I grew up in a tiny inner-city branch (averaged 30-40 members at church each week). My 2 sisters and I were the only regular, consistant young women. And at times we felt we didn't get as much attention from leaders as the kids in the bigger wards or the converts. [Except when our mom became our YW president, of course! :-)] At the time I thought it was "so hard", not having any LDS friends at school, or any friends that had similar standards, and having people think I was "weird" because they didn't know/understand my religion. All they knew is I couldn't go to sleepovers or parties, and couldn't have a boyfriend. Oh, and I had to wear sleeves and knee length dresses to the dances. hahahaha
But now that I'm older, and more mature, hopefully :-), I realize it was a blessing to be that close to my sisters and have similar experiences. We are now all best friends. What more could you want?? And also, being older, you realize the social aspect of High School doesn't really matter much. It's okay that I never got to be that close with friends there, because I went on to college and met wonderful girls who are still today my BEST friends.
So back to my feelings on YW. This past week I got over my "chip" completely. And realized that was really silly to think these girls don't have their own struggles, insecurities, etc. They have similar feelings as I did as a teenager to want to "belong" and feel included. Even though there are lots of other LDS kids at school and church. These girls are trying to develop testimonies for themselves. I remember that. I remember being about 12 when I prayed for the first time to know for myself if Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and if President Ezra Taft Benson was the prophet during that time. I remember truly reading the Book of Mormon for the first time, even though it was kind of hard to read/understand. I remember my first testimony meeting at the end of my first Temple trip. These experiences are still some of the strongest experiences I've had in my life. Being 12 (and 13, 14, 15, 16+ too!) is a really important time and it's important to have good influences around you. It's special and it's a time to begin to learn who you are and know/feel for yourself your testimony.
So I've been feeling overwhelmed (in a good sense) of how important my role in YW is right now. I want to be a good example, and I want to help these girls, and bear my testimony formal and informal as much as possible. And to be a friend and let them know I care. They are all really sweet girls.
My oldest sister Jessica started doing a "Flashback Fridays" blog post series and I've been loving it and it inspired me to get out the old photos, ya know... the non-digital kind. I found a few from our Young Women days together...
New Orleans Uptown Branch Young Woman (guessing 1996?)
This is when our branch met at the Jewish Community Center while waiting for our church building to be built.
Guessing our ages here, too: Sarah (12), Jessica (16), Sister Dearden our leader, DeLisa, Me (14)
At a Stake Conference, with Sister Cutler, one of the cool YW leaders in the big N.O. ward.
Uptown Branch YW circa 1998 or 1999. We were meeting at a Jewish Synagogue at this time (still waiting on building) - and that is why there is Hebrew alphabet in background. Jessica already left for college, so it was me and Sarah.
I found a picture of a school dance! I was a freshman, and invited my friend Julia (in red) from school to come along with me, my sister Jessica (a Sophmore), and our friend in our Stake, Anna Nagel. Nice sleeves, ay?
And one more of us sisters! Jessica, Me, & Sarah. The 3 amigos! LYLAS!!
15 comments:
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! i totally got choked up reading about your testimony experiences, and i laughed out loud about "sleeves" and "knee-length" for church dances. these pictures are CLASSIC. how do you have so many of them? i don't know if i'd be able to find any from that era. you are going to be awesome as a young women's leader. your young women are really lucky!!!
Totally know how you feel about feeling so responsible for making your YW realize their potential. I think bring a YW leader was good for me to remember my potential. Loved the pictures! Hard to believe we really met in all those Jewish places! We ha some pretty peculiar experiences! LYLAS!
Awww...Em, this is a sweet post. I got teary-eyed and I'm not even your sister! ;-) What great memories you have with them! I always wished we could have lived closer growing up through the teen years...wouldn't that have been a blast? Love ya girl!
I love this post! So heart felt. And fun pictures from the past. You all haven't changed that much - you all still look young! :)
Emily, you will be so wonderful with these YW!! They are so lucky to have such a caring leader who tries to put herself in their shoes and be a support to them.
I know what you mean about growing up w/o other members at school. It was hard and probably even harder on you with even smaller numbers than I had. I guess everyone has it hard in their own way, huh? Good luck with your YW!
Moonie Moonie Moonie! Remember how that was Jacob's first word? hahaha. Remember that one time mom sewed some extra fabric onto one of your school dance dresses to make it longer and by the time you came home it had "accidently torn off" hahaha. That one pic of you, Sarah, Delisa, Claire and that other girl with the hebrew writing in the back is a classic! Oh, remember how you showed me where the secret kitchen was in the back of Temple Sinai where we would sneak frezzie pops from the freezer?! hahaha.
moonie, moonie, moonie!!!! hahahahahahahaha. i forgot about that. those were the days...
and sarah -- i'd say "peculiar" is exactly the right word. hahahaha.
freddie, you remember the craziest stuff. actually you have a really good memory. I guess i conveniently forgot about the extra fabric on dress falling off...but now that you bring it up, i rememebr hahahahah
and i loved going to church at temple sinai, they always had good treats in their fridge, especially after big bar mitsva parties. but i also loved when we were at the JCC b/c those vending machines were much needed. i remember we'd get those honey bee taffy peanut butter things every sunday. i forgot what they're called, do you remember?
and what is moonie?? i dont remember that?
Bit O Honeys?? And Moonie was Delisa's sister/cousin that we would pick up.
bahahahah Moonie!!! hahahaha now i remember. thats hilarious!!
That was a 2" black satin ribbon I added to her hem. I think I even added that ribbon to her straps to widen them. It took forever and I thought it made the dress look cuter...like the little birds in Cinderella. oh well, great memories!
how could you not remember moonie?? and delisa's brother (?) "curky" -- (curtis)???
hahahaha! This is awesome! I love it! I love reading about you and your younger years, etc. Dan grew up in Colorado and has told me a few times how hard it was not to have tons of good LDS friends. He had a few, but not a ton. Anyway... fun to read this. Your YW are SO lucky to have such a great example like you. You'd be awesome at that calling!
what lucky yw you have. i would love to have known you asa yw. and that's one thing i def miss about my youth, driving hours to the temple and the tesimony building experiences that came from the effort to attend.
What an amazing post, Emily. I was seriously amazed reading about your youth experiences & the pictures of going to church in the Jewish Synagogue. I had NO idea about any of that. But you are awesome for having those experiences, that you will no doubt have a chance to share with your YW.
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