Serving With the Young Women

You know how (if you're LDS, and among other LDS peeps) everyone makes jokes about how no one wants to be a nursery leader? Well once upon a time I felt that way about a Young Women's calling. 

I had never in the past wanted one, because teenage girls terrified me. I remembered the leaders it seemed that the other girls liked the most when I was a girl, and it was the ones that had the 'young soul' themselves. Also that dressed fashionably and were up to date on the latest most popular...anything.

Um. Not me. I wasn't even good with teenage girls when I was one. 

I am Hobbes, in the below scenario. Clueless. 

But then time, as it so often does, prepared me, and a few months before receiving this calling I had thought "I think I'm ready for the challenge that would be." 

And what a delight it really has been. Where I expected to deal with some pettiness and fighting, the girls in my ward have been nothing but wonderful to each other. Where I thought I might have to deal with some that might act disrespectful and have no interest in the message I'm trying to share, my girls were nothing but courteous and mature. 

I don't know that I ever convinced them I was the most fun of the leaders, or the best dressed or most giggly. But I was me. And if nothing else, in my earnest desire for them to understand their own worth, it taught me some more about mine. That we all have something to contribute. 

Oh, how I love those sweet young ladies in the Spring Creek 4th Ward. My heart broke a tad today, as I attended opening exercises with them for the last time. (I actually got released the day Willow was born, but got to visit them one last time today and they gave me a sweet thank you card.) 

Because I am who I am, I want to share with them some of the messages that matter so much to me...so I think I'll write a couple more posts on the topic of Young Women to at least have it out there somewhere. 

I'll miss you.

Sister (Ariel) Hatch