During a video April 7 on the Young Women Worldwide social media account, the Young Women general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answered questions on how class meetings will work with changes starting in September to Sunday meeting schedules.
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman said the youth will be studying doctrine during their quorum and class meetings outlined in the updated “For the Strength of Youth” guide. Their scriptural study from “Come, Follow Me” will still happen at home, during Sunday School and in seminary.
Young Women class topics for each month will correspond to one of the 12 chapters in the new guide.
Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, discussed the four outcomes hoped for after a girl has spent six years in the Young Women program.
First-Sunday lesson
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, said first-Sunday lessons will start with a focus on one of the eternal truths listed in that month’s chapter. As outlined in a special magazine issue — which will be available both in print and digitally — specifically designed to help with these lessons, leaders will choose a corresponding scripture and personal spiritual experience with that truth to share with the youth. Sister Spannaus said the discussion on that item ends with the leader testifying of that eternal truth.
“It’s not so much instruction as it is a discussion or a conversation,” President Freeman said. Classes may choose who — an adult, an adult with a young woman or just a young woman — to lead the discussion.
President Freeman said this new way of doing class meetings is meant to replicate morning discussions from FSY camps where youth ask “real questions and they have real conversations.” It is meant to be a safe place for young women to ask questions and discuss in their classes.
Sister Runia emphasized opening the scriptures in the first five minutes of the discussion. She shared an experience the presidency had with President Dallin H. Oaks when the curriculum was being approved. Beginning with the doctrine could mean starting the class meeting by saying, “I love you.”
Quoting President Oaks, Sister Runia said: “Yes, we teach the doctrine. In fact, you could start the lesson by saying, ‘I love you.’ That is His doctrine.”
Second- and third-Sunday lessons
Sister Runia said the second- and third-Sunday meetings will focus on principles and doctrines from the chapter in each month’s outline. She said the magazine contains questions that can be answered during the discussion time. There will also be resources to help leaders prepare for answering the questions.
President Freeman said that the Gospel Topics tab on the Gospel Library app is a great resource for preparing for these lessons.
The general presidency shared that the Young Women theme will not be recited on Sundays. Instead, the theme can be said during weekly activities, Young Women camps, conferences and FSY. Opening exercises will be disbanded. An opening prayer will be said, and then the scriptures opened within five minutes of class beginning. Weekly activities will remain the same.
Fourth-Sunday lesson
The fourth-Sunday lesson will be “when we study what it means to live as a covenant daughter of God,” President Freeman said. “This is where we talk about identity and purpose and place in God’s plan.”
She said that the young women will recite the first line of the Young Women theme and then read a corresponding statement. Each month will have a new statement. The classes will then study a story of a woman in the scriptures who exemplifies that principle.
When there are only three Sundays for class time, such as in April because of general conference, President Freeman said the second- and third-Sunday lessons can be combined. She emphasized that the first- and last-Sunday lessons should always take place during the month.
The presidency closed by saying that over the summer all youth will participate in a read-a-thon of the new “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet. President Freeman said the plan for this read-a-thon will be released in a few weeks on the Gospel Library app under Gospel Study Plans.
