Leader-ship preparing to sail!

Last night was our Stake YW Leadership training. These women are awesome! They are such great examples to me, and I admire every one of them for their dedication and efforts with the youth.
This year, there is such focus on the new value of virtue. Between the YW broadcast, General Conference, camp, our trainings...everything is really 'hitting it hard'!
I have the opportunity to speak this Sunday, and the topic I have been asked to speak on is...drum roll...read?...VITRTUE! (shocker, I know) So my issue is...what do I say that hasn't already been repeated multiple times over the last couple months? I can quote the amazing speakers who have shared, I can read from the scriptures... but what do I add to all of that? and what can I say that will relate best to the particular YW in my own area?
I feel like I have recieved many answers through thought and prayer, but I believe my clear answer came last night. The meeting was a wonderful, and a much needed boost of knowledge and information to feel like I can touch some, or even one, of these girls.
I cannot imagine being a teenager in these times. The temptations and challenges facing the younger generations are enormous! I look at my sweet innocent little girls and pray that they can be strong enough to make it through the battle, with as little wounds as possible. I feel responsible to try and arm them and protect them. But when the time comes, it will be up to them whether or not the chose to use the weapons they have and fight their way through all the muck.
I think that my favorite 'nugget', was the information that we need to validate and appreciate the girls more. We tend to praise everything that little kids do..."yeah! you went poopies in the potty!"..."look at what you did! What a big girl you are"..."thank you for sharing, that was so nice of you"...and on and on.
We often fail to ackowledge or even recognize the positive things that older kids or teenagers are doing. I think we expect so much from them, we are quick to let them know how disappointed we are in them...but even the smallest choices are very difficult. They need to feel our love and support, that we are cheering for them.
As a leader, and a parent, this was the best thing I could have learned last night! I am making a committment to recognize more of the good things that the YW are doing...and let them know how proud I am of them. It is not easy, and they do have many choices in their lives. Even the smallest decisions can lead them down different paths.
So, as a Mom, a wife, and a leader... I am committing to
praise more often and love more fully!