I have the best calling in the world! I’m in Young Womens! I get to work with the Mia Maids, 14 and 15 year old girls. I love my girls! I love their enthusiasm and energy, and I love seeing them make correct choices. I look forward to going to Young Womens twice a week. It is a shining light in my lonely life in Alaska.

One of my favorite parts of Young Womens is Personal Progress. This program for the YW is a set of goals and tasks meant to help the girls develop qualities that will help them become the women the Lord wants them to become. It’s not an easy program to complete, I’ve heard it compared to the Eagle Scout award, but harder. It involves doing six “experiences” for each value (faith, divine nature, individual worth, choice and accountability, good works, integrity, virtue). These experiences could be studying scriptures on a certain topic, or spending a few weeks developing an attribute, then recording your experience in your journal. Also required for each value is a ten hour project, including reading the Book of Mormon as the virtue project.

I had the opportunity to work on Personal Progress when I was a teen and earn my Young Womanhood Recognition Award, but I didn’t take advantage of it. My mom encouraged me to do it, but I usually just rolled my eyes and gave half-hearted attempts. I have a MUCH deeper appreciation now and I am so grateful I have this opportunity to work on it. Working on these goals has been such a blessing these past few lonely months. It has helped me have a better attitude about a job that I wish I wasn’t stuck in. It helps me maintain focus on things that help me through my trials.  I know this program was inspired by the Lord, and I’m so grateful for the effect it has had on my life.

Overview of the changes made to the program

Personal Progress book online

A new website that’s not up all the way yet, hopefully soon

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