[Teachldsseminary] OT: Losing Our Youth

[Robert and Laura Allen]

Laura,
I think you  hit the nail on the head with your comments. 
 Coming to know who they really are in their hearts and 
building a personal relationship with the Savior are 
critical to their surviving the challenges they have to 
face.  I might also add that they need to learn how the 
spirit speaks to them.  My daughter, who is 17, amazes me 
at her ability to hear and listen to the spirit.  For her 
He is a literal voice and she recognizes when He speaks to 
her.  She has made the comment in the past that sometimes 
she wishes she didn't hear Him so well because she really 
wasn't wanting to do what He was telling her or sometimes 
it's been something difficult for her to do but as her 
testimony has grown and she has come to recongize the 
blessings that can come from listening and obeying she has 
become very grateful for that "literal" voice to her and 
she knows that if she doesn't listen and obey it she will 
regret it.
Laura
Iowa
EMS

   
On Fri, 1 Sep 2006 10:27:32 -0600
  "Laura Clayton" <cherished at comcast.net> wrote:
> Popping in... Haven't been reading mail because there is 
>no time right now, but I'd like to get your input on 
>something... There is a young woman in our stake who we 
>have been concerned about, and then something happened 
>yesterday to get me thinking more deeply on this...
> 
> A friend and I went down to the Church Office Building 
>yesterday because they needed about 30 people to sit in 
>the audience while they filmed a YM/YW leadership 
>training segment for the upcoming leadership training 
>broadcast. (It's for the North America units, and goes 
>all the way up to members at the North Pole!)
> 
> Anyway, I'm not serving in the YW's program right now, 
>but it was an interesting experience. One of the sisters 
>in the YW's presidency... I think it was a Sister 
>Beck?... asked us, "Why do you think we are losing so 
>many youth?" It was quiet, and no one seemed to be saying 
>anything, so I raised my hand, and was immediately handed 
>a microphone (yikes!)... and I said something along the 
>lines that the youth don't have a deep enough testimony 
>of who they really are as children of our Heavenly 
>Father. They know it in their heads, but that testimony 
>hasn't reached their hearts... once it reaches their 
>hearts they will have an easier time making correct 
>choices. Also, I said that the youth do not have a deep 
>enough understanding of the power of the Atonement.
> 
> Well, after I made my comment, others started raising 
>their hands. One woman said that she felt 
>extra-curricular activities at school were becoming too 
>much of a priority for our youth. While these things are 
>fine and good, they (and many times their parents) were 
>not prioritizing spiritual activities (YM/YW nights and 
>activities) to come first in their lives. There were a 
>few other comments, which I don't remember as well.
> 
> My question to you is the same as Sister Beck's(?)... 
>Why are we losing so many of our youth?
> 
> Shalom u'vracha! 
> ("peace and blessings!") 
> 
> ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
> ¸.·´ .·´¨¨))            hugs,
> ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-      Laura
> -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* 
>      ¸...¸ __/ /\____ ____
> ,·´º o`·,/__/ _/\_ //____/\
> ```)¨(´´´ | | | | | | | || |l±±±± | 
> ¸,.-·²°´ ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸ `°²·-. :º°
> As for me and my house, 
>  we will serve the Lord.
> 
> Laura Clayton (aka Cherish) (SLC, UT) proud mama to:
> Skyler; (21; RM - CA, LA Mission (Aug 2004-2006)
> Kaylie (19; sports enthusiast & major crack-up!); 
> Cami (17; talented performer & major drama queen!);
> Josh (11; special needs, boxer, & beautiful example)
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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