Barnwood and Tulips: New Beginnings- My Three White Dresses

Last Sunday evening, the young women in our ward gathered for New Beginnings. We welcomed the new Beehives, introduced the Youth theme for the year, and gave a little Personal Progress Pep talk.

The theme for the Evening was “My Three White Dresses.” We are so excited for the temple in Cedar City to be completed that we wanted to celebrate the event. We have watched it grow from the ground breaking to the beautiful edifice on the hillside.

We drew from our Stake presidency’s temple challenge, “Offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:24)

The challenges focuses on the following l. Be worthy of a Temple Recommend, 2. Engage in Family History Work, and 3. Deepen our understanding of the temple.

As such, the Young Women in our ward will focus our weekly activities on this challenge from our stake presidency.

In preparation for the day when each young woman will enter the temple, she will have the opportunity to prepare a temple time capsule this year.

Tawni Werber pumped up the girls for personal progress as she shared portions of Young Woman’s General President Sister Elain Dalton. Focusing on how the “values, experiences, and projects in Personal Progress are fundamental in strengthening individuals, families, and societies.”

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide —
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head:
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him.”

(Quoted in Thomas S. Monson, “The Bridge Builder,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 67.)

“The bridges each of you build will help span the tide of worldly influences—for when you save a girl, you save generations.” —Sister Elaine S. Dalton, Young Women general president

Angie Gifford sang a beautiful solo, “What Heaven Sees in You” which reflected on the three white dresses each young woman has worn and will wear. Angie’s voice was the perfect touch to deliver this powerful message.

The Bishop’s wife, Dawn Heath, gave a beautiful talk on “My Three White Dresses” and challenged the girls to not miss that moment when they are able to go to the temple and be sealed. She did a beautiful job. Her husband, the Bishop followed her with closing remarks- the two are such a dynamic duo.

And did I mention we ate cake, yep we have our two own culinary artists on our Young women Board, Leanna and Julia- the cakes were just as yummy as they were beautiful! Each cake was decorated with a beautiful flower which corresponded with a value color.

The program ended with all the young women singing "I love to See the Temple."