Qualities list

So, as I have taught the beehives, I have continually looked for ways to show them that the Lord loves them, and that is the most important thing in the world. It doesn't matter how others treat you and who else does or doesn't love you when you realize that your Heavenly Father loves you. It is nice to feel love from others and have others treat you well but the love of the Lord is really the best thing.

Throughout the lessons, I look for ways to teach the love of the Lord. As girls, there is always talk about boys and about the list of qualities that girls have for their future husbands. Today, I used that to work on the qualities these girls want to develop. I started by having them write their list for their future husbands and then by the end of the lesson, after reading a lot of scriptures regarding Christlike qualities- I asked them to change that list into qualities they should have so that they are the person they want to marry.

I tried to remind them that they will not always be the "Princess" and that their spouse will not always be "Prince Charming," but that the hard times will make it better and bring them closer together. (I wish chick flicks weren't so perfect because that isn't real life but I didn't say that. lol) I had one of the girls read a story from the lesson that dealt with this, to reiterate the point.

The problem that I find is that I never know if they get the lesson or if they are just biding their time until we can talk about fun things again. I know they have enjoyed the fun lessons that we have had and I know that they have enjoyed me but are they learning? Are they learning that the Lord loves them and that they are important? I don't know... But I hope so.

Scott reminds me that its hard to realize this at a young age, but it is something that I wish I knew when I was in young women and YSA, thinking that I needed to have someone love me and treating me good to be worth anything: Just being a child of God makes me worth anything. Life is messy and because of that, it is great. If I lived a chick flick or a romantic movie, it would get boring and I wouldn't grow as a person. I am so grateful that life has its ups and downs and that it is real life. It's like this "head thing," where I am now more grateful for a clean bill of health- it means more!

through a messy and roller-coaster life, we learn that Christ and Heavenly Father love us and care for us. It is the way through which we gain more understanding of that love. I hope that my young women will learn this for themselves and feel this love.

I love my family and especially Scott and I am appreciative of their love for me. Most importantly, though, I am grateful that the Lord loves me and that Heavenly Father loves me. I am important and worth it because of that fact alone!