Youth Talk - Faith and the Pioneer Trek

This talk was given at church on Sunday 11/22/15 by an awesome young man in my ward named Mitchell. He gave me permission to share it on my blog after I told him how much I enjoyed it.

Good morning brothers and sisters. I was asked by Brother Richins to share some experiences that I had personally on Trek. I’d like to start out by sharing a story from Brother Fielding, the resident cameraman that was taking video all throughout Trek. Throughout the weekend our family had become pretty well acquainted with him, and one night he decided to share a personal experience to us. When Brother Fielding was a teenager, he decided to go on a Joseph Smith-esque journey to figure out if his church (The LDS Church was true). Trying to believe in the Mormon faith was hard for him mainly because he couldn’t read. Brother Fielding had severe dyslexia, and couldn’t really read anything. He had only heard bits and pieces of The Book from stories told by others. But, he decided to make an effort to try to read The Book of Mormon. After much trial, Brother Fielding had finally been able to read the fullness of the gospel. At that time, the Book of Mormon was the only book he could read. He said to us that we may not have the same experiences and miracles that he experienced, but our Heavenly Father is watching us, and he will answer our prayers, and we will be able to be fully converted. He certainly touched the hearts of everyone in my family. This is a great example of how the impossible can be reached through the work of the lord. Prior to Trek, I (for a lack of a better term) was terrified. I’m not in that great of shape, and I don’t really do a lot of exercise.

The first day of trek when we all met at the Stake Center, I was worried out of my mind, and I didn’t eat a good lunch, which I now regret, considering we didn’t eat again that night til 1 am. Though Trek wasn’t nearly as bad as I was making it out to be, I still struggled. The first night was really tough for me, and at times I felt like quitting. While going over Rocky Ridge - a stretch of trail that was littered with boulders, rocks, and other obstacles - I felt like I couldn’t go on for much longer. But, through my faith in the lord and constant prayer in every moment that I could spare, I made it! I knew I was going to make it eventually, but I made it in one piece. This, for me, was overcoming the impossible. Trek was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I did it! This trial was not nearly as great as Brother Fielding’s tremendous challenge, but for me, this was an amazing example of how the Lord touches our lives at all times. Russell M. Nelson said in the April 1988 General Conference this: “If any tasks ever deserved the label impossible, those would seem to qualify. But, in fact, our Lord had spoken: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible’”.

He continued on to say that Faith is the foremost requisite for overcoming the impossible. He quoted the New Testament in the book of Matthew which said “If ye have faith, nothing shall be impossible unto you.” President Nelson said “Faith is nurtured through knowledge of God. It comes from prayer and feasting upon the words of Christ through diligent study of the scriptures”. He continued to proclaim this to the congregation: “You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember that ‘with God nothing shall be impossible’, know that He is your Father. You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors”.

As said in Ether 12:27, “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them”.

This has played a huge part in my life, not just on Trek. I’ve gone through many experiences that I thought I wasn’t capable of doing, but I made it, and I know when we put our faith in the lord, that everyone can do the same. I’d like to thank everyone that worked on Trek, and a big thank you to all of the kids in my family, as well as my Ma, Pa, and Big Brother and Sister for helping me along the way. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and through the power of god, we can make it through all of our trials, and make the impossible possible. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Campfire Songs

Here are a collection of campfire songs that I collected from my mom, aunts, sister-in-laws, and from Girls Camp.  Hope you enjoy them!

(PS There are a ton of them so be sure to click on the "read more" link to view the entire post)

The Animal Fair

I went to the animal fair

The birds and the beasts were there

The big baboon by the light of the moon

Was combing his auburn hair.

The monkey bumped the skunk

And sat on the elephant’s trunk

The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees

And that was the end of the monk, the monk

And that was the end of the monk!

The Ants Go Marching

The ants go marching one by one hurrah, hurrah,  

The ants go marching one by one hurrah, hurrah,  

The ants go marching one by one,

The little one stopped to suck his thumb,

And they all go marching  

Down to the ground, to the earth.  

Boom, boom, boom, boom.

Two by two - to tie his shoe
Three by three - to scratch his knee
Four by four - to shut the door
Five by five - to dance and jive
Six by six - to pick up sticks
Seven by seven - to look to heaven
Eight by eight - to shut the gate
Nine by nine - to tell the time
Ten by ten – to say the end! 

LDS Resources Toolbox

Here are some helpful links:

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Helping Hands Guidelines Manual for planning and conducting community service projects  

(click on link above, then click "English" to download PDF)

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Neighbors Helping Neighbors disaster preparedness website

PROVIDENT LIVING

Self-Reliance and Welfare Resources

FAMILY HISTORY

FamilySearch Website

BIBLE

Bible Videos

WELFARE – LEADER RESOURCES

Welfare Leader Resources

Understanding Your Patriarchal Blessing - Worksheet

Here's a chart to use that goes with THIS LESSON about Patriarchal Blessings.

Did you think to pray?

Here are some handouts that I made for a friend who teaches the Young Women at church.

Six per page:

This is the link to the lesson.

Youth Talk - Strength of Youth

Hello my name is Benny and I have been asked to speak from the Strength of youth Pamphlet. I chose to speak on Physical and Emotional Health. In Doctrine in Covenants Section 89:18-19 it says: All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings shall receive health in the navel and marrow to the bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge. 

As you know I like to play football. If I don’t eat right, get enough sleep, and practice I will not be my best on the field. I get lots of exercise each week with my practices. This is a good way to stay physically fit. If I eat too much it makes me sick to my stomach and I don’t play well. If I don’t get enough sleep and rest I am cranky and I can’t run fast enough or remember the plays.  We should avoid things that are addictive like coffee, tea, alcohol, and drugs. Being under the influence if these things can weaken our judgments and self-control. These addictions harm our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Addictions can damage relationships with family and friends. It is hard to make good choices when we are doing what is wrong.

I can be a good football player if I stay away from addictions, and take care of my body, I need to get plenty of rest, eat good foods and practice. Last but not least I need to pray to my Heavenly Father so he can guide me. I love playing football and I am thankful that my Heavenly Father has given me this gift.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ and Amen.

Ding Dong Ditching

For Family Night, we are going to go DING DONG DITCHING!  We bought individually wrapped Ding Dongs at Costco (around 24 for $5.99).  Put them in a bag, slap on this fun note, and then put them on someone's porch as you ding dong ditch.  My boys are very excited for this new tradition.

Feel free to use and share the sign I created.

Update - We went Ding Dong Ditching and it was a huge success.  Kids and teenagers alike thought it was super dooper fun and clever.

Minute to Win It Games

We had a bunch of fun games at our son's birthday party.  We got the ideas from the official Minute to Win It website.  This first game involved hanging a yo yo from your waist and then trying to knock down empty soda cans within a minute.  Harder than it looks!

The next game involved putting unsharpened pencils on the back of your hand.  Then you have to try to toss the pencils and catch them.  Do this adding one at a time, up to a dozen pencils.

In this game, kids took turns sorting a bunch of m-n-m's into different containers.  All the candies were mixed in one cup and the kids had to separate them by color using only one hand.  I think we used about 60 candies for each person.

Another games we did was putting an Oreo type cookie on each person's forehead.  Then they had to wiggle their face to move the cookie from their forehead to their mouth without moving their head.

We played a game where kids had to stack dice at the end of a popsicle stick stuck between their teeth.  The winner was the one who stacked and balanced 6 dice within the minute.

The puzzle game was fun as well.  I took two cereal boxes and cut them into puzzles.  Each participant had to race to put their puzzle together first.  I threw in a few extra pieces to confuse them.

Last game involved sucking up m-n-m's with a straw and placing them on several straws that were sticking up from wood.  We drilled holes in the wood for the straws to fit into so that they would be firm.

Overall, a HUGE success.  We had prizes for people too and trophy for the overall winner.  The trophy was just a tacky plastic one from the party store.

Christmas Dinner for Church

 

 We had the teenagers serve dinner to all the families.  We served the food "family style" at the tables. This was fun because the families could stay seated and not wait in a buffet line and also because the teenagers could all hang out together.  Let's face it, teens would rather eat with their friends than their families at this age anyway!

I was in charge of coordinated all the teenagers and getting the food to the tables.  I had this sign hanging in the wall by the kitchen so that the kids would know what to serve and in what order.  We had an "In" door and an "Out" door for kids to come in and grab the food to bring into the cultural hall/gym area. 

Our menu was salad, rolls, pork chops, green beans, and baked potatoes.  The teenagers ate dinner in another room after they served all the families.  It was a big, fun mess in their room.

After dinner, and before dessert, we gave each table a sugar cookie kit so that they could decorate their own cookies for fun.  We had homemade sugar cookies, sprinkles, icing, etc.  Dessert was served last.  It was some sort of rich mousse type thing.  I didn't really have time to eat but I heard everything was yummy.

Here's the chart I made so that we'd know which teenager was in charge of which table.  Each person had one table to be responsible for.  They also had name tags on that listed their table number.  Tables were also numbered.  For centerpieces we had gingerbread cookie bouquets and each vase had a cute paper with a number on it. (if you enlarge the pictures of the tables you can see in more detail)  We also had a movie presentation showing lots of pictures of people doing service throughout the year.  We didn't have a screen that was big enough so we just showed it on the wall at the back of the stage.  Also, the pom pom snowflakes that were hanging from the ceiling were from Martha Stewart's website and made from tissue paper.

After the ward dinner, all the teenagers came over to my house for an "after party."  They had a blast playing basketball, ping pong, watching Elf, having snacks, and just hanging out.  It was an exhausting and fun night for all.

Youth Talk - Individual Worth

This is a talk that my niece wrote.  Great job Autumn!

I have been asked to give a talk on Individual Worth. Individual Worth is our worth and importance. Some things that we do, we know we are good at. But other times we see possibilities in others, but do not ever dream of the possibilities within ourselves. We need to realize that we are special and that Heavenly Father gives us the gospel to help us be the best we can be. At times when we feel alone, or that we are nothing that is not the case. D&C 18:9 states, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of god.”

Some people that come to mind when I think of Individual Worth are Abinidi, and Nephi. They both realized what they were meant to do. Abinidi knew he was to help share the gospel, even if he wasn’t there to witness it change the lives of others. Nephi wouldn’t give up and no matter what he tried to follow the lord’s commandments. They knew who they were, but they can’t find out who we are for us; we must find that out by ourselves, with the gospel as our guide.

To help us realize our worth, and our place, we must work for it. For one we must gain a testimony. As you establish good, spiritual habits like going to church, reading personal and family scriptures, saying your prayers everyday, going to young women’s or young men’s, and working to be your best, your testimony will grow. Another very important thing to help you is to seek help from others who share the same standards and also from your Heavenly Father. We need to pray to our Heavenly Father, and he will help us through the spirit. He knows us better than anyone else. When we pray he will give us comfort. This comfort lets us know that he really cares about us and we are special.

I was talking with my aunt’s mom about life recently. Somewhere in the conversation we began to talk about how hard it is to know ourselves in this world. She told me about a friend of hers who is a teacher. Years ago her friend would always try to find the LDS kids because she knew they would set good standards. Now she says the saddest thing is that she can’t tell the members apart from the non members anymore.

We need to stand out and show our worth, that we are children of God. That we have standards and then let people know them. I testify that we are of good worth. Don’t become worldly and listen to the people that try and make you change. Only listen to your Heavenly Father. When you realize you are special, then opinions of others won’t really matter, because only his opinion matters and you will know you are a child of god.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Youth Talk - Physical Health

Thank you to Brandon for this great youth speaker talk!

Hi my name is Brandon and Brother Kingi asked me to speak on a topic from the strength of you. I decided to pick the topic Physical Health. I liked this topic because I love to Sports and baseball.

In D&C 89:18-20 it states, “All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge even hidden treasures and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.”

The lord has told us to take care of our body. The word of wisdom is found in the D&C 89. So Heavenly Father wants us to eat good foods, exercise and get a good night rest. When you do what your Heavenly Father wants you to do you remain free from addictions and have control over yourself. Heavenly Father will give you blessings of an alert mind, a healthy body and the blessings of the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

If I strive to do what is right by keeping the commandments, and living the word of wisdom then I can receive the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for me and for all of us. I am glad that I have the strength of youth booklet to help me make good decisions. 

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen

FHE - Fiery Darts of the Adversary

We met with a few families at the park and had a fun FHE tonight about protecting ourselves from temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary. This could also be adapted for Primary, Young Men, or Young Women activities.

Lesson:

1) What are the fiery darts of the adversary?
(Everyone gets a chance to discuss)

2) What can protect us from temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary?

1 Nephi 15:24 - “Whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.”

WORD OF GOD: The “Iron Rod is the Word of God” – The Word of God does not consist of just reading the scriptures. It is also listening and obeying to our living prophet as well as obeying the commandments in the scriptures.

D&C 3: 8. – “Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.”

FAITH: If we are true and faithful, we will have the Holy Ghost with us and we will be supported when faced with temptations.

PRAYER: Pray for strength to resist temptations and the fiery darts in our own lives.

TRUTH & RIGHTEOUSNESS: We need to cling to truth no matter how confusing the world becomes. We also need to strive to be righteous and not let Satan trick us onto the wrong paths in life.

Activity:

I made up 4 shields in advance. (I bought some silver cardboard cake platters to use as shields). I printed out wordstrips for Word of God, Faith, Prayer and Truth & Righteousness and taped those on to the "shields" (one per shield)

After the lesson, we assigned half the group to be "adversaries" and the other half to be people trying to avoid the fiery darts. For our fiery darts, we used giant marshmallows thrown by hand, and mini-marshmallow guns made from pvc pipes. The people had to run to a "home base" and try to make it past the adversaries throwing their "fiery darts." The four people who received the shields were able to use those to protect themselves. It was a little chaotic and messy, but the kids all loved it. One of the dads was bummed we didn't light the marshmallows on fire to be literal "fiery darts" but we try to avoid arson charges. For dessert we served Ding Dongs because they are silver and round and I told them they were really shields to protect them from the fiery darts of the adversary.

Blessed are the Pure in Heart

Here is a talk by President Hinckley from the New Era magazine, July 1999. I used this article in a lesson that I taught the Young Women.

Words of the Prophet: Blessed Are the Pure in Heart by President Gordon B. Hinckley

My young friends, “Be not faithless, but believing”—in virtue, in goodness, in decency, in purity, in that which the Lord has declared He would have for His children, virtue. It is old-fashioned. It may appear out-of-date. It does not square up with a lot of thinking and teaching, but it is true.
There is nothing lovelier, there is nothing sweeter, there is nothing finer, there is nothing more ennobling, there is nothing more beautiful in all the world than virtue in young men and women. God has designed that it should be so. “Be not faithless, but believing.” And in the light of that belief, and in the light of that faith, practice discipline (from Brigham Young University Speeches, Jan. 3, 1962, 5).

Blessed are the pure in heart

Youth is the seedtime for the future flowering of family life. To hope for peace and love and gladness out of promiscuity is to hope for that which will never come. To wish for freedom out of immorality is to wish for something that cannot be. Said the Savior, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34).

Is there a valid case for virtue? It is the only way to freedom from regret. The peace of conscience which flows therefrom is the only personal peace that is not counterfeit.
And beyond all of this is the unfailing promise of God to those who walk in virtue. Declared Jesus of Nazareth, speaking on the mountain, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). That is a covenant, made by Him who has the power to fulfill (from Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 66).

Lure of immorality

I am going to speak plainly. We hear much these days of teenage sexual misbehavior. There is too much of it among our own youth.

Those who indulge in illegitimate sexual activity, as we define that in the doctrines and standards of this Church—and I think no one misunderstands what I mean when I say that—do irreparable damage to themselves and rob the one with whom they are involved of that which can never be restored. There is nothing clever about this kind of so-called conquest. It carries with it no laurels, no victories, no enduring satisfaction. It brings only shame, sorrow, and regret. Those who so indulge cheat themselves and rob another. In so doing, they affront their Father in Heaven, for they are children of God.

I know that this is strong language, plainly spoken. But I feel the trends of our times call for strong language and plain words (from Ensign, Nov. 1983, 45).

Let virtue be your cornerstone

In April of 1942, the First Presidency of the Church issued a message that has the tone of scripture. I commend it to you:

“To the youth of the Church … above all we plead with you to live clean, for the unclean life leads only to suffering, misery, and woe physically—and spiritually it is the path to destruction. How glorious and near to the angels is youth that is clean; this youth has joy unspeakable here and eternal happiness hereafter” (Improvement Era, 45:273).

You of marvelous promise, you young men and women of great ability, do not mock God. Do not flout his law. Let virtue be a cornerstone on which to build your lives (from Conference Report, Oct. 1964, 116).

Pornography

I would just like to say a word about pornography. It is a growing, vile, and evil thing. It is on our motion picture screens, it comes into the homes of the people on television receivers, it is on newsstands, it reaches out in other ways to entrap and beguile and destroy those who are enticed to partake of it. I am satisfied, my brethren and sisters, that no Latter-day Saint can with impunity afford to witness or read or partake of this growing evil in any way. God help us and bless us with the self-discipline to resist and abstain and flee from, if necessary, this pernicious and growing thing which would destroy us (from Ensign, Nov. 1982, 76).

Control thoughts to control actions

Mental control must be stronger than physical appetites or desires of the flesh. As thoughts are brought into complete harmony with revealed truth, actions will then become appropriate.
The timeless proverb is as true now as when it was first spoken: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7).

Each of us, with discipline and effort, has the capacity to control his thoughts and his actions. This is part of the process of developing spiritual, physical, and emotional maturity (from Ensign, May 1987, 48).

Repentance and forgiveness

If there be any here who have so sinned, there is repentance and there is forgiveness, provided there is “godly sorrow” (2 Cor. 7:10). All is not lost. Each of you has a bishop, who has been ordained and set apart under the authority of the holy priesthood and who, in the exercise of his office, is entitled to the inspiration of the Lord. He is a man of experience, he is a man of understanding, he is a man who carries in his heart a love for the youth of his ward. He is a servant of God who understands his obligation of confidentiality and who will help you with your problem. Do not be afraid to talk with him (from Ensign, Nov. 1983, 45).

Prove your strength

For your own sakes, for your happiness now and in all the years to come, and for the happiness of the generations who come after you, avoid sexual transgression as you would a plague.
Prove your strength, show your independence, by saying no when enticement from peers comes your way. Your own strength will add strength to those who are weak. Your own example will give determination to others (from Ensign, May 1987, 48).

Stay on the Lord’s side

Of course you are to socialize, to date, to have fun of a wholesome kind in a hundred ways. But there is a line which you must not cross. It is the line that separates personal cleanliness from sin. I need not get clinical in telling you where that line is. You know. You have been told again and again. You have a conscience within you. Stay on the Lord’s side of the line (from Ensign, May 1996, 48).

Poem - Prayer is Like Brushing Teeth

I liked this poem that I received from my sister-in-law Michelle. I have always said that there really is not a good excuse for skipping your family prayers, personal prayers or scripture study. Somehow we find time to brush our teeth, shower, get dressed and eat every day. We would never think of skipping one of these things consistently and then using the excuse of lack of time. Since I developed this attitude with my scriptures and prayers it has been a lot easier to be faithful on these important habits.

The goal is to encourages children to pray twice daily. Since we should brush our teeth morning and night, a tooth brush seems a natural reminder for saying prayers morning and night. Attach the following poem to a tooth brush:
Saying your prayers is like brushing your teeth--
it's a habit you form, a commitment you keep.
You should brush your teeth both morning and night,
the same with your prayers if you're saying them right.
Don't let your spirit or teeth begin to decay--
PRAY (and brush) at least twice a day!

Safety Guidelines for LDS Activities

This was sent out from Church headquarters in 2007. I'm a safety gal so I appreciate the safety efforts the church puts forth. Click on the picture to enlarge and print it if desired.

Object Lesson - Friends Rub Off on You

Brief Description/Purpose:
By coloring in with pencil large letters that spell FRIENDS, you will show how friends, whether they are good or bad can easily rub off on you.

Objects Used/Preparation:
chalk, chalkboard (or)piece of paper with the word FRIENDS on it in bubble letters for each student, pencil for each student

Lesson:
Before class print out the word FRIENDS in large bubble letters, about two inches high. During class, give each child a sheet of paper with FRIENDS printed on it and a pencil. Tell them to use the pencil to color in all the letters completely and very dark with the pencil. This may take a few minutes. After they are finished, you will have them rub their fingers over the letters to see that the graphite from the word friends has rubbed off on them. The friends you choose in life can have a big impact on the way you act. Friends can influence what type of clothes you wear, the type of music you listen to, what you believe, the words you use when you speak, the way you treat others, and the list goes on and on. In other words, friends can rub off on you.

Alternate: You can also have someone write the word "Friends" on the chalkboard and then have them rub the letters instead of using a pencil and paper.

Discuss: Talk about positive ways that each of us can rub off on our friends. Who is a friend that we want to have rub off on us? (the Savior)Scriptures: Proverbs 22:24-25; Proverbs 18:24; D&C 23:6; John 15:14

Source: Children's Sunday School Object Lessons, some additions by Michelle Walton

17 Rules for Celestial Dating

Seventeen Rules For Celestial Dating:

1. No dating until age 16; no single dating until 18.
2. Missions for boys before serious dating.
3. Only date honorable people with good values.
4. Do not participate in kissing-hugging sessions.
5. No French kissing.
6. Do not park.
7. Never, never go into a home or an apartment alone.
8. Never, never go into a bedroom.
9. No back rubs.
10. Do not lie down by each other or on top of each other.
11. Attend only wholesome activities.
12. No immodest dress.
13. Date in couples or groups most often.
14. No late hours.
15. Each partner should be responsible for his own actions.
16. Discuss dating rules with partners.
17. Do not think that you are the exception.