[Teachldsseminary] OT: Losing Our Youth

[Shawn and Pam Meadows]

I'm new to the group as well and have saved several ideas in my smeinary 
fiule.  Thank you!
I just moved into a ward whose youth are not strong and many of  them have 
gone inactive before graduating.  I've been here six months and have had a 
little time to observe and make an objective opinion.   There are parents 
who feel that youth are old enough to make their own decisions regarding 
their eternal lives and they simply are not ready intellectually or 
emotionally and they need their parents to take the lead and not make it an 
option to go to church or youth night .  One of ny younger brothers wanted 
to go golfing one Sunday with some friends.  My parents very wisely told him 
that he could go but use of the car was tied to church attendance.  He went 
to church.  While this may sound manipulative, is retrospect, he was 
thankful they set the limits and helped him make a good decision.
I agree that the extracurricular activities are a big distraction for our 
teens.  We let coaches know up front that our kids will not be playing on 
Sundays or on Wednesday nights.  If it's a problem, we don't play.  It 
really is just that simple.  How much is playing a sport or playing anything 
else really going to effect their salvation as much as being involved in the 
program the church has set up?  This epiphony just hit me recently that we 
as parents in the church really need to come to the understanding that Satan 
wants our children and he wants our families to be in turmoil.  He's working 
hard, he's working constantly and has lotsof help.  We need to get rid of 
all of the distractions that keep us from full activity and teach our 
children the same.
Anyway, I could go on and on but as a seminary teacher one of my goals is to 
make sure my kids understand this and also to really help them understand 
that they can be "who they've always been" as Sheri Dew reminded us a few 
years back.
-Pam
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Laura Clayton" <cherished at comcast.net>
To: <teachldsseminary at latter-dayvillage.com>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 12:27 PM
Subject: [Teachldsseminary] OT: Losing Our Youth


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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