Choice and Accountability Project

Again, for some reason I never recorded this. . .Project was completed in January of 2010.

Project:
To create a 2010 calendar for the YW of our Ward. Hopefully they can use it to be more organized which can help them make betters choices in their lives. (This was a request for me from our YW President)

Plan to carry out:
1. Gathering dates of importance from stake, ward, and school calendars.
2. Gathering pictures of each of the YW and leaders for their birth date.
3. Compiling all information, designing the calendar.
4. Printing and distributing.

Evaluation:
The YW are busy! I don't know how many of them use the calendar, but I know I am better organized as their advisor. I can easily pull out my calendar to check on birthdays, conducting info and future planning. It has made me more aware of the choices that our youth are facing. I pray for strength for them.

It also helps me to see where I need to be accountable for my responsibilities.

Faith Project

(As I've been creating a link list this morning in order to link directly to completed experiences, I realized that I never recorded my Faith project. I didn't even record the date in my PP book, maybe because this is really an ongoing thing, but I know I began this venture more than a year ago.)

Project:
For my Faith project, I decided to start a blog and continue it throughout my doing Personal Progress. Writing helps me clarify a lot of what I am learning and I like being able to tag subjects to go back and study similar topics at another time.

Plan to carry out:
1. Choose a blog name and format/design site.
2. Begin recording experiences from PP.

Evaluation:
I have realized that as I write, the things that I learn are clarified in my mind and solidified in my heart, and I know my testimony is growing and being strengthened as I do this. Although I started this blog for myself, I believe it will be of great value to Abbie when she becomes YW age. I look forward to having an active role in helping her with her PP when the time is right.

Individual Worth Value Experience #3

Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 and 121:45. Do all you can to build others and make them feel of worth. Every day for two weeks notice the worthwhile qualities and attributes of others. Acknowledge them verbally or in writing. In your journal write what you have learned about the worth of individuals and how your own confidence grows when you build others.

I wanted to keep track of what I noticed in others and how I acknowledged those things. I tried to make note each day by using the journal feature in the online Personal Progress site.

One of the things that really stuck with me was the experience's use of the phrase 'building others up.' I became very aware of how frequently we tend to tear each other down, instead of building up. I particularly became sensitive to it within our family. There are often words used, meant to be teasing, but in reality, are mean things just said with a teasing voice.

I even challenged our family at one point to see if they could go eight hours without saying anything negative about anyone or to anyone. They did it! Sadly, I thought it would be quite hard for some of them, but I'm grateful to know that maybe that behavior isn't as ingrained a habit as I thought it was.

My prayer is that we can learn to have humor and good natured teasing in our home without the words that will tear one another down. I know that I cannot make anyone else change just because I want them to, but I pray that as I am more aware of things I say and how I say them, that it will effect change in all of us.