Come, Follow Me Stake Young Women Auxiliary Training October 25, 2018 Come Follow Me Introduction Notes Personal Progress "Our Heavenly Father wants and needs our help to bring His spirit children home to Him again. Today, I speak of young people already within His true church and so are started on the straight and narrow way to return to their heavenly home. He wants them to gain early the spiritual strength to stay on the path. And He needs our help to get them back to the path quickly should they begin to wonder. " (Henry B. Eyring) 2 Kings 6:16 "Fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Invitation to Act: As a presidency identify 1 thing you could do or put in motion for each individual young woman to assist in increasing her spiritual strength or to return to the covenant path. When stuck, seek prayerful guidance. Engage young women who have completed personal progress in the effort by assignment, as applicable. Invoke their prayers to their Heavenly Father to guide them in the assignment you have given. Notes on Personal Progress
Ministering to the One The Savior showed by example what it means to minister as He served out of love. He taught, prayed for, comforted, and blessed those around Him, inviting all to follow Him. As Church members minister [in a higher and holier way], they prayerfully seek to serve as He would to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them, visit the house of each member, and help each become a true disciple of Jesus Christ. We understand that a true shepherd loves his sheep, knows each one by name, and has personal interest in them. (Gary E. Stevenson, Shepherding Souls) John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: Luke 8:41-50 3 Nephi 17:21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. Matthew 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? Invitation to Act: Know your YW- Notice the ONE! Every time you re with YW intentionally notice THE ONE Sit by the YW, talk to them, ask them questions, sincerely compliment them. Pray for each of your YW by name Ask to KNOW each of your YW, how to love them, help them feel of their divine worth and how you can guide them to the Savior. Go out and find Work with your presidency, advisors and class presidencies and schedule a consistent time to seek that which is gone astray. Notes on Ministering to the One 2
Critical YW Camp Planning Items Carefully Read, review, and discuss Young Women Camp Guide: A Guide for Adult and Youth Camp Leaders (online or hard copy) This should be your planning Bible throughout the camp planning process. Each adult camp leader and YCL should have a copy of this guide. Read it carefully, study it together and discuss the principles as adult and youth camp leaders. Ask the Lord frequently for guidance and direction when planning camp. Camp Director/assistant vs. YW Presidency planning camp You don t have to use a camp director if you feel that your presidency can and wants to plan camp with the YCL s. If you do decide to ask the bishop to call a camp director, recommend someone that you can work closely with to implement the vision of the YCL s and YW presidency. The camp director/assistant work under the direction of the YW Presidency. Keep your bishop informed of plans and seek his guidance and counsel. All camp plans must be approved by the Bishop. Fill out an Event and Activity Plan Form (found under Resources and Forms on Church website). Adult Leaders at Camp There should always be at least two YW leaders at camp, and additional leaders based on the number of campers, and the types of activities or supervision needed. At least two Melchizedek Priesthood brethren must be at camp at all times. It is important to consider camp safety and security, and potentially having a nurse/doctor or other leader with significant first aid experience and knowledge. Budgeting for Camp Consider all that you will need to budget for and estimate your expenses: Accommodations (Stake has a MD park pass for youth group camp sites) Food (e.g. $3-4 per meal x 3 meals per day x campers/leaders) T-shirts Camp booklets for YCL s Arts and craft supplies (e.g. $10.00 per YW) First aid supplies Printing of schedules/song books Supplies for devotionals and activities Any supplemental activities (rafting, ropes course, climbing, biking) Bug spray/paper goods/matches/firewood, etc. When you figure out your budget, you can use either your YW budget money or charge the campers to cover expenses, or a combination of the two. If you charge the campers, make sure to give them plenty of notice so youth/families can make plans. Keeping parents informed and involved It s a great idea to have a camp meeting for parents/yw to inform them of plans, dates, costs, packing lists, forms to sign, etc. This should be done early enough for families to make plans to cover costs, schedule their own vacations, etc. The Church has a generic online Permission and Medical Release Form that parents can fill out and submit electronically or in hard copy form 3
(look under Resources and Forms on church website). Work with parents to be aware of unique and individual dietary, medical and emotional needs of each young woman. Working with YCL s YCL s are YW ages 16-17. They should be an integral part of planning all aspects of camp and should be included early in the planning process. They have the primary responsibility for planning, directing and evaluating camp. If you don t have many YCL age YW, consider utilizing class presidencies. Each YCL should receive a hard copy Young Women Camp Guide, and this should be your camp planning Bible. Typical YCL responsibilities include: conducting the planning meetings, choosing and planning the activities, directing and conducting specific activities and evaluating camp. Help teach principles of Leading in the Savior s Way to YCL s including: Prepare Spiritually, Participate in Councils, Minister to Others, Teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Submitting Camp Plans to the Stake November 1 a draft camp plan needs to be submitted by your Bishop to Becky Nichols detailing: Camp location and date, camp goals (What does Heavenly Father want to have happen in the lives of the young women as a result of this camp?), camp theme, a plan to inform/include parents, plan for safety and emergency preparedness, how you are utilizing and working with the YCL s. March 15 a more detailed final draft plan needs to be submitted by your Bishop to Becky Nichols with the above information and a plan to evaluate camp afterward. When plans are submitted to Becky Nichols, they are passed on to President Sakai for ultimate approval. Rough Stake Camp Timeline: July Camp staff (camp director/assistant) called and set apart for next year s camp August Begin looking for places to camp and book as soon as possible October Begin holding monthly YCL meetings November Have rough draft of camp goals, dates, place, potential activities and staff and January Finalize theme and goals of camp, seek ancillary staff Priesthood leaders, nurse/doc or trained medical person, camp cooks, etc. February Finalize budget and set camp costs. Camp schedule and potential activities drafted. February/March Hold meeting to disseminate information on camp location/dates/cost/packing list give out permission forms, etc. Wards hold meetings with parents to give out information/forms. April continue planning with YCL s to come up with specific activities, and make assignments. Collect payment and forms from campers May continue planning, make secret sister assignments, set up sleeping arrangements, order t-shirts, obtain craft items, etc. June CAMP! January 27, 2018 there will be a meeting for all adult camp leaders and YCL s at the Stake Center from 5:30 7:00 PM. 4
Planning Camp Using the Young Women Camp Guide, youth camp leaders and adult leaders counsel together to plan camp based on the needs of the young women. A successful camp includes all of the leadership principles found in Handbook 2: Administering the Church: prepare spiritually, participate in councils, minister to others, and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. This training module focuses on counseling together as you plan camp. Young women are vital and central to the planning, carrying out, and evaluation of camp. Youth camp leaders should be part of the planning process from the very start. As an adult camp leader, you may at times think it is easier, faster, and more effective to do it all yourself. However, as young women have opportunities to serve, organize, and lead, they are learning skills that will bless their families and the Church now and in the future. As you counsel, prayerfully ask yourself this question: What does Heavenly Father want to have happen in the lives of the young women as a result of camp? Choose activities that help the young women explore their interests, increase in self-reliance and outdoor skills, develop leadership skills and friendships, and grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many ideas for camp activities in the Young Women Camp Guide and in the Young Women Camp section of the youth activities site. Traditions from past camps may not meet the needs of the young women today. Hazing, pranks, and other unkind, immoral, or disrespectful conversation and behavior are unacceptable. Only positive, kind, and building activities should be a part of camp. Consider inviting parents to share what spiritual needs and hopes they have for their daughters and what activities and skills would benefit their families. As you counsel, carefully consider the health and safety of each young woman. Questions to Consider as a presidency and youth and adult camp leaders: What can we do to create a council that invites each person to share her ideas for camp? What does Heavenly Father want to have happen in the lives of young women as a result of camp? What can we do at camp that will strengthen each young woman and bless her family? How can all young women share in the work and responsibilities of camp? How can all young women minister and serve one another at camp? This information is from the Church website under Young Women Auxiliary Training Notes- What have you felt prompted to do with regard to camp planning? 5
Come Follow Me, Sunday Lessons Counsel Together/Share Experiences Young women may share their efforts to act on the previous week s lesson, the month s topic, or another gospel principle, and what more they hope to learn and do. They may also counsel together about the needs of the members of their class or responsibilities and assignments they have been given. Counsel Together and Share Experiences is most effective when led by a member of the class presidency who begins by sharing her own experiences and encourages others to share. In our day, disciples of Christ also are commanded to live His gospel and then bear witness of Him and of His teachings. Young women cannot be anonymous in living the gospel. They have covenanted to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places. Neither can young women be dependent on another s testimony. Young women gain confidence and assurance as they practice articulating the experiences they have had applying gospel principles in relevant ways. They share what they have learned and how they have felt. As they exercise the faith to speak, their testimonies grow. President Boyd K. Packer taught, Oh, if I could teach you this one principle: a testimony is to be found in the bearing of it (Carol F. McConkie, The Quest for Spiritual Knowledge, New Era, Jan. 2007, 6). Why is it important that a young woman learn to articulate her feelings and experiences about living the gospel? How can class presidencies help identify the needs of class members regarding the upcoming monthly topic and select the lesson outlines to be taught? Plan to Act Plan to Act is the heart of Come, Follow Me. Each Sunday, leave ample time for young women to counsel together about how what they have learned applies to their lives. Invite them to share what the Spirit has prompted them to do, and make commitments to act on those promptings. Invite them to set their own goals. A member of the class presidency can lead the Act portion of each lesson. She can begin by sharing her own impressions and her plan to act and then invite others to do the same. Class members can also offer encouragement throughout the week as they see one another at school, through social media, and by example. Invite the young women to come prepared to share what they have learned at the beginning of the next week s lesson. An invitation to act starts the students thinking of their own personal responses. The converting power of the Holy Ghost comes only when the youth use their agency to act and live what they are learning (Sister Neill F. Marriott, Come, Follow Me Lesson Plans Strengthen Conversion through Agency, Church News on LDS.org, May 24, 2017). 6
How can we save time at the end of each lesson for young women to plan to act during the week? How can the invitation to act be part of activities? Notes on Come Follow Me, Sunday Lessons What impressions have you had about how to improve this process with your YW? What is the format for Young Women meetings starting in 2019? The 50-minute Young Women meetings, on the second and fourth Sundays, focus on a study of monthly gospel topics found in Come, Follow Me For Young Women. Leaders, teachers, and class presidencies will continue to select the Come Follow Me lesson outlines that best meet the needs of class members. All young women will no longer meet together but will gather in their respective classes. After a class presidency member offers a brief welcome, reminds members of the Come, Follow Me For Individuals and Families home study materials for that day and the following week, and conducts any other business, the teacher should begin the gospel instruction and discussion. Classes will not begin with a hymn or prayer but will conclude with prayer. Hymns may be used to enhance a lesson as appropriate. Occasionally, when a special need exists, Young Women classes may meet together briefly before class members go to individual class meetings. Class Presidencies Materials to help train class presidencies to lead: Leadership Training Lessons (Complete PDF) https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/english/pdf/callings/young-women/complete-leadershiptraining-lessons_eng.pdf?lang=eng Notes on Class Presidencies 7