Individual Worth #5

Participate in a dance, speech, or drama performance at school, in your community, or at church.  How did your participation in this activity strengthen your feelings of individual worth and self-confidence? Record your thoughts in your journal.

I sang "I Need Thee Every Hour" at church on June 13, 2010 in Sacrament Meeting.  Melinda Fisher (sister in-law) helped me prepare and accompanied me on the piano.

Several things happened as a result of this experience.  I've been struggling lately with my ability to sing.  I feel like I can't sing the way I used to now that I don't sing very often.  I have a hard time breathing and I don't have the range that I used too.  I also feel like I haven't had an opportunity to share my talents lately and I know that if we don't use a talent we can lose it.  I was very nervous and excited when Sister Zisette asked me to sing.

One thing I learned is that Lord's help can really make a performance better.  I sent several prayers to Heavenly Father asking for several things.  I wanted my voice to be clear and beautiful.  I wanted others to feel the spirit without crying myself.  I wanted to remember the words so that I could look at others.  Heavenly Father answered my prayers and blessed me with the ability to do all these things.

Another thing I learned is that with practice all things can be better.  I feel that my performance was powerful and sounded melodious.  I got many compliments afterward that helped me feel better and increased my confidence.  I just need to take more time to sing and share my talents with others.

Finally, I was reminded of one of my talents that is given to my in my patriarchal blessing- music.  I need to be willing to share this gift with others to help strengthen their testimony and mine.

Individual Worth #7

Heavenly Father has given you special gifts. Read the following scriptures:

• 1 Corinthians 12:4-12
• 1 Corinthians 13
• Moroni 7:12-13
• Moroni 10:8-18
• Doctrine and Covenants 46:11-26

 Ask a family member, a young women leader, and a friend to write down positive qualities the Lord has given you.

Positive Qualities from a Family Member...
When I think of you and your positive attributes one of the first things that comes to my mind is that you are a caring person. You really care about others and want what is best for them. You are a hard worker and give 100% to any job or task. You are organized and keep a neat and clean house. You have a great sense of humor and are fun to be around. You are able to be a leader or a follower, which cannot be said about everyone. You don't have to be in charge, but can be when called upon to do so. You have a testimony of the gospel and are willing to share it with others. You are intelligent and did well in school. You set goals and work towards accomplishing them. You are a good wife. You have a way with children; they seem to flock to you. You have many gifts and talents. I love you very much!! (Mom)

Positive Qualities from a Young Women Leader...

You have never "lost it" with all of the stress of planning for camp, that is an amazing quality.  You ar very close to the spirit and it shows through when talking about anything.  Your love for the girls and sincere concern for them is very apperant.  And, you're fun!  You can bring the spirit in a t approriate times, but you can also let your hair down and have a good time too.  It's been fun working with you! (Jill Hellstrom)

Positive Qualities from a Friend...

 I'm glad you asked me to do this after camp because I feel like I know you so much better now. These are what I see as some of your positive qualities: your willingness to serve, your organization skills, your ability to feel the Spirit and share that with others, you are always willing to listen to other's opinions or problems, your leadership skills, you are a good friend, you love your husband, you try to see the best in others, your sense of humor, you are a good sister/daughter/aunt, you influence those around you for good, your great sense of style, you have good insight into why things happen the way they do, you are a good teacher. You obviously have many more positive qualities, but this is a pretty good list, so I'll stop there. I really enjoyed getting to know you better at camp. (Jen Mattson)

Journal- How can I continue to develop these gifts and use them to serve my family and others?
     There are many things I can do to continue to develop my gifts and use them to help others.  First of all, I can read my patriarchal blessing often to help gain insight into the gifts I have and ways to develop them.  Second, I can make sure that I take time to develop my talents. I can try new things and use the skills I already have to progress in new areas.  I can also be more willing to serve others and give more of my time to help others. 
     Another thing is to overcome my fear of using my talents.  I need to step out of my comfort zone. The Lord said: “With some I am not well pleased, for … they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. … And it shall come to pass, if they are not more faithful unto me, it shall be taken away, even that which they have” (D&C 60:2–3). Overcoming our fear is never easy to do, but the Lord has given us some counsel that can help: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30). If we are prepared, we usually feel confident that we can do what we have prepared ourselves to do. Such confidence overcomes fear.
     Finally, I think I need to seek the Lord's help through prayer.  As I pray for knowledge about my talents, I can also ask Heavenly Father for opportunities to develop my talents.  He can also give me the strength to use my talents and work to develop them.

Individual Worth #4

You are preparing now to fulfill a unique mission on the earth. Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:119. In your journal make a list of your hopes and dreams for your future home, family, education and some important things you would like to accomplish in your life, including becoming a wife and mother.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."

My hopes and dreams for my future…

Home

I hope to one day be able to work with Ryan and design, build, and decorate the house of my dreams.  It will have lots of space for family to gather, a large spacious kitchen to prepare meals, and giant walk-in closet to fill with clothes.  I want to have land to raise a cow, a few chickens, and a garden to help be more self-reliant.  More importantly, I want to have a home that continually has the Spirit of the Lord in it.  I want the things from D&C 88:119.

Family

More than anything, I want to have children in my home.  I don't know if this will be through adoption or other means, but I need to start doing more things to have this happen sooner.  I will have a family fast that Ryan and I will be able to adopt. Then I will find things that I can do to help make the process quicker and find someone who is willing to place their child with us.  I will return to the fertility doctor to pursue other avenues.

Education

I want to continue to take graduate courses to obtain my Masters Degree.  This will allow me to only have to attend workshops and do other things to get my 180 points I need every five years to renew my teaching license.  It will also increase my pay and marketablitiy.  I also want to get my lifeguard certification  for camp.  This will allow me to use the pool more.  I may do this to complete my 10 hour project for Knowledge.

Becoming a mother & wife

I want to do all I can to be the best wife and bring the spirit into my home.  Many of the things that fit into this category I mentioned above in my thoughts about family.

Write a plan that will help you achieve your goals.

I feel that by following the things from D&C 88:119 I will have the Lord's Spirit to help me achieve my goals and be closer to Heavenly Father.  I have broken down the scripture into its parts to come up with goals to work on to help me achieve my dreams.

House of Prayer

• Have personal prayers in the morning and before bed
• Have couples prayer in the morning and before bed
• Take time during the day to have silence to ponder

House of Fasting

• On the first sunday of each month have 24 hour fast with prayers for a specific purpose
• Hold a family fast for adoptipon

House of Faith

• Shre testimony whenever possible, especially to Ryan
• Rely on the Lord more when making decisions

House of Learning

• Have FHE regularly
• Increase "lesson" time during scripture reading

House of Glory

• Make my home like a temple
• Hang up scriptures
• Display more pictures of temple & Christ

House of Order

• Conduct a family planning meeting Sunday evenings

House of God

• Take time to see the Lord's hands in all things
• Invite the Spirit into my home
• Seek to be a peacemaker