPECIFIC GOALS

• TRACK YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES

• USE TIME MANAGEMENT TOOLS/RESOURCES

• COMMUNICATE YOUR SCHEDULE WITH OTHERS

• ESTABLISH ROUTINES AND STICK TO IT

• SET TIME LIMITS FOR TASKS

• BE SURE YOUR SYSTEMS ARE ORGANIZED

• ALWAYS LOOK FOR A SIMPLER WAY TO COMPLETE TASK

TIME MANAGEMENT = SELF-MANAGEMENT

• Effective TIME management is a primary means to a less stressful life. These practices can help you reduce your stress and reclaim your personal life.

• It’s impossible to get everything done.

• TIME MANAGEMENT skills can work small miracles in the life of a busy person.

•