Changes to Young Women Program 2020
Vision: Strengthen the rising generation’s faith in Jesus Christ, and help children, youth, and their families progress along the covenant path as they meet life’s challenges.
Many more explanations, resources, and ideas can be found on: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/young-women-organization?lang=eng
Callings in Young Women:
The Primary responsibility of adult leaders is to mentor youth in fulfilling their leadership roles.
Young Women President: YW President counsels with Bishop directly, not a counselor. Lifts the load of the bishop, where appropriate by helping young women regarding issues that do not require the bishop’s keys as a common judge and that do not involve abuse of any kind.
Counselors and Secretary: Work with the President to carry out all responsibilities.
Adviser: Each class should have one adviser if needed and they will assist the Young Women presidency in mentoring young women in their leadership responsibilities.
Specialist: Specialists are called on a long-term basis to assist the presidency and advisers or assist with a particular event such as a camp or youth conference.
***All adult leaders must complete the training at protectingchildren.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.***
*Please insure there is always 2 deep leadership when working with the YW.*
Youth Class Presidencies: A class presidency should be called for each Young Women class. Bishoprics have a responsibility to orient newly called Young Women class presidencies. A full presidency should be called, with a president, two counselors, and a secretary for each class. In a ward or branch with only one class or not enough YW, a partial presidency may be called if needed. Class Presidency responsibilities should include:
- Lead: Conduct Sunday meetings, plan and carry out activities, and lead the class in the work of salvation.
- Minister: Minister to class members through member missionary work, convert retention, activation, and temple and family history work.
- Teach: Help to teach, and plan who will teach Sunday lessons.
YW Class Organization:
Who and When: Beginning in January of the year they turn 12, youth move to Young Women classes. Classes can be organized by age-group, and young women progress between classes in January of the year they turn the age of the next class.*
How: Bishops and Young Women leaders should counsel together regarding the needs of the young women and then prayerfully decide how to organize Young Women classes. The organization of classes should fit the ages of the young women in the ward or branch and invite greater unity among young women. The class divisions should be evaluated and adjusted periodically as young women move into and from the ward and as 11-year-olds move into Young Women from Primary.
*Examples: Age-groups may include all young women meeting as one class or divided into multiple classes. Each class should have enough members to serve in a class presidency. Young women classes are now referred to by the unifying name of “Young Women.” If needed, class names may include the specific ages of the young women meeting together in each class—for example,“Young Women 12–14”; “Young Women 15–18”; or simply “Young Women,” if all meet together.
Sunday YW Meetings: (Gospel Learning)
Who teaches: Adult leaders, a member of the class presidency, or any other member of the class can teach the lessons. Class presidency and adult leaders should consult about who should be assigned to teach the lessons.
What to teach: Lesson materials are found in Come, Follow Me—For Young Women Classes. The lesson outlines will have specific dates on which they should be taught. These lesson topics are designed so that what is being taught at church matches what is being taught at home. Those assigned to teach in Sunday meetings will no longer select outlines from a list of options.
YW opening exercises: Class presidency should conduct.
Recite new theme
No opening prayer or song (Can use songs in lesson if you want to tie in)
Close class lessons with a prayer
(Announcements should be very limited on Sundays. They can be done at Mid-Week Activities or via text.)
Mid-Week YW Activities: (Service and Activities)
What: Class presidencies, with the assistance of their adult leaders, plan and implement service and activities that are fun and engaging and that build testimonies, strengthen families, and foster personal growth. Activities should be balanced among the four areas of growth: spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual. They can introduce YW to new experiences, teach them life skills, and help them fulfill their covenant responsibilities. Where it is helpful, an activity may occasionally support an individual, family, or group goal.
When: Hold service and activities weekly if possible. May meet less often if needed, but try for at least monthly.
Youth who aren’t Church members: Youth should invite their friends to participate in gospel learning, service and activities, and personal development. And leaders, including youth class presidencies, should work closely with parents of these youth to help them understand the effort and determine how they and their children would like to be involved.
Other Activities: In addition to regular youth activities, youth may also participate in:
- For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences: Paducah Stake will have FSY in 2022
- Youth conference or trek in the years an FSY conference is not held.
- Annual Young Women camps.
- Additional overnight camps and activities, where feasible.
Goals: (Personal Development)
What Goals to Set: Youth set goals to grow spiritually, socially, physically, and intellectually. Parents and, where needed, leaders may help youth discover, plan, act on, and reflect on individually selected goals. Youth are encouraged to complete at least two goals in each of the four areas each year. Youth, working with their leaders, may choose class goals according to the needs of their class.
Accountability: Parents, supported by leaders when needed, could ask children and youth what they are working on and how they can help, but adults are not responsible for keeping track of progress. Youth may wish to keep some goals between herself and the Lord. Youth can use their guidebook, the Gospel Living app, or another approach that works best for them to set goals and reflect on or record progress.
Ideas: Youth might choose to use Personal Development: Youth Guidebook or the Gospel Living app to set and record goals. Goal ideas are available in the guidebook, at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/young-women-organization and, beginning in 2020, on the Gospel Living app.
Awards and Emblems:
Personal Progress should be completed by Jan 1, 2020 but awards are available until March 1 if youth require more time. Paducah Stake will have a Stake Young Women Recognition Night on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 2:00 at the Stake Center.
Emblems of Belonging are given at age 8, 12, and 18 to all children and youth. When entering YW, Young women will receive a medallion from their class presidency. In addition, during an interview, the bishop will give each youth a holder for a temple recommend. Each youth also receives a copy of Personal Development: Youth Guidebook. At the beginning of the year they turn 18, Young Women will receive a pendant that can be added to the chain with their medallion.
Emblems of Achievement: During the year a young woman turns 18, she (with parents if desired) also has the opportunity to meet with the bishop to discuss her progress. In this setting, the bishop will present a certificate from the First Presidency and the Children and Youth crystal, which contains an image of the Savior. He gives these emblems of achievement to youth who are progressing in becoming more like the Savior by currently striving to:
- Study the scriptures and pray daily.
- Be worthy of a limited-use temple recommend.
- Participate in Sabbath meetings, class work, and seminary.
- Work on goals in each area of growth.
- Serve others in a personally significant way, which could include a service project.
Ideally, youth receive these emblems when they graduate from secondary school, as they prepare to enter Relief Society, or before they move away from home, if that occurs earlier than age 18.
Who: New converts, those who have not been actively participating in Children and Youth or the Church, and those who are not members of the Church may receive the emblems of achievement the year they turn 18 if they are currently focused on the patterns of discipleship outlined above. In coming months, the certificate can be printed from lcr.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Adults and Younger children may participate in the Program but generally will not participate in Church-sponsored activities related to Children and Youth and will not receive Children and Youth emblems. Stakes, wards, and branches should not establish requirements for children and youth to earn local awards.
Annual Meetings: Bishops may hold an annual meeting for youth and their parents near the beginning of each year. It can be held at the ward or stake level and can be held for young men and young women separately or together. It should be planned and led by the assistants to the bishop in the priests quorum and the presidency of the oldest Young Women class. Youth turning 12 during the year may receive their emblems during this meeting.
Ordering Emblems: Young Women presidencies should gather for the ward or branch clerk quantities and sizes needed for children and youth turning 12–18 in 2020. For 2020, all other emblems will be paid for by the Church. In 2021 and beyond, units will order needed emblems and materials through the regular curriculum ordering process. They will be paid for with local unit funds.
Words that are retired or changed:
Retired: Young Women values, motto, torch logo, New Beginnings, and Young Women in Excellence, Beehive, Mia-maid, and Laurel.
Changed:
- The bishopric youth committee is now the ward youth council. The Young Women class presidents (or the full presidency if there is only one class), and the Young Women president should attend.
- Auxiliary is changed to Organization. All those who lead organizations will be known as ward officers and stake officers.
- Mutual is now YW activities, aaronic priesthood quorum activities, or youth activities.
Temple Work
Proxy baptisms may be witnessed by anyone holding a limited use or current temple recommend.
Additional Resources:
Overview and FAQs:
Organizational Changes Letter:
Class Presidency Orientation Guide: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/ldsorg/content/pdf/children-and-youth/PD60009511_000-Quorum-Class-Training.pdf?lang=eng
Come Follow Me- Sunday Lessons for YW
Information on FSY
Changes Specific to YW
Changes to Temple Witnessing
Adjustments to Youth
This is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Prepared by Paducah Stake Young Women Presidency: Rachael Coakley, Kristin Nelson, Faith Wagner.
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