“The Children and Youth Program: Designed for You,” New Era, Apr. 2020, page–page.
The Children and Youth Program: Designed for You
See how you can use the new program to find the motivation you need for your personal goals.
Loisel, 12, participates in a cleanup activity by planting trees in Cebu, Philippines.
Children and Youth is not your average improvement program. As you’ve noticed, there are no boxes waiting for check marks. Instead of assigning requirements to fulfill, it’s designed to fit into your life so that you make the goals and the plans to achieve them.
But with fewer checklists and more flexibility, some might find it harder to know where to start—and how to stay motivated. Here’s how Children and Youth can enrich your life, and how you can make goals that will keep you motivated and help you become more like the Savior.
This Program Is for You!
This change in programs means Heavenly Father is placing more trust in you to set your own goals and to plan for yourself. The Lord has said we “should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27) rather than having to be told to do everything. Children and Youth is designed to be customizable to your own needs so you can choose which good things you want to pursue. As you do so prayerfully, Heavenly Father will help you throughout your life and increase your spiritual self-reliance.
Martina, 16, from Argentina creates art with cosmetics instead of spending time on social media.
One thing Children and Youth is not supposed to be is just another item on your to-do list. It’s not just one more task to fit between homework, soccer practice, and scripture study. Instead, it’s designed to make your life easier by providing a framework where you can set goals to improve in talents and interests you’re already pursuing or want to develop—like homework, soccer, and scripture study—instead of just adding more to your plate.
Gabriel, 17, from Curitiba, Brazil, prepares to serve a mission by praying, reading his scriptures, and attending seminary.
Goal Setting
A big part of the Children and Youth program is making goals for spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual growth, just as the Savior “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). But how do you set those goals in the first place? Here are some tips for getting started:
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Begin with the end in mind. As you set each goal, keep in mind the ultimate goal of becoming like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.1 Do your goals help you become more like Them? That doesn’t mean every goal needs to involve scripture study, though—things like improving a talent or taking better care of your health can help you become like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
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Seek revelation. The Lord can help you recognize the areas where you can improve right now.2 Ask Him where to start!
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Balance your short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals can usually be accomplished within a few days or weeks, while long-term goals might take months or even years. It’s a good idea to have both short- and long-term goals to work on.
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Break it down. If you have a long-term goal such as being accepted to a college, you might want to break it down into short-term goals that you can measure, like improving your grades by studying for 30 minutes extra each day. Then make plans for how to accomplish those daily goals: What time will you start? How can you ensure you will follow through? Breaking a goal into bite-sized chunks can help you stay motivated as you accomplish each part.
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Share your goals. Tell your friends, quorums and classes, leaders, and family about your goals and plans. Sharing your goals can help make you accountable, and other people might have suggestions that can help you too.
Alfred in Ghana learns to play the piano at an activity taught by members of his quorum.
But What If I Fall Short?
There’s always a risk of falling short when you set a goal. Maybe you sometimes forget to read your scriptures every day, or maybe you weren’t chosen for the part you wanted in a school play. It can be discouraging if you’re having trouble achieving your goals.
But guess what? The gospel is all about people who failed but kept trying. Look at Nephi, who failed to get the brass plates—twice—before finally succeeding. Or Mormon, who begged his people to repent so they wouldn’t be destroyed—but was ignored. Just because they “failed” didn’t mean they failed in the sight of the Lord. What He cares about is that we try. Elder Larry R. Lawrence, emeritus member of the Seventy, said: “Our Heavenly Father knows our divine potential. He rejoices every time we take a step forward. To Him, our direction is ever more important than our speed.”3
With some goals, if you’re struggling, maybe you need to change your plan. For instance, to help you read your scriptures every day, could you enlist the help of a friend or family member to keep you accountable? Can you set an alarm to remind yourself?
With other goals, maybe you need to adjust your approach to the goal itself. Instead of setting a goal that’s ultimately out of your control, like being chosen for a lead part in a play, you could try making the goal be something within your power, like improving your acting skills by consistently rehearsing scenes with your friends.
No matter how many times you feel like you fail before making progress on your goal, don’t forget that this gospel is for people who keep on trying.4 The Savior lived a perfect life to redeem our imperfect lives, and He can help you improve through the power of His Atonement, even when it feels impossible to you. As you set goals to become like Him, seek Heavenly Father’s help and direction. He will help you to make righteous changes as you work to improve in all areas of your life!