I Believe...

I spend a couple hours each week working with the Young Women Organization in our ward. (The girls youth group at church for those of you not versed in Mormonisms...). I teach them on Sundays and then spend every Tuesday night in an activity of sorts. Not long ago the rest of the leaders and I were planning the New Beginnings Program, an annual program were we essentially highlight the goals and theme of the coming year and welcome all the new girls that will turn 12 and enter the Young Women's program this year.

The Church has 13 Articles of Faith. Essentially, 13 statements proclaiming our core beliefs. You can find them here. We decided as leaders we would have all the girls write their own Article of Faith. What they believed in and share it with the rest of the group. I ended up missing the actual program due to B's arrival, but I was able to hear a few of the girls Articles and was nothing short of impressed. Growing up my family spent several Monday nights for awhile developing our family mission statement. What we believed in, what our objectives were and how we were going to accomplish those objectives. Wade and I talk about doing this all the time, but haven't yet. When I was writing my own Article of Faith for this program, I likened it to my own personal mission statement. The most important things I know and believe. I plan on putting it somewhere I can see it everyday. I find I often need to be reminded what my priorities are, what in fact I truly believe and if I remember those things, I often can find the path to maintaining them and fulfilling them a little easier.

"I believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe in the Atonement

and sacrifice of my Savior. I believe that, that sacrifice would have

happened just for me if it needed too, I believe my Savior and my

Heavenly Father love me that much, are aware of me, my needs, and

my desires. I believe I am better when the Gospel is being actively

practiced in my life, anwsers to questions come more readily, peace is

a more constant companion and my potential is better reached. I

believe in myself. I believe that all of us are capable of much more

than we allow ourselves to think we are. I believe with preparation

and time and dedication we can be better and smarter and stronger. We can

 be more compassionate, more enduring, more patient and we can

accomplish things we had previously not allowed ourselves to think

we could.  I believe personal growth happens outside the walls of our comfort zone,

it is there where we are stretched and pulled in ways we didn't know we didn't know
we had the capacity to stretch and pull. I believe that the love we have for others is

powerful, and that the love of friends, family and our Savior can help

us through any difficult situation. I believe in being true, in being

intelligent, in being spiritutally in tune. I believe we if

continutally strive for our best selves we will never come up short."