Christine's Talk on Medallion Sunday

Here is the talk Christine gave for the Sacrament Program when receiving her YW Medallion.  She was asked to speak on the values of Knoweldge and Choice and Accountability.

                       Talk: Knowledge and Choice & Accountability

          Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters. For those of you that don't know me my name is Christine Duffy. Today I have been asked to talk about two young women values: Knowledge and Choice & Accountability.

          Knowledge is an opportunity that everyone in the world has. In D&C section 88 verse 118 it reads, "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

          I have learned that there are two kinds of knowledge. The first kind of knowledge is earthly knowledge. We gain this kind of knowledge by going to school and studying the skills that will help us be successful in life like math, English, science, and many other subjects. This knowledge gives us a base that we need to help us pick a career and make life more meaningful and rewarding. However, another way that we all gain knowledge is by coming to church and attending all of our meetings, studying the scriptures, praying, and receiving revelations from the Holy Ghost.

          Knowledge that we learn at school can be hard to gain. You have to go to school, listen to your teachers as they teach you the lesson. Ask questions if you don't understand it. Then you have to go home and do the homework, study it and be prepared for the test that you have to take at the end of the unit.

**[handwritten: go to back of page----->]  For this project I learned how to play lacrosse.  I started in 8th grade.  Being a junior in high school right now, and playing on my high school team, I've learned not only the rules of the game but also how to deal with a lot of different personalities and to sometimes just stay quiet for the sake of the team.** wing it--

          Spiritual Knowledge is just as hard to gain. You need to read and study the scriptures daily. Pray to Heavenly Father and ask for guidance and also repent in order to become worthy to live with him again. You also need to go to all of your church meetings and actively participate.

          In D&C section 9 verses 7-9 it reads," Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me."

          Having an understanding of knowledge helps us to make correct choices in life. A scripture that we  read for the value Choice and Accountability is Joshua 24:15 which says, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

          My ten hour project for this value was going to my sister Natalie and her husband Robert's house over spring break. Because they are both lawyers, my grandparents take care of their two and a half year old son John. Since I was staying at my sister's, I decided to watch my nephew. The very first day, he decided to go and play on the stools, even though he isn't allowed to. After taking him off the stools multiple times and telling him not to do it again, I turned my back to change the channel on the TV from Peep And The Big Wide World to Caillou, he got back on a stool and fell off of it onto the floor and bit the inside of his cheek. Well, it started to bleed.

          So now I had a screaming two year old with blood coming out of his mouth and the whole time I'm yelling at myself for not watching him more carefully and that when my sister gets home tonight she is going to kill me. John would not stop screaming and that screaming got worse as I tried to wipe off the blood and get an ice cube on the cut to stop the bleeding. Luckily, I won because I  am stronger than he is and he finally calmed down after 45 minutes.

          I realized as I was getting him to calm to down, that it was my fault because I didn't watch him carefully and that I was going to be accountable when my sister got home. Luckily she didn't kill me. Two year olds do those kind of things.

          We all have agency, the ability to choose right and wrong. It is your choice to cheat on a test, wear the immodest dress to homecoming, formal or prom, use bad language, obey the word of wisdom, be virtuous and to follow the standards that we have in the For Strength of Youth. Fortunately, we can repent from the wrong decisions that we make.

          I loved doing Personal Progress and I am grateful for what it taught me in all of the eight values I studied. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.