Young Women of Value

 

"Women in this Church are not weaklings. You are, or can become, strong leaders in the world where you live", Elder Jan Benson recently told participants at a two day conference in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. That message of strength was reinforced often, as nineteen young women, ages 12-18 received instruction about the Young Women's program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Young Women Leaders and Senior Missionaries organized the conference using "Embark in the Service of God" as a general theme. Girls were taught how to recognize their personal worth and find ways to improve using principles taught in the Church's Young Women's Theme, which states,  "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We 'stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places' as we strive to live the Young Women values." The 8 Values of the Young Women's program are; Faith, Individual Worth, Divine Nature, Choice and Accountability, Knowledge, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. 

A variety of workshops were conducted to stress the importance of these values as part of the Young Women's Program. The Keynote speakers were two woman volunteering for 18 months of service in Singapore and Malaysia. Sister Seraina Fuglistaler, from Switzerland used the example in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland to teach  the girls to have goals and direction. She reminded them "When Alice came to a crossroads she asked the Cheshire Cat 'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' The Cat replied 'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.' When Alice responded 'I don't much care where –'  The Cheshire Cat told her 'Then it doesn't matter which way you go'. Please remember, you are daughters of a Father in Heaven, who loves you. Make the most of yourself and show your love for Him”. 

The women also were delighted to enjoy a Skype conversation with Catie in Provo, Utah USA. Catie is employed at the Church's Missionary Training Center as a language tutor and instructor. She recently returned from an 18 month mission for her church serving in Russia. She used a painting as an analogy for our lives. "If you look at your painting through a small hole you can only see a corner, just a little bit of the big picture. Our lives are the whole picture and we should broaden our vision." When asked by the young women what advice she would give them, Katie responded, "Go to school, keep studying; serve often, be kind and help others. Show God you love Him."

Each person received a personalized, hand-made conference packet, which provided reminders of skills learned during the event. The girls provided service to their community by working together picking up trash and cleaning along the streets and sidewalks in a shopping center near Taman Molek. A final swimming party and barbeque were shared with parents which included the young women singing the theme song of the conference.  

When asked about the goals of the Young Women's Conference, organizer Sister Sheree Benson replied, "We want the girls to see they have a bright future. Anything is possible if they understand their individual worth."