Today we begin our annual worth week. I believe this is the 5th consecutive year that we have held worth week for our YW. It's my favorite! I'm always surprised by how much I end up loving worth week. There isn't a lesson that correlates with worth week, and so I got approval to briefly teach the assigned lesson at our activity on Tuesday and to teach the Young Women today. I was glad that I was able to be the one to teach it, though I'm positive that my counselors would have done a beautiful job.
Here's my lesson with a couple of tiny modifications (and some built in discussion, obviously):
Each one of us is a beloved child of Heavenly Parents with a divine nature and eternal destiny. We say that each time we meet in Young Women’s...but what does it mean? What do those words mean to you?
Beloved:
Heavenly Parents:
Divine Nature:
Eternal Destiny:
(Write definition for each one on the board.)
**I want you to imagine that you just made a terrible mistake...a large sin...and you were caught right in the middle. Something that you know is very, very wrong. Now imagine we dragged you up here in front of the class and announced to everyone what you had done and asked what punishment you should receive? How would you be feeling about then? What types of thoughts would you be having about yourself in that moment?
In the New Testament, this is what happens to one woman. She is caught in the act of adultery and she is dragged before a crowd that included Jesus. The leaders announced what she had done and asked the Savior what should be done...the law of Moses said she should be stoned. Can you imagine the thoughts running through that woman’s mind? The embarrassment? The guilt? Perhaps she was internally thinking of not only this most recent sin but other weaknesses and mistakes. (Do you ever do that? When you make a mistake do you ever begin to berate yourself by thinking of many other things that you have done wrong? Sometimes I do.) How did the Savior respond? In John 8: 6... it says that “Jesus stooped down and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he heard them not”. For at least a moment, that likely took the attention off of the woman and brought the attention to him. But the scribes and Pharisees were not deterred and continued to ask what they should do...so he told them that he that is without sin could be the first to cast a stone at her...and as you likely know, each person went off. Now the story doesn’t end there...Jesus spoke to the woman and said, “Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”
I want to pause right here for a moment. How do you think the woman is feeling now? Relieved? Grateful? Maybe still embarrassed and guilty? Hopeful? Maybe when the Savior said “Woman”...it made her look up in surprise because at that time, “Woman” was a term of great respect much like saying, “My lady” was in the past.
She responds and said that no one had condemned her. The Savior then told her, “Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more.” The woman HAD made a serious mistake and the Savior called her to repent, to change. BUT even in the midst of her sin, He demonstrated love and respect for her. He knew she was more than just one bad choice. He saw her clearly and knew that her worth was not affected by her choices, good or bad.
*Why would I share that story at the beginning of a lesson on our individual worth and divine nature? Discuss.
(Correct understanding of who we are and who Jesus is and how He treats us. Recognizing that our worth is not dependent on our choices.)
We are all a mix of good and bad choices. This week...I didn’t stick to my budget as well as I should have, was impatient, had judgmental thoughts, another time I complained, didn’t follow through on a responsiblity. It’s really easy for me to look at these negative choices and to begin to think negatively about myself...to get trapped into thinking only about my imperfections and sins. And that’s not a clear view of who I am...though I did make mistakes. (I've drawn a sketch of myself and half is shaded dark. I wrote these mistakes around the dark half. Sometimes I do something good...I serve someone, attend the temple, create a special experience with my family, really study the gospel. And sometimes it’s easy to then start to pat myself on the back and think I’m pretty great. And neglect the fact that I have sins and weaknesses that I need to work on. All bad or all good. And there's danger in only seeing the good just as there is danger in only seeing the bad. But I think what the Lord really wants us to strive to see ourselves not in either of these ways...but as He sees us...as an imperfect person in need of repentance but also as a child of God with incredible potential. (Draw bigger sketch with sunshine lines around it.) He sees us as we are and as we can become and continually tries to remind us that we are His and we are loved and we can become like Him. We have tremendous potential.
Elder Uchtdorf has taught: “My dear brothers and sisters, it may be true that man is nothing in comparison to the greatness of the universe. At times we may even feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember—you matter to Him!... Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.
God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.”
Why do you think it matters if we understand who we are? Why does that matter? (Discuss.)
*It changes things...when we realize who we are, it gives us greater strength to overcome our weaknesses and it gives us a sense of purpose. It helps us want to change and become better.
*It gives us strength and confidence.
*It affects how we treat others.
*It grants us peace.
*Thurl Bailey... I listened to a podcast interview with basketball player, Thurl Bailey. He shared that when he was in 7th grade he was 6’ 5” and he decided he was going to become a basketball player. He figured with his height, he would certainly make the team. He tried out, filled with confidence. And he didn’t make it. So for the next year, he practiced and practiced and tried out again. And he didn’t make it again. That was very discouraging. The coach said, "Son, you weren't meant to play this game." And he said, "You're wasting my time. I don't have time to teach you how to play basketball. I'm looking for guys who can help me win a championship this year." Can you imagine how he felt? I think most of us have had at least one similar experience.
The next year there was a new coach at the school and so Thurl tried out again...and he made it! Thurl said, “But making the team wasn't what changed my life. It was what happened after I made it because that coach brought me into his office and, Coach Cole, he brought me into his office and he said, "Son, if you really want to be a good player, you have a lot of work to do. A lot." He said, "But if you're willing to commit, if you want to make that commitment, I'll come in one hour before the team practices, and then after we practice as a team, I'll stay one hour after."
So here's a guy who barely knew me, he kept me on his team. If I wasn't the worst player, I was probably the second worst. And I wondered why he would give up that much time for me. And he told me, he looked me in my eyes, he said, "I see potential in you. I see potential in you that you don't even see in yourself. And I think if you want to commit and you work hard, this is what you can be, and I can help you do that." And it changed Thurl’s life...he worked hard and his coach worked hard...and eventually Thurl made it into the NBA and played for the Utah Jazz. At the end of the podcast, Thurl was asked what it means to be “all in” the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thurl said this:
“What does it mean to me to be all in gospel Jesus Christ, well, I think a lot of it goes back to what we've been talking about. Those people in my life who saw something in me, right. Saw a coach who saw a potential. A beautiful young woman who saw potential in me as her future husband and her kids dad. I think all in means trying to live up to that potential as best you can.
All in means what lens–I know what lens God sees me through, right. He wants me to return to Him someday. And so I, in turn, have to use what I have to get there, best way I can. The way I see people, the way I treat people, the way I talk to people, the way I raise my kids, the way I treat my wife, the way I serve. And so that's what it really means to me, Morgan, is all those things that I know, Christ sees in me. I have to be an example of Him here, right? I have to be committed. Just like the coach said, "Listen, if you're going to commit, I'm going to be there," right, "and when you decide this is what you want–I'm right here.”
And I know that Jesus Christ is the same way for all of us, right. He just wants us to commit. And he wants us to be all in. And so I'm trying every day to keep my hand in that huddle and be all in, and again, it's difficult for all of us, but I think just like any muscle, the more you do it, the stronger it gets. And it becomes habitual for you, right. And that's really the place that I want to aspire to is to have great habits and be able to return to him one day.”
Recognizing your potential gives you the ability to become your best self!
On the first notecard, I want you to write down 5 of your gifts, talents or strengths. After you finish, just sit quietly and listen to the music and think about the words...and just listen to the spirit and try to feel how He feels about you. Then each day this week, I want you to turn to the next card and write 5 MORE positive things about yourself. That means by the end of the week, you’re going to have 40 positive things! That’s a lot. It might be challenging to come up with that many. While you are writing, I'm going to play a song. When you finish, listen to the song and/or read the quotes around the room about your worth.
***
So how do we know that we really are beloved daughters of God? What should we do if we doubt whether this is true?
*Pray! Ask God to tell you how He feels about you.
*If you have your patriarchal blessing, read and study it. If you don’t have it yet, consider getting it.
*Read General Conference messages about your divine nature and worth.
*Look for and notice the times when God shows His love for you. Times when you know He is there.
Some examples of times the Lord shows He is there and knows His child personally.
Story: Emily Freeman was asked to speak at a girls camp. As she was preparing, she felt strongly she needed to speak about Esther. So she went to camp and spoke about Esther. As she spoke, she noticed a lot of the leaders had tears in their eyes. After she finished speaking, she learned that one of the girls had invited a Jewish friend to attend camp. Earlier that day, they had mod podged pictures of Jesus onto wood blocks. The leaders figured this Jewish girl wasn't going to want a picture of Jesus on hers, so they brought a picture of Esther for her. And then Emily talked of Esther. God was absolutely aware of her and arranged things so she would feel loved and known and cared for.
Kris Belcher, a friend of Emily Freeman's, died from cancer, a couple of weeks ago her son got his mission call and he’s going to Kansas...the same mission where his mom served. He’ll likely walk some of the same streets she walked. And feel her close as he works in this place that she loved.
I follow an account on IG called Reflections of Christ. It’s an artist that takes photos portraying Christ and stories from the scriptures. Years ago, when his son was 6, he was doing a photo shoot. He decided last minute to have the costume maker throw in a little boy Jewish outfit and they took a photo of his son with “Jesus”. Twelve years later, his son was on his mission and was in Mexico. He was struggling and lonely and scared. His father prayed that he would find comfort and find Jesus there. One day his son wrote him a message that they went to a church and when they walked in, his son saw the photo of himself with “Jesus” in a church in Mexico! It was just what he needed, just when he needed, to feel strength and courage.
In my living room, I have this photo taken by Natalie Grange. I love it so much and it brings such peace to me. The temple endowment portrays the creation ...and there is one spot that looks incredibly similar to this photo. Every time I see it, it feels like Heavenly Father is giving me a hug and saying, “I know you. I see you. I love you.” It’s a small thing...but also a big thing...of all the scenes in the world that could be portrayed, the fact that there is one that is almost identical to this beloved photo feels really special.
When have you felt God’s love? When have you known that He was watching over YOU? (Discuss.)
Bear testimony.
