What’s New in Personal Progress?

By Elaine S. Dalton

Young Women General President

Photograph of Sister Dalton © Busath Photography

Now is the time to prepare for the wonderful future that awaits you. Personal Progress will help you prepare and will help you understand your identity as a daughter of God.

Personal Progress is not a program that is separate from your life. It can help you to draw closer to the Savior, serve others, learn leadership skills, develop relationships, and prepare for temple covenants. Personal Progress can help you develop righteous routines. When you do small things consistently, they become part of who you are and they change you. It really is “by small and simple things” that “great things [are] brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).

The revised Personal Progress booklet has the temple on the cover. The temple is the focus for all that we do in Young Women. We hope that as you look at the cover, you will remember that participating in Personal Progress helps you prepare to make and keep covenants in the temple someday.

The new Personal Progress booklet is pink! This soft feminine color is a reminder that you are a daughter of our Heavenly Father with unique feminine characteristics, gifts, and roles.

In the new booklet, some of the value experiences and projects have changed slightly to be more current and more focused on the temple covenants you will one day make and keep. Now some answers to your questions.

How do I begin Personal Progress? Beginning is easy! Start on any one of the values that interests you. You don’t have to do the values in order. Doing the required experiences will help you understand the values and why they are important in your life.

Who can participate? Personal Progress is primarily for the young women of the Church, although others may also participate. For example, you may choose to invite friends who are not members of the Church to work on Personal Progress with you. In some cases, your mother may also choose to participate with you in some of the value experiences and projects.

How quickly should I proceed? When you open the Personal Progress book, you will find some things you are already doing at school or home. Give yourself credit for these things and plan ahead so that you can do them with purpose. You can go at your own pace. If you are 12 and do one experience each month and two projects each year, you will be finished by the time you are a Laurel. Then you will have the opportunity to mentor other young women who are working on their Personal Progress. When you do this, you may earn an Honor Bee, which symbolizes going the extra distance in serving others.

Can I do Personal Progress at Mutual? You can do some of your Personal Progress at Mutual. A project could become your Mutual activity. You may also work on Personal Progress in your Young Women class as you learn about the values and study the scriptures.

What kinds of leadership opportunities does it give me? As you prepare to accomplish a 10-hour project, you may invite other young women to help you. Doing this will help you learn the leadership skills for your future roles as a wife, mother, and homemaker. It will also help you learn how to organize, communicate, and complete a difficult task.

Why am I asked to keep a journal? This journal will become a precious record for you of your days in the Young Women organization and the commitments you have made. Writing in your journal will also invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

The blessings of Personal Progress extend far beyond the Young Women years. Your faith and testimony of the Savior and of His restored gospel will increase. You will be prepared for your divine mission and roles on the earth. You will taste the sweetness of service and the joys of righteous accomplishments. You will feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost, who will guide and teach you. You will develop a pattern of living that will bless your life, now and throughout all eternity. It is a pattern of progress and of making and keeping temple covenants. May you be blessed as you begin this pattern of progression. We love you! The Lord loves you! You are His precious daughter.

The Beehive symbol is the beehive, which is a reminder of harmony, cooperation, and work.

The Mia Maid symbol is the rose, which is a reminder of love, faith, and purity.

The Laurel symbol is the laurel wreath, which stands for honor and accomplishment.

Torch Necklace

When you enter the Young Women organization, your leaders will present you with a torch necklace. This necklace symbolizes your commitment to stand for truth and righteousness at all times and in all things and in all places. The symbol of the flame will also remind you to “arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations” (D&C 115:5). Wear this necklace proudly and remember your commitment.

Personal Progress Booklet

When you complete the experiences and project for a value, you will receive a gold sticker to go in the back of your Personal Progress booklet. Add the date on which you completed this value. Your booklet and journal will become your personal record of all the good things you are accomplishing.

Honor Bee

After earning your medallion, you may go on to earn an Honor Bee by reading the Book of Mormon again and doing more service, including helping another young woman with Personal Progress.

Young Womanhood Recognition

When you complete Personal Progress, you will record your testimony in your journal and have an interview with the bishop or branch president. You will then be eligible to receive your Young Womanhood Recognition. The medallion has been changed to include the age-group symbols as well as the temple. It also has a small ruby in the center of the Mia Maid rose. This ruby symbolizes that you have completed your Personal Progress and the new value of virtue. The ruby will remind you that a virtuous young woman is precious and that “her price is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10).

Scripture Ribbons

As you complete the experiences and project for a value, you will receive a ribbon to mark your favorite scriptures about the values. The ribbons are the color of the values: white for faith, gold for virtue, and so forth. Your leader will present this ribbon to you in a Young Women meeting.

Advancement Certificates

As you advance from one age group to another, you will be recognized by your bishop or branch president with a certificate of recognition and completion. Keep this in a special place to remind you of the things you have learned and accomplished in your Beehive, Mia Maid, and Laurel years.