Personal Progress

Personal Progress is a goal-setting and achievement program within the Young Women Organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This program is roughly analogous to the Scouting and Duty to God programs in which LDS young men are encouraged to participate.

Content

Purpose

The stated purpose of Personal Progress is to help each young woman: [cite web|title=What is Personal Progress?|publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|accessdate=2008-08-08|url=http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,6885-1,00.html]

:* Know she is a daughter of God;:* rely upon the Holy Ghost;:* develop personal religious behaviors, such as prayer, scripture study, obedience to commandments, and service;:* keep her baptismal covenants and prepare and qualify for temple covenants;:* develop talents and skills that prepare her for her future roles; and:* establish a pattern of step-by-step progress through her life.

Values

Personal Progress is focused around the seven topics or values of the LDS young women program. These topics are faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, and integrity. These values represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' morals.

Achievement Program

Each of these topics has a series of "value experiences" and one "value project" which requires ten or more hours of preparation and delivery, that helps the young woman learn about the topic. These items are signed off in the young woman's book by the young women leaders or the young woman's parents.

To complete the program, the young woman must have six completed value experiences and a project in each topic, verified by the leaders or parents. 3 are required, and the other 3 are chosen from a set of 4.

Book

The Personal Progress book contains the following major sections: a copy of the ; standards For The Strength of Youth; the Young Women Theme, motto, and logo; an overview of the program; the seven topical sections based on the values listed above; a section to write down one's testimony of Jesus Christ and His church; information about the Young Womanhood Recognition; information about transitioning from the young women program into the female adult program, Relief Society; sections for keeping track of progress in the program; and an index of the book contents.

Young Women in Excellence Meetings

The Young Women in Excellence meetings are held yearly within the ward, or occasionally within a stake, to allow young women to share a value experience or value project they have completed during the year. [cite web
title = Young Women in Excellence
publisher = The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
accessdate= 2008-08-08
url=http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,6904-1,00.html] Young women who have earned the Young Womanhood Recognition award are recognized in a special ceremony during this meeting.

Attendees usually include the young women, families of the young women, the young women leaders, and usually ward or stake leaders. Young men are sometimes invited to attend, just as young women sometimes are invited to attend an Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

Young Womanhood Recognition Award

At the conclusion of the program, the young woman has an interview with her Bishop to verify her completion of the program and willingness to meet the standards of the program. After which, the young woman earns the Young Womanhood Recognition award. This award is symbolized by a simple medallion.

ee Also

* Young Women (organization)

References

External Links

* [http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4665-1,00.html LDS Young Women Personal Progress official website]
* [http://www.lds.org/youthresources/pdf/YWProgress36035.pdf Young Women Personal Progress book]