Comments on: In Praise of Youth Leaders http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/ Mormon women blogging about the peculiar and the treasured Wed, 23 May 2012 16:56:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Barbara http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-94295 Barbara Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:40:35 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-94295 My first response was to thank God that when I served in the Young Women's, I did not have to make a pioneer skirt. I love teaching young people. I loved my own youth leaders. And I even like to sew. But I resist the big Hollywood-type productions that seem especially prevalent where I live. I agree though that sometimes it takes effort to guide young people away from the noise of the world and towards meaningful, quiet, spiritual experiences. I recall one young women's president who took us (when I was a teen) camping and very matter-of-factly (apparently not a word) talked to us about sex in a way my own mother did not. In a recent Ensign some article quoted President Hinckley on parenting, He said we should be "companionable" with our children. The best youth leaders are companionable with teens who are often less than companionable with their parents and siblings. The same young women's leader helped us make dip and drape dolls and, more importantly, have fun while we were doing it. Good post. My first response was to thank God that when I served in the Young Women’s, I did not have to make a pioneer skirt. I love teaching young people. I loved my own youth leaders. And I even like to sew. But I resist the big Hollywood-type productions that seem especially prevalent where I live. I agree though that sometimes it takes effort to guide young people away from the noise of the world and towards meaningful, quiet, spiritual experiences. I recall one young women’s president who took us (when I was a teen) camping and very matter-of-factly (apparently not a word) talked to us about sex in a way my own mother did not. In a recent Ensign some article quoted President Hinckley on parenting, He said we should be “companionable” with our children. The best youth leaders are companionable with teens who are often less than companionable with their parents and siblings. The same young women’s leader helped us make dip and drape dolls and, more importantly, have fun while we were doing it. Good post.

]]> By: Ahna http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90879 Ahna Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:28:32 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90879 Emily, thanks for the clarification. After my first comment, I thought some more and figured something like that must be the case. And you are so right that it's much harder for leaders to teach the girls sewing (or just about anything) than to just do it themselves. Often, though, when leaders think of their callings from a teaching/guiding perspective, wonderful things happen. And I think that, overall, it turns out to be easier. And, of course, better for the girls. Anyway, I'm sorry to have gone a bit astray from your original post. Every youth leader deserves twice as much praise as we can give. Emily, thanks for the clarification. After my first comment, I thought some more and figured something like that must be the case.

And you are so right that it’s much harder for leaders to teach the girls sewing (or just about anything) than to just do it themselves. Often, though, when leaders think of their callings from a teaching/guiding perspective, wonderful things happen. And I think that, overall, it turns out to be easier. And, of course, better for the girls.

Anyway, I’m sorry to have gone a bit astray from your original post. Every youth leader deserves twice as much praise as we can give.

]]> By: Emily M. http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90658 Emily M. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:35:39 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90658 Ahna, I should have made it clear that my neighbor was working on her own pioneer clothes yesterday. I think she also helped her daughter with her daughter's clothes. She wasn't outfitting the entire ward--each girl was supposed to be responsible for sewing her own clothes. I don't know how many moms in my ward took over, but the original plan was indeed for them to make their own skirts, along with assistance from the leaders. To me, this is both better for the girls and harder for the leaders: if you're good at sewing, it's easier to whip out a skirt yourself than it is to teach a reluctant sewer. Ahna, I should have made it clear that my neighbor was working on her own pioneer clothes yesterday. I think she also helped her daughter with her daughter’s clothes. She wasn’t outfitting the entire ward–each girl was supposed to be responsible for sewing her own clothes. I don’t know how many moms in my ward took over, but the original plan was indeed for them to make their own skirts, along with assistance from the leaders. To me, this is both better for the girls and harder for the leaders: if you’re good at sewing, it’s easier to whip out a skirt yourself than it is to teach a reluctant sewer.

]]> By: Johnna http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90648 Johnna Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:50:40 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90648 I would support a pioneer trek for the YW with reluctance. It just doesn't seem relevant. However, visiting my friends in Wyoming, the teens there were sewing their own skirts. One even sewed her skirt out of Minnie Mouse fabric. Now, that I could relate to and support. I would support a pioneer trek for the YW with reluctance. It just doesn’t seem relevant.

However, visiting my friends in Wyoming, the teens there were sewing their own skirts. One even sewed her skirt out of Minnie Mouse fabric. Now, that I could relate to and support.

]]> By: Ahna http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90642 Ahna Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:16:43 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90642 Hey, I don't know the neighbor in this post, obviously, and I don't want to come off terribly judgmental of her personally. My comment reflects my experience in my current stake. Hey, I don’t know the neighbor in this post, obviously, and I don’t want to come off terribly judgmental of her personally. My comment reflects my experience in my current stake.

]]> By: Ahna http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90622 Ahna Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:45:02 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90622 I loved reading this post. Youth leaders deserve all the praise they can get. I'm a new stake YW president, and I stand in awe at all the good done by my wards' YW presidents. But I can't help feeling sad about this sentence: "My next-door neighbor has been sewing pioneer clothes madly to get ready for our stake’s Martin’s Cove trek." I just don't understand why she's doing that. Where are the youth in her ward? Have they been involved with any of the planning? Why aren't they sewing their own clothes? Why are the clothes being sewn in the first place? Our stake girls camp is nearly upon us, and the most difficult part of the preparation has been convincing the leaders to let the girls do at least some of the work. The YW want to be given jobs, especially the YCLs. But leaders are often unwilling to trust the YW to do things the way they're "supposed" to be done. I wish we could let go of what's "supposed" to be and focus instead on listening to the girls. I loved reading this post. Youth leaders deserve all the praise they can get. I’m a new stake YW president, and I stand in awe at all the good done by my wards’ YW presidents.

But I can’t help feeling sad about this sentence:

“My next-door neighbor has been sewing pioneer clothes madly to get ready for our stake’s Martin’s Cove trek.”

I just don’t understand why she’s doing that. Where are the youth in her ward? Have they been involved with any of the planning? Why aren’t they sewing their own clothes? Why are the clothes being sewn in the first place?

Our stake girls camp is nearly upon us, and the most difficult part of the preparation has been convincing the leaders to let the girls do at least some of the work. The YW want to be given jobs, especially the YCLs. But leaders are often unwilling to trust the YW to do things the way they’re “supposed” to be done.

I wish we could let go of what’s “supposed” to be and focus instead on listening to the girls.

]]> By: Ann http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90588 Ann Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:44:16 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90588 This article was such a blessing to read for me. I have served in the Young Women's organization for most of the 18 years I have been married. Four times as a Young Women's president and currently as a Laurel advisor. I can't express to you how much I love the girls I have known in my time in Y.W. I have only been blessed with 2 children (both boys) but I feel like I have dozens of daughters! I have seen their marriages, birth of children (lots of children), divorces, college graduations and even a death. The decorations, preparations (and sometimes even the events themselves) that are related to the Y.W. organization are never the joy I get from this calling. I just genuinely enjoy and love being with, talking to, crying with, and sharing my life with these girls! Any time I hear someone praise a Y.W. leader, I feel a little of the praise myself, (even if it doesn't come from one of my 'girls') because I feel kinship with her leader who obviously loved her as much as I have loved mine! This article was such a blessing to read for me.

I have served in the Young Women’s organization for most of the 18 years I have been married. Four times as a Young Women’s president and currently as a Laurel advisor. I can’t express to you how much I love the girls I have known in my time in Y.W. I have only been blessed with 2 children (both boys) but I feel like I have dozens of daughters! I have seen their marriages, birth of children (lots of children), divorces, college graduations and even a death.

The decorations, preparations (and sometimes even the events themselves) that are related to the Y.W. organization are never the joy I get from this calling. I just genuinely enjoy and love being with, talking to, crying with, and sharing my life with these girls! Any time I hear someone praise a Y.W. leader, I feel a little of the praise myself, (even if it doesn’t come from one of my ‘girls’) because I feel kinship with her leader who obviously loved her as much as I have loved mine!

]]> By: tonya http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90508 tonya Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:31:42 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90508 "Sometimes simplicity is a lot of work" Amen to that. I have been the assistant girls camp director for the past two years and I HATE camping more than just about anything. But I LOVE what happens there. Away from boys, phones, ipods, parents and worldly expectations girls have a chance to blossom. In the mountains there is a peace that just surrounds you. Sure, it is alot of work, and expense - but the rewards are many. “Sometimes simplicity is a lot of work” Amen to that. I have been the assistant girls camp director for the past two years and I HATE camping more than just about anything. But I LOVE what happens there. Away from boys, phones, ipods, parents and worldly expectations girls have a chance to blossom. In the mountains there is a peace that just surrounds you. Sure, it is alot of work, and expense – but the rewards are many.

]]> By: Wendy http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90484 Wendy Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:03:46 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90484 I love this! The way you describe your leaders and how they treated you, possibly in spite of you, reminded me of myself and how good our leaders were to me. What a blessing to have strong, devoted, accepting youth leaders! I love this! The way you describe your leaders and how they treated you, possibly in spite of you, reminded me of myself and how good our leaders were to me. What a blessing to have strong, devoted, accepting youth leaders!

]]> By: Emily M. http://segullah.org/daily-special/in-praise-of-youth-leaders/#comment-90479 Emily M. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:16:00 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=674#comment-90479 Thanks to everyone for your comments--I wish you current YW leaders well. I went to Girls Camp for testimony night several weeks ago, and I was so impressed by the powerful Spirit there. Young Men blog--absolutely, the blog refers to Young Men leaders too!! :-) C., thank you for your comment. You bring up a good point. I agree that there are many "simple ways we can serve in the kingdom of God." However, I think there's a real benefit to the work that goes into Girls Camp, Scout Camp experiences, and this particular trek I reference here. The kids get away from all their electronic devices, all the noise, in a way that's not possible with weeknight activities. I think it's important to plan things for the right reasons, as the Spirit directs. And sometimes, the Spirit directs something big. I've been impressed by the spirit in the meetings where this trek has been discussed. The pioneer stories are compelling, and bring the power and weight of sacrifice. I think we should always look to simplify. But what activities like this do is create a simplicity, a silence and quiet, for the youth that's not possible in their text messaging world. Sometimes simplicity is a lot of work... Thanks to everyone for your comments–I wish you current YW leaders well. I went to Girls Camp for testimony night several weeks ago, and I was so impressed by the powerful Spirit there.

Young Men blog–absolutely, the blog refers to Young Men leaders too!! :-)

C., thank you for your comment. You bring up a good point. I agree that there are many “simple ways we can serve in the kingdom of God.” However, I think there’s a real benefit to the work that goes into Girls Camp, Scout Camp experiences, and this particular trek I reference here. The kids get away from all their electronic devices, all the noise, in a way that’s not possible with weeknight activities.

I think it’s important to plan things for the right reasons, as the Spirit directs. And sometimes, the Spirit directs something big. I’ve been impressed by the spirit in the meetings where this trek has been discussed. The pioneer stories are compelling, and bring the power and weight of sacrifice.

I think we should always look to simplify. But what activities like this do is create a simplicity, a silence and quiet, for the youth that’s not possible in their text messaging world. Sometimes simplicity is a lot of work…

]]>