Inspired by Pres. Griffith.....

Sunday evening, my roommate and I got off on the fluffiness of the Young Women's programs. Why is it that we had lessons about Journal Keeping and other seemingly unnecessary topics? And most importantly, why is there little substance to the lessons? In essence, why was the Atonement not stressed like it should have been? Jen and I most definitely discussed and then decided to write a letter to the Church Curriculum Department. Here is a little of the letter.....

"...Reflecting on our learning process [speaking of Young Womens] has caused us to realize we never seemed to grasp why so many of the Gospel teachings were important. Often the priciples were taught as do's or don'ts. Through our personal increase in testimony and knowledge of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we have to come realize the importance of living the standards of the Gospel. Not only has our understanding grown, but also our desire to live righteously. While both of us try each day to live as disciples, we feel sorrow for the girls who have chosen to not accept the full blessings of the Gospel. We can't help but wonder if these girls would have made better choices if the principles of the Gospel had been taught more explicitly regarding and stressing their foundation in the Atonement. We recognize that this should largely be taught in the home, however, also realize the reality that this is not always the case.

We feel that the topics in the Young Women's manual, such as Dating, Eternal Families, Repentance, Priesthood, etc. could be greatly enhanced with the addition of a more explicit tie to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Then, they will better understand why we have certain standards and the importance of keeping the commandments. Looking back now, we can see how the Atonement is highlighted throughout these teachings, but as young women we only saw the principles and commandments. While occasional lessons focused stricly on the Savior and His atoning sacrifice, the connection between this vital doctrine and the do's and don'ts was never directly stated. Looking through the manuals, we see the implied mentionings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but we feel a more explict connection would increase the sister's desire to live the commandments..."

Thank you Pres. Griffith for helping me understand the importance of the Atonement! I am changed because of his example and the APRIL program he instituted in my stake. If you are reading this and would like to know more about Pres Griffith and read of his powerful testimony, check out his Aug 07 Ensign article, "The Root of Christian Doctrine."