Youth of the Nation

So, I have to vent a little...and try not to get too upset in the process. In my ward, I'm the 2nd counselor in the Young Women's presidency, which means that I get to deal, primarily, with the beehives in the program. AJ, as of yesterday afternoon, is the Young Men's President. I should start off by saying...I love my beehives. I think that this is partially due to the fact that they are somewhat new to the program and are therefore, for the most part, still excited about being in the YW program. They have, thus far, remained untainted by the attitudes of the older girls in the program. Right now, I have 4 active beehives and one that is very inactive (she is a convert to the church who never comes too church on Sundays - because she's busy - and rarely comes to any activities, although that has changed a little since we now have someone that shows up to pick her up each week, whether she wants to come or not). There is currently one Mia Maid and then 3 Laurels. The biggest problems in our program are the one Mia Maid and then one of the Laurels. Talk about attitude!! (Mom and Dad, trust me...I had nothing on them when I was their age. They put your daughters to shame).

Now, I know that every calling that we get in the church is going to have it's own unique and individual challenges...but at times I'm so overwhelmed by the challenges that we face that I wonder if it's really worth it. It's like the youth (ok, so really just *certain* youth) in our ward have this sense of entitlement to them. I think our Bishop very eloquently and accurately described it when he told the youth in our ward that they are like a Nirvana song..."Here we are, now entertain us". They feel that the sole purpose of the YM and YW programs in the church is to entertain them. It is not to instruct them for good, or to help them gain their own testimony of the gospel, or learn how to be a positive example to their friends and peers. We are simply there to entertain them. They hate that we remind them how important it is to be modest in the way that they dress (even when we are at the beach, or swimming in a pool)...and then they mock us for it (sometimes behind our backs and sometimes not so much). They hate us for telling the Bishop about the 13-year-old who was using her older sister's dance card to get into church dances (ok, so really, they just hated me for that one). They don't want lessons on Sundays...they want food, fun and games and if you don't provide that they instantly tune anything and everything you say out. They don't want to do Personal Progress, or read their scriptures...or pretty much do anything that we have planned for them (unless it involves the beach or the water in some way...usually). They are easily offended (mostly, I think, because they are looking for any sort of excuse to be offended and then have someone to blame for the way that they are) and yet, don't think twice about the fact that they themselves are being rude and offensive to their leaders.

Am I making too much of this? Is this how all of the youth in the church, worldwide are, or is it simply my lucky lot in life, and it's something that is unique to our ward/stake? Seriously, where did this sense of entitlement come from? Why do they think that the world owes them something...when they have done nothing to earn anything?

Now granted...I had my bikinis growing up (once I was old enough to buy them with my own money)...but I would never have worn them to a youth activity...especially if I had specifically been asked by my YW's president to please NOT show up in one, and while I might have complained to my mom about how much I didn't like my YW president (especially when I was a Laurel), I hope that I never mocked her or tried to get the others in the program to not like her, especially when she was simply doing her calling, and living up to the responsibilities of said calling. And I know that I wasn't always the most stellar example in my life of a righteous Young Woman (or young adult for that matter), but I would hope that I did not treat my YW leaders (and even my other leaders in the church) with such a lack of respect (and if I did...I am really, truly sorry). And while I know that I made some major mistakes in my past, and was definitely not perfect myself (and really, I'm still not)...I also know that I have done all that I needed to do in order to repent of those mistakes and earn the Lord's forgiveness for those mistakes.

There are some positives, though, I guess...like the fact that thus far, none of our YW have managed to get pregnant (at least not while they were actually in YW), and none of them have ended up in juvi (yet), which are problems that another ward in our stake is having at the moment...and they don't openly swear at us, and try to walk home from an activity in Vista (which is like 40 miles from here) which is something that the YW leader in the Spanish Branch had to deal with this past weekend. And, again....my beehives are really, really cute, and sweet, and not attitudey (yes, i know that's not really a word) at all. I just hope that they stay that way as they get older.

And, I know that I am lucky to have a husband who is worthy, and so willing, despite his insane and crazy work schedule, to serve the Lord in whatever capacity the Lord sees fit to call him too, and he supports me in my own calling, and does all he can to help with Keegan and take care of our house and everything that comes with home ownership (all without complaining), but still...sometimes, it's a little too much to handle.

Honestly, I'm not even sure what brought about this whole "vent-session". It could be that I'm just really tired after having to deal with Youth Conference this weekend...or just because it was a rough week overall. Keegan got way off of his schedule on Wednesday because of our combined mutual activity, then he got his 6 month shots on Thursday and had a pretty bad reaction to them, so he was SUPER fussy (which has never happened before)...or maybe it's just because I'm worried about how much time AJ is not going to have. I mean, between YM/YW for both of us on Wed. nights, the temple for him on Thurs. nights, his insane work hours, home teaching and now all of the additional meetings and responsibilities that come with being the president, I seriously wonder if Keegan and I will see him at all.

What I do know is that it's not going to get any easier and it's for sure not going to be changing any time soon...so it looks like maybe I simply need to suck it up, ask the Lord for some help with the whole patience and understanding thing, and just go with the flow. Here's hoping it works! :)