for the youth

i have learned so much from being in the young women's program. i'm sad to say this sunday i'll be released after going through two presidencies now. it's been a lot of work but i have come to love each one of my young women. i'm the second counselor so i am with the beehives most of the time. we have a lot of inactive girls in our ward as well as many that come from split homes. this means a lot of back and forth between mom and dad's house. we also don't have much parental support. it is a strange thing for me because growing up it was never really an option not to go to church or activities. i was always encouraged to go when i didn't want to. definitely not the case in our ward. i feel like we have done so much to help the girls want to come to church and activities and we slowly activated a few. it is the best feeling in the world we you see one of your young women walk into church or say "yes come pick me up". really i never knew how much i would start caring about these girls and their future. my heart was really in it for them. 


i also got the opportunity to teach. this was my first teaching experience other than nursery and primary so i was very nervous. youth are difficult to teach because you have to keep their interest while teaching gospel principles. i wrote this poem for one of my sunday lessons. i really enjoyed writing poems for the young women.  

Who is She?

Faith is hope, Faith is love

Faith is trust in Him above

With marveling eyes I wonder how

Yet I know without a doubt

I am a daughter of a King

Divine I am in everything

My role is grand here on this earth

I have been noble from my birth

My worth is of rubies oh so fair

It strengthens me to evade Satan’s lair

Inside I know the truth of my heart

As does He, “How great Thou art”

My knowledge grows each new day

To learn of Him, is why I pray

I study in Faith to know the truth

Pledged I have, for I am Zion’s youth

Good or bad I must choose

My merit I will never loose

A gift to me, a whispering voice

Eternally, I will make the right choice

Blessed to serve those around

My Savor, now I have found

My works and actions are in play

This is my destiny in this latter-day

Honest in my daily life

To better myself and avoid much strife

With pure heart and two pure hands

I do as the Lord commands

Now at a caliber that will withstand

My virtue is above all the land

I am she of purity

Never swayed or worldly

Personally I must progress

I will always put forth my best

Striving to return to Him

I will refuse the urge to sin

With His guidance I surly know

Which path to choose and where to go

With the Savior as my guide

I will always have Him by my side

-Emily Brady, 2010 




below is my most recent poem. i wrote it this past week for our stake new beginnings program that i was in charge of. it was all put on me last minuet and i was very intimidated but it turned out to be such a great night. i had this analogy in my head of relating popcorn kernels to the young women. i had several different thoughts but i liked how the poem turned out. we did white chocolate cover popcorn in all the different value colors. in cellophane bags we put an assortment of the colored popcorn with the poem attached. they turned out really cute.

{i wish you could see the all colors better. the popcorn turned out really yummy.}

A quaint little kernel no imperfection is found

It is meek; it is humble and perfectly round

For this little seed knows not what it will be

Its potential unknown, faith is now the key

In goes the kernel to the piping hot popper of life

How will this tiny pearl deal with such strive?

Through the heat of life perseverance is learned

Boiling hot heat for good can be turned

Blossoming and blooming each at its own pace

Kernels bud one by one, for it is not a race

Unique each blossom, the heat now subsides

The flower knows its beauty, it finally flies

Possibilities are endless for flavor and for flair

Some candied and kettled, some savory and rare

Delicious each variation is to savor and to eat

Just remember the journey of this tasty treat 


-Emily Brady 2011

{feel free to use either of these poems if  you are in young women's}