KATIE ERICKSON / Scroll Mckenzie Church, a Rexburg senior in high school, prepares to leave the Young Women’s program and enter Relief Society after graduation. The transition from Young Women’s to Relief Society is usually easier for girls who attend college wards than those that attend family wards.

Young Women’s program helps prepare, transition girls for future callings, entrance into Relief Society

by Courtney Pellett PEL02002@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

This includes the transition from Young Women to Relief Society. This isn’t always thought of as a very hard transition. However, it may be more difficult for some than others.

The college atmosphere can have a different effect on girls than a family ward might.

“In a family ward the age gap might discourage girls from progressing because they don’t really feel that the program is for them. But at college the program is very different,” Diane Madsen, a senior from Seattle, Wash., said.

At BYU-Idaho, wards are almost completely made up of college students, with the exception of youth advisors or members of the bishopric.

“It’s kind of easier for girls to come to Relief Society up at school because that’s what everyone in their age group does,” Madsen said.

There are many situations involving new callings in the Relief Society that can occur when girls come to BYU-I for the first time.

“I was called to be the second counselor of our Relief Society,” Molly Sturgell, a freshman from Wilmington, Del., said. “It wasn’t really expected that I would be called, because I was only a freshman, so not only was I getting used to being in the Relief Society altogether, I was also adjusting to being a Relief Society leader.”

Many girls are put into this situation where they are not expecting to have so much responsibility when first entering into the Relief Society program.

In this situation it is important that they feel at least somewhat comfortable with the transition so that they are able to have a good attitude towards the Relief Society program.

“A bishop can make a big difference in a young woman’s attitude toward Relief Society. When the bishop interviews each young woman and talks about the value of Relief Society in her life, it has an impact,” Bonnie D. Parkin, Relief Society general president, said.

Talking to bishops,parents, or other family members can help students through this transition.

“My mom really helped me, as well as the rest of the presidency,” Sturgell said. “I wasn’t expecting that calling, but I think it had a good impact on my experience and is good preparation for other callings I may receive later.”

Although a lot of preparation is up to the young women who are trying to make the change from the Young Women’s program, leaders make a big effort to make the transition as easy as possible.

Shelley Walters, a former Young Women president from Colorado Springs, Colo., always kept that in mind when watching Laurels’ progress.

“It is hard to watch them grow and move on, but from everything they’ve done in [Young Womens] I know they’re ready,” Walters said.

“They are able to make their own decisions and realize the importance of moving on to learn doctrine that more applies to them,” she said.