My New Calling in YW

I just had a post about six months ago titled the same with the "only difference" that I was called to serve as a second counselor in Primary and now I have been called to serve as the Arnold Ward Young Women President. What a big difference!

I was called in the YW organization about two Sundays ago. Since that time, I have been so overwhelmed with so many different feelings. For the past two weeks, the conversations I have with my husband has been all about these girls. Last night, when I told him I needed to tell him something, he said: "if it's about YW I don't want to know." Bless his heart, he has been answering lots of questions for me and trying to help me undestand this new calling and what it involves. I have never served in YW, except when I first arrived in this country ten years ago. I was called to be the second counselor, but I think I only stayed there for a couple of months because I couldn't handle the calling and being in a new country, learning the language, adjusting to a new culture, all at the same time.

When I became I member of the church I was 16 years old, so I got to be in YW for a few years. In Colombia, the YW program is totally different, though. First of all, we don't have mutual during the week and the other major difference was that we didn't have Girls Camp. Youth Conference was only a day activity at our stake, and it was very simple and lasted only a few hours. Girls Camp is going to be an experience for me since I have never been. Girls Camp is in one month and Youth Conference is next week. So between those two things, I have been stressing out a lot. (What great timing to be called to serve, lol.) Also our previous Arnold YW president moved out of the ward a few weeks before I was called. So I haven't been able to talk to her or get much training. I have been doing all the training with the help of my sweet husband who fortunately is the first counselor in the bishopric and is over YM/YW. So that has been a great advantage for me. This coming Sunday is my first meeting with the YW since I haven't been able to be there because I was still in Primary helping out, and after that we had the fifth Sunday combined with the Priesthood and Relief Society. So I am excited to just be with the girls and see what it is really about on Sundays.

I do have to say that the girls have been very welcoming and loving to me. They seemed very excited when I got called. That Sunday I had to go to Primary and conduct and finish up a few things there, so I couldn't be with them in YW, but they all came to the Primary room and had big smiles on their faces and were talking to me all excited. That made me feel very welcomed.

I feel very humbled about this new calling that Heavenly Father has given me. It is also a huge responsibility for me to be the instrument in His hands and guide these girls who are going through a tough time in their lives. I have already visited some of them in their homes and talked to them personally, especially the active ones. That is a challenge for me because some of them prefer to stay home on Sundays and hang out with friends or do other "cooler things". I just pray to be in tuned with the Spirit and to being able to accomplish what Heavenly Father wants me to do and learn.

It is also a very different experience to be the president of an organization. I never understood that before because I have always served as a teacher or as a counselor. And now, I feel a huge weigh on my shoulders, and sometimes I can't quit thinking about all the things I need to do, and new ideas pop in my head constantly about my calling. All of this is very new for me, and I know it is a learning experience. It definitely kicked me out of my "comfort zone" that I have been in.

I am excited to be part of this organization here in the United States and just learn the program in its full extent. Unfortunately, some countries, like my country, lack funds to execute the program to its full extent, and the girls don't benefit from all the things it has to offer. This country is very blessed and so are the girls who live here to have access to all these opportunities. I just hope I can help them realize, at least a little, all the things they are blessed with.

This was my first Wednesday activity with the girls. We went to a baseball game at the Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. We went to see the St. Louis Cardinals played against Cincinnati Reds. It was a great game. We won 4 to 1.