For our Young Women New Beginnings we decided to go all out with the "Stand Ye in Holy Places" mutual theme. And what goes with standing? Shoes.
Kind of obvious but it worked.
The thing I love most about our Young Women President is how low-key she is. Liz has never made me feel pressured to go all out with an activity or lesson and anytime something falls through at the last minute, she doesn't stress or worry and just goes with the flow. It is extremely refreshing to me. I have a slight tendency to want to go a tad overboard and feel like we have to do really big, flashy, super planned out things and Liz just puts all that bottled up desire for perfection and craziness in me to rest. It makes serving in Young Women even possible for me and my schedule.
Anyway... the point being, the night of our New Beginnings Program, everyone and I mean everyone in our Presidency was having one of those days or weeks. Life was just nuts. I had been super busy at work and was trying to find a Bath & Body Works store on my way home from a conference to get the girls' gifts since the first idea I had was too expensive and let's be honest, I'd forgotten all about my assignment until the night before. We all got to the church late to set up, scrambled to set up the room, and told the girls to pretend everything was decorated cute and set up when they got there. Luckily our girls haven't told us they expect perfection from us either.
For our program, each of us leaders brought a pair of shoes that to us represented each of the YW values. I was assigned "Knowledge" and "Good Works." I thought and thought and thought which of my five pairs of shoes I could use. I know. I am a pathetic excuse for a woman... five pairs. I'm serious. I really, really, really want to like shoe shopping but it takes frivolous money and time {alone!!!}, two things I don't seem to have or make time for.
For "Knowledge" I ended up bringing a pair of black high heels that are literally falling apart. Bet you didn't know you could actually wear out a heel and have the metal part poking through which then makes this loud, scraping, clipping sound as you walk across tile or a sidewalk, did you? Or that you could have the seams ripping on the sides so every time you walk in the rain or a puddle your feet get wet? And that the inside of your shoes could be hanging on by a toe. It was slightly embarrassing. I brought my falling apart heels because they were the shoes I wore as I walked down the graduation isle after four long years before finishing my Masters degree. They've taken me all over the country for work and walked me into many friendships and associations at work that I will never forget and that have greatly benefited me. But now that I've shown all the girls, I can't wear them anymore because
they giggle at me that I'm wearing my "Knowledge" heels.
For "Good Works" I brought my warm, soft, cheetah print {gotta have a little flare} slippers. When I thought of good works, I kept thinking about service and who serves more than anyone else? A mom. And when I'm doing all those "mom" things I'm usually in my slippers. They're comfy and feel like home. Just like a mother does.
It was fun to hear each of our different takes on shoes and the values. We had a pair of red, shiny shoes, cowgirl boots, tennis shoes, platform heels, and baby shoes.
The girls also brought a pair of shoes that represented a time they've stood in holy places. We also asked the girls to write a short paragraph explaining how their shoes helped them to stand in holy places. Those girls might be pretty quiet most of the time but man can they sure write their feelings beautifully. I was tearing up reading all of their testimonies. And each of their shoes fit their personalities.
We closed by inviting each of the girls' parents to come up and talk about a time they'd seen their daughters stand in holy places. I hope the girls liked hearing from their parents! We hoped it would give them a little reminder of how good they are and how much they are loved. After a song and treat, we gave them a little gift. We wanted to give them each a pair of temple shoes, but it was too expensive for our little budget. So at the last minute I found this poem and attached it to a fancy hanger that they can someday hang their temple dress on.
Stand ye in holy places and be not moved....
Hang on to your values
Hang on to your testimony
Hang on to the spirit
So that someday you can hang your temple dress on me.
I am so grateful to be in the Young Women Program. During a recent stake leadership meeting, the Stake YW President asked us to think about why the Lord wanted us in YW. She was trying to get us to acknowledge all the good we have and our individual talents, but the only thing I kept thinking was the reason I am in YW is to remember..... remember who I am... who I used to be... to remember that testimony I've somehow managed to lose and tuck way way down inside. To remember Him and that I am His child... a daughter of God.
