The secret - the overlooked, underused, under-appreciated secret to a successful Young Women's program is councils. The recent handbook broadcasts have focused a lot on the ward councils, and most of those principles will apply to a YW ward presidency meeting, or, as is the subject of this post, a class presidency meeting.
A council is an opportunity for people to get together and actually live out where the scriptures say, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20 and D&C 6:32). When that council opens in prayer and that president asks for input, the council is opening up a space for revelation to come! Of course, this all works better if all involved are seeking the spirit (right then, and in their life generally) and if they have been taught about what a council is and how it works.
Your young women have every bit of a chance to receive revelation in their own meetings as a Stake YW presidency or a Bishopric do in theirs. A girl with a calling, who has been called, sustained, and set apart, is blessed with that right to revelation. Unfortunately we all too often think of young women callings as "practice" callings, while they sort of shadow the adult leaders. They have real callings with real responsibilities, and we ought to let them live up to this potential! They have the promises, and they can do it - if we teach them, sustain them, and let them get to work.
We had a recent stake training where they emphasized the handbook's discussion of the youth roles. They taught us these 10 things about our relation to a young women class presidency meeting:
1. Conducted by the youth, you are there in the background, ready to help but not leading the meeting.
2. They NEED an agenda
3. Opening prayer – invites spirit as they discuss sacred topics
4. Confidential
5. Class LIST – no one overlooked
6. Let them plan, but guide. Perhaps their idea is good for some, but not for others.
7. Make sure to talk about those who are always there, not just those who are less active. Every one has needs. EVERY GIRL. Prayerful. Does she have a need? What is it?
8. Discuss needs first, then plan mutuals that fit needs! They plan themselves!
9. Teach secretaries to have an agenda, keep assignments. Teach presidents to communicate with secretary.
10. Teach habits of: planning, focus on needs, write assignments, report back to leaders
What other thoughts do you have about helping youth (and training adults to let them) take up their leadership roles and work through real revelation in their callings?
Our ward has been really focusing on the concepts described here, but one of the most difficult things is getting the girls together for a presidency meeting.
ReplyDeleteWe don't live in Utah, so everyone has to drive a bit, most of the young women in my class (mia maids) are very involved and active in school, there are already a ton of church activities that they are going to, and I've had a hard time getting anyone to come to presidency meetings...
I know that a successful pres. mtg can really help the young women's program work...It's just a matter of getting the girls to the meeting in the first place. any suggestions?
That really is an issue, and it gets worse when they're Laurels. :)
ReplyDeleteI imagine that you're on the right track, and once you have one really good meeting, where they feel the spirit, they'll want to make time for it again.
I had a chance to train a laurel's group that hadn't had regular meetings for... a year? or more? What we did was first I trained the president by herself. She got the vision and asked all her questions. Then we had a lesson in YW about councils, counseling, leading, praying for each other, being responsible for each other, etc. Then that day after church, I had all the presidency over to my house for lunch. We ate quesadillas while they got the feel for how to use an agenda. I put myself in charge of the spiritual thought and we talked for a minute about "people not programs" etc. Then the president took over and ran the meeting, and it went great. I moved shortly thereafter, but I heard they did great and kept having productive and regular meetings. If you can set up a time - just once - where they can come without time restraints and have one real, spiritual, productive meeting where they catch the vision of it, I think it would go a long way to setting up the standard that these meetings are important, and not just a boring calendaring session.
Good luck!
As a Scout leader and father for 3 girls, I appreciate this article so much. If they (both YW and YM) don't learn to lead now, when are they going to? It will be too late. Thank you for this article.
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