There was a dinner held for the mothers and young women who have earned their "Young Womens Recognition" Award this last year.
After countless hours spanning almost 5 years,
Ashlin finally completed this in January.
She received this Young Women's medallion,
which is a carving of the temple.
{nice crazy nails Ashlin}
In our church once the girls turn 12 they enter the Young Women's program until they are 18. Immediately they receive a personal progress book filled with goals to accomplish to eventually earn this special award. In order to receive the award the girls have to complete all the required goals under 8 different values: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice & Accountability, Good Works, Integrity and Virtue.
They also complete a Value Project for each of the above values that takes at least 10 hours each. Some of the Value Projects Ashlin did were: learning how to make multiple meals on her own, make a cookbook of family recipes, read the entire Book of Mormon, be a team leader at a childrens camp over the summer, and more.
She was also required to go to church regularly, attend seminary, then regulary pray and read the scriptures on her own.
When I look at how much Ashlin has grown and matured spiritually over the last 5 years I am so thankful for the Young Womens program. Ashlin had to share how it has helped her grow at church and at this dinner. Both times she got so emotional as she shared how much she's learned to depend on her Father in Heaven and the importance of living the gospel every day. Her testimony was so so tender that I cried, and as a mother there is nothing more I could want then for her to know who she is and why she is on this earth.
Ashlin and I recently went to this modeling interview she thought would be fun to attend. I went with her and we listened to this lady talk about all the training models go through to help them with confidence, appearance and to train them in how to carry themselves. We left cuz Ashlin was not interested in participating. I couldn't help but think how superficial that training would be in comparison with the last 5 years of training Ashlin has had earning this award. We talked about it the whole drive home, how her confidence has grown in a real way, not because of superficial instruction on how to act confident. But because she knows in her heart that she really is a daughter of God, and nothing matters more than obeying His commandments and becoming who He wants her to be. We decided in that car drive home that because she clearly knows how God expects her to act, and she really lives that way, she has this confidence within her that can be obtained no other way.
I love you Ashlin and we are SO proud of you and the amazing young lady you have become!
(pictures taken by Sara Ratcliff in December for fun)
1 comment:
I agree--she has grown in beautiful ways because she has chosen to follow the principles taught by her parents as well as the Young Women's program. And she definitely does have true beauty and confidence that will bless her for the rest of her life as she remembers that she is a daughter of God who loves her and she loves him.
By the way, your two sweet girls were sitting next to each other during the combined lesson today, and I couldn't help but notice Emma periodically leaning her head on Ashlin's shoulder and it made me happy for them that they have some time to spend together in Young Women's as sisters. I'm proud of Ashlin for being such a great example to her younger siblings, and it's apparent that the younger kids look up to her. I see Emma growing in confidence, too, and it's neat to watch it. It reminds me of my own sisters and how much I love and adore them. There's nothing else like that kind of sisterly love sometimes. : )
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