Choice and Accountability

Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

I will choose good over evil and will accept responsibility for my decisions.

Required Value Experiences

Complete the following three required value experiences. Have your parent or leader sign and date each experience after you finish.

A daughter of God can make wise decisions and solve problems. Read 1 Nephi 15:8; 2 Nephi 32:3; Alma 34:19–27; Ether 2–3; and Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9. Follow a pattern of regular scripture study and prayer to receive help in making personal decisions such as choosing good friends, being kind to others, getting up on time, or other decisions. Discuss with a parent or leader how regular scripture study and prayer helped you make correct decisions.
Read the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth. List in your journal each standard of righteous behavior the pamphlet outlines, and record why it is important to choose to live those standards. Practice living righteous standards by choosing three standards in which you need to improve. You might choose to be more selective about television, music, books, or other media, or you might improve your modesty, language, or honesty. After three weeks share your progress with your family, your class, or a leader.
Agency, or the ability to choose, is one of God’s greatest gifts to His children. Read about agency in Joshua 24:15; 2 Nephi 2; and Doctrine and Covenants 82:2–10. With a parent or leader, discuss the blessings and responsibilities of agency. Record in your journal your understanding of agency and the consequences of choices and actions.

Additional Value Experiences

Complete three additional value experiences. You may select from the following options or write up to two of your own. Your parent or leader must approve those you write yourself before you begin. Have your parent or leader sign and date each experience after you finish.

Read about repentance in Isaiah 1:18; Alma 26:22; 34:30–35; Moroni 8:25–26; and Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–20; 58:42–43. Record in your journal what repentance means to you. Study the process of repentance, pray for guidance, and apply the principles of repentance in your life.
The Holy Ghost will help you make correct choices. With a parent, leader, or friend, learn more about the Holy Ghost by reading and discussing Ezekiel 36:26–27; John 14:26; 16:13; Galatians 5:22–25; 2 Nephi 32:5; Moroni 10:4–5; and Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–14. Then record in your journal how the Holy Ghost can help you make good decisions in your daily life. Pray for and live worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Study the Young Women theme and what it teaches you about who you are, what you are to do, and why you are to do it. List in your journal what you will do each day with regard to modesty, dating, and the media to be morally clean and worthy to enter the temple. Record in your journal how these choices will help you remain free and happy.
Making choices is part of Heavenly Father’s plan for us. Read Moses 4:1–4; 7:32; and 2 Nephi 9:51. Establish a pattern of wise money management by making a budget for saving and spending your money, including the payment of tithing. Live within your budget for at least three months. Set priorities that allow you to meet your most important needs before satisfying your wants. Record in your journal what you have learned and how following these patterns will continue to bless your life.

Personalized Value Experiences

Value Project

After you have completed six choice and accountability value experiences, create a project that will help you practice what you have learned. This should be a significant effort that will take at least ten hours to complete. Prayerfully seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost to select a meaningful project.

Have your parent or leader approve the project before you begin. Write an evaluation after you finish. Below are some ideas for a value project.

Using For the Strength of Youth and under the direction of your parents or leaders, organize or participate in a discussion group, fashion show, or other event to help you and other youth choose to live the Lord’s standards.
Under the direction of your parents or leaders, help plan and direct a youth dance or other activity that features appropriate dancing instruction and wholesome music, lighting, and atmosphere.
Evaluate your use of media and technology. Create and implement a plan to keep improper media from entering your home. Ensure that your plan encourages the wholesome use of television, movies, music, computers, Internet, cell phones, and other media forms in the home. Share your idea with your family and others.
Learn basic clothing alteration and repair techniques as you adapt your wardrobe to standards of modest dress.
Choose to be more orderly in your home by completing a cleaning or organizing project. Record in your journal how doing this helped you in other areas of your life.

My project is:

My plan to carry out my project is:

Approval

Estimated completion date

My evaluation of the project is (include how you felt and how your understanding of choice and accountability increased):

Signature of parent or leader

Date

Hours spent