YOUTH CAN TEACH
PREPARING FOR MY UNIQUE MISSION ON EARTH (Youth Goal Planner)
HOW DO I CREATE MY LIFE GOALS, TRUSTING IN GOD?
YOUTH CAN TEACH with this YOUTH GOAL PLANNER to list hopes and dreams for the future. By writing the goals for HOME, FAMILY, as a WIFE/HUSBAND, as a MOTHER/FATHER, for EDUCATION, and IMPORTANT THINGS, youth can achieve by letting the Lord direct their path.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Activity: “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave…” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
Our Heavenly Parents loved us enough to create this beautiful plan that we would have EVERY chance to succeed and return to Their presence. They have confidence in us to learn, work, and grow through life experiences under this divine plan.
What possible GOALS can you as divine daughters and sons deliberately and thoughtfully set for your lives to make returning to Them a reality?
. . . HOME . . .
D&C 88:119“Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a:
• house of PRAYER. “And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people” 2 Nephi 33:4. Asking for God’s help in our lives is an underused advantage. He wants us to include Him in our lives and longs to bless us!
• house of FASTING. Fasting typically is skipping two meals and no liquids. Fasting is accompanied with much prayer. How do you feel when fasting without a reason to fast? How do you feel when you have a purpose, such as a sick friend, a test coming up, an answer to a question, or a serious dilemma? Fasting helps to bring our mind and heart into focus. It also shows our Father in Heaven how serious we are. Set a goal to fast with a purpose once each month. Isaiah taught, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6) Learn more HERE.
• house of FAITH. Faith is trusting in our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. As we learn of them and their ability and desire to help us our faith increases. The scriptures tell us “FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1. Faith is something that needs to be exercised! Check out the story of 14-year-old Mary Wanlass and the faith it took to fulfill a promise she made to her dying stepmother. Found HERE.
• house of LEARNING. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” James 3:17. Learning is good and should be one of our greatest pursuits. Being wise helps us discern what is true and what is a “precept of men.” Learning experiences can be painful but we become more wise in the learning. “These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.” Rumi
• house of GLORY. Glory in Webster’s 1828 dictionary tells us it means bright, shining, brightness, splendor. How does one make a house of brightness or splendor? Perhaps looking at our homes with fresh eyes we can see changes that should be made. Can our homes and lives reflect the brightness or glory of Christ? This should be our goal. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (Psalms 19:1) If you have seen the heavens, you have “seen God moving in his majesty and power.” (D&C 88:47) Read about the experience of Astronaut, Don Lind HERE.
• house of ORDER. President David O. McKay said, “It is possible to make home a bit of heaven; indeed, I picture heaven to be a continuation of the ideal home” A happy home should be everyone’s goal, one centered around the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ. With Him at our center problems are easier to solve. “In the ideal home, each child would be given every possible opportunity to develop his own personality without too much domination. Discipline is organized love, and children develop properly in an atmosphere of love…, Read more HERE.
• house of GOD. This sums it all up. A house of God is a house enriched with love, guidance, and joy. “The first and great commandment on earth is for us to love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength (see D&C 59:5; Matt. 22:37) because surely the first and great promise in heaven is that he will always love us that way.” Elder Holland beautifully explains why God should be the center of our lives HERE.
. . . FAMILY . . .
The family is a fundamental unit of society. It is where we learn obedience, forgiveness, repentance, service, compassion, respect, and charity. We first learn how to LOVE in our family. The family is where prayer and faith in a loving Heavenly Father is nurtured best. If the family lives and follows the influence and guidance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it will flourish. Setting goals around family life is WISE. Planning your Family according to God’s Plan is found HERE.
. . . WIFE / HUSBAND . . .
Marriage is a divine institution ordained by God. A man and a woman must choose wisely when selecting an eternal companion. It is easy to fall in love but more difficult when you marry unwisely. Having goals in mind of the kind of spouse you want will keep you focused on dating the right people. When getting more serious some of your goals should be discussed such as, children, education/career, money, in-laws, physical intimacy, religion. It is best to know before you marry if your spouse does not want children, is poor at managing money, or is not committed to the gospel of Christ. More advice is found HERE.
. . . MOTHER / FATHER . . .
Wise parents work alongside their children, teaching them the gospel of Jesus Christ through gospel learning, example, and working with them to develop daily habits. Good habits help them grow in all areas of living to create a balanced life (Luke 2:52).
The goal is to help them be prayerful and faithful to the commandments and loving the Lord and His gospel.
Parents need to teach their children practical skills that will help further their education. Ideas: Teach money management, hard work, home care, self-care, and the social graces.
. . . EDUCATION . . .
Proverbs 3:13 “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”
Proverbs 3:35 “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.”
Getting an education is wise. Planning how to go about it is also wise. Do you really want to go into debt? Looking down the road 10 or 20 years is a good idea. Prayerfully approaching these decisions will enhance the outcome. Be Wise!
. . . THINGS TO ACHIEVE . . .
As you ponder your hopes and dreams consider the spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual aspects. Planning with a purpose in these areas will make all the difference. See When Working on Goals Gets Tough HERE.
SPIRITUAL: Gospel learning is important. Understanding that you are a child of Divine Parents is FOUNDATIONAL. Developing daily habits of prayer and scripture study will make daily challenges easier to work through. Honoring the Holy Sabbath through church attendance and worship show your Father in Heaven you are His disciple and want to live your life His way. This will guide you smoothly through all aspects of your life. See Elder Andersen’s The Spiritual Quest of All Your Life HERE.
PHYSICAL: If you remember that your body is a temple you will care for it and use it appropriately. Knowing your Savior paid a price for you can help you see your physical body differently. You can assist the work of your Savior using your body. Setting goals of taking care of your body is of high importance. See Your Body is a Temple HERE.
INTELLECTUAL: Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines intellectual as “Relating to the intellect or understanding; belonging to the mind; performed by the understanding; mental; as intellectual power or operations.” There are many ways to plan for having and maintaining a sound intellect. Life can be difficult and our minds are bombarded with many thoughts and ideas. It is important to be able to sort through these influences and know what is of God and what is a “precept of men.” Goals of what to allow and what not to allow into your mind will serve you well. Find an interview with Elder Bednar The Glory of God is Intelligence HERE.
SOCIAL: Jumping into social goals can be pretty fun! Making a list of things you may have difficulty with but would like to be better at is a place to start. Do you want to join a club? Learn how to dance? Play a musical instrument? You may want to be better at meeting new friends, or calling on the phone to order pizza. Life can be scary so making small goals first will make it easier. Perhaps just start by encouraging your friends with their goals or learn all the names of the people in a class at school. Check out Beyond Shyness HERE.
MORE TOPICS Lesson Activities:
FAMILY
SEE ACTIVITY …
WIFE / HUSBAND
SEE ACTIVITY …
MOTHER / FATHER
SEE ACTIVITY …
EDUCATION
SEE ACTIVITY …
ACHIEVE
SEE ACTIVITY …
ACHIEVE
SEE ACTIVITY …
ACHIEVE
SEE ACTIVITY …
MUTUAL NIGHT, Family Night, Sunday School, Seminary ACTIVITIES
