Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21 says: There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. We all have agency- the ability to choose- but we cannot choose our consequences. A quote from N. Eldon Tanner says, “You are free to choose exactly what you want to do…but you must be responsible for your acts and [be] prepared to take the consequences.”
I’m so grateful that as a young women, I have the Personal Progress program to help me on my journey to exaltation. It influences my decisions, builds my character and I gain an open mind to the gospel. I discovered one day, a talk by Jan Pinborough. It lists Five Reasons to Love Personal Progress and I’d like to share those reasons with you.
The first reason she gives is: Because It Can Change the World
President Gordon B. Hinckley once described the young women of the Church as his best hope for the world: “When you save a girl, you save generations.” think of all the young women of the church who are doing Personal Progress! Think of the countless hours of service being done all around the world! President Hinckley continues: She will grow in strength and righteousness. She will marry in the house of the Lord. She will teach her children the ways of truth. … I see this as the one bright shining hope in a world that is marching toward self-destruction”
Many of those who desire to be virtuous…wonder where they can start. The Young Women presidency shares with them this formula: Pray night and morning. Read in the Book of Mormon five minutes or more each day. And smile.
“If all women in the Church and the world did this, think what the world would be like in five years…We really do believe that virtuous young women led by the Spirit can change the world.”
The second reason to love personal progress is: Because It Can change You
A girl recalling her personal progress experience said: It was life changing…it redefined who I am and helped me see where I needed to go in my life. I too have felt this. I have already received my Young Womanhood recognition. But I’m STILL doing personal progress. After I finished the first time, I forgot everything that I had done. I felt like the beehive I had been years earlier. So I made a goal to not only do Personal Progress again, but to continue doing it. Romans 12:21 says: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Personal Progress is everything good and right, and I can overcome temptation and sin by obeying the commandments and values inside of its pages.
The Third Reason: Because You Are Busy
I didn’t understand this at first. Often times this is the reason why so many put off Personal Progress. studying into this made me understand more. With [so many things in your life] going on, it might be easy to think you’re too busy to do some really valuable things. Personal Progress helps you make time for things that will be important to you long after a test score or a soccer game have faded into insignificance.
Personal Progress also teaches you to integrate spiritual goals into your everyday life. Sister Julie Beck explained: “The busiest girls use Personal Progress as a tool to accomplish what they most want to do. It brings your temporal and spiritual pursuits together. It shows you that what you do on the volleyball team or the chess club has a direct relationship with who you are as a daughter of God.”
Reason Number Four: Because It Leads You To The Temple
Personal Progress is a temple preparation course. The cover to the book shows a picture of the temple and so does the Young Women Medallion. Lately I have heard one phrase over and over: Face the temple; always have it in view. In seminary one day, we were asked to write a list of what came to our minds as we thought about the temple. I wrote: My ultimate goal, a clean place, a refuge from the world, the Lord’s house, gives me hope… Personal Progress prepares us for the temple. Going to the temple is Mandatory in order to receive celestial life and exaltation. Through the temple, we can be sealed to our families, and live with God once more. Personal Progress helps us reach that goal--it emphasizes its importance.
The Last Reason is: Because It Can Help You Reach Your Dreams
Fulfilling your dreams can start today when you choose one small Personal Progress goal. Then choose another, and another, and another. Over time, you’ll grow in the direction of your dreams. Even after you’ve earned your Young Womanhood Recognition, you can still use Personal Progress to maintain your spiritual focus and keep reaching for your dreams. This is what Personal Progress is really all about—being focused on good things, becoming a better person, feeling the Spirit, and being happy!
I can choose with the agency God gave me, to do the right things, to make the right decisions, to have an eternal perspective and this in turn will give me the sort of consequences I want. Because God gave me agency, I will focus on doing good in the world, becoming a better person, making room for my personal progress, the temple, and fulfilling my dreams.
No matter if you are in young women’s or not, everyone needs to progress personally. To make the right decisions. God gave each of us agency--we can either make the right decisions and reap the reward, or we can make the wrong decision and fall… Because if you choose to dance in a small boat, chances are you’ll end up in the water.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
