Young Women in Excellence #3

 

Mia and Paige had completed their Young Womanhood
 Recognition award and were honored that night
for this great accomplishment.  They received
 their Laurel wreaths and bandalos
 and got to sit in the chairs of distinction.

I've been involved in our ward Young Women's organization for almost three years now. If my calculations are correct, I've served with YW for about 24 years of my 34 married years in every possible position, some more than once. I love it! Last week we had our annual YWIE program.  The girls chose 10 hour projects they were going to work on from the middle of August until the end of October and present what they did at our program on October 30.  The theme was "Rise to Your Potential" and most of them did a great job challenging themselves to work a little harder and achieve a goal they set for themselves.  Since I had just attended the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, I couldn't help but draw some parallels between the girls and ballooning.  Here is talk as I presented on the theme:

Rise to your Potential.

Try a little harder to be a little better. – President Gordon B. Hinckley

Every year in October over 200,000 people travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the annual International Balloon Fiesta.  Balloonists from 18 different countries and from most of the states in our country participate in the fiesta each year.  It is the largest hot air festival in the world.  This year 600 different balloons took flight at different times over the nine days of the fiesta. In the fall each year, the Albuquerque “box effect” combines the perfect air and temperature conditions for the balloons to take off, circle the valley in the air and return near their original launch site in the valley with the Rio Grande flowing through the middle of it all. 

Early every morning of the fiesta, a handful of balloons (known as the dawn patrol) take off to test the wind, air pressure and temperature while it is still dark and determine if it is safe to fly.  Other balloonists are watching their flight to gauge their own upcoming flights and to see what the weather and wind conditions are going to be that morning.  Then, just before sunrise around 7:00 am, 600 balloons get ready to participate in the Mass Ascension as they rise in the air together. 
What struck me as I watched the mass ascension this year is the cooperation that I observed taking place on the ground before the launch.  We spectators were allowed to walk among the balloons on the ground and watch the balloonists as they readied their craft for flight.  It takes about six to eight people to launch a balloon and usually just one or two people actually get to hop in the basket and take the ride.  It’s a tight fit on the ground as the huge balloons bump into each other as they jockey for position and get ready to ascend into the morning sky.  The crews of the different balloons were friendly and cordial to one another as they all reached for the same goal which was to have a safe flight. It wasn’t a race to see who got off the ground first.  The goal wasn’t to be the best or the first or the most beautiful or number one.  The goal was to take flight and to return safely to the ground. 
There was another launch just for special shapes which was so fun to see and at night a wonderful special event called the Balloon Glow.  The balloons stay tethered to the ground as their owners light up the burners inside the balloons to create a magical effect for the audience to enjoy.  Topping it all off are fireworks that light up the night sky and celebrate a safe day of ballooning and the joy of just participating in a fun event.

I couldn’t help but be struck with the similarities between the lives of our young women and this balloon fiesta.  Each balloon was unique; each balloon had something special about it since no two were alike.  Each balloon had a crew of individuals who were interested in helping it get off the ground, just like each young woman has a crew of people in her life who are interested in seeing her succeed and get off the ground.  It took a lot of cooperation and patience to get the huge balloons into the air.  People who were experienced and who knew what they were doing helped those who were less experienced.   The dawn patrol in the lives of our young women are those who have gone ahead and who are making sure that conditions are safe for the young women to follow.  This patrol could include parents and church leaders and our programs like For the Strengthof Youth and Personal Progress that gives us a guide for safe navigation.  The crew on the ground helping launch the balloon could be compared to the parents of our young women who are helping them, coaching them and holding the ropes on the ground until at the last moment, when they let go and allow the balloon to take flight.  The special shapes of the balloon fiesta are all of our girls with their different personalities, shapes and sizes, interests and talents who bring such fun and variety to our lives.  The Balloon Glow represented to me the inward fire of self-determination, a growing testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a will to succeed in life.

The hot air in the balloons is in contrast to the cooler air outside the balloon and this reaction is what makes the balloons rise and float.  The larger burners at the base of the balloon provide the fire that heats the air and fills the balloon with warm air. Just as the burners for the balloon provide the fuel and the lift for the balloon, we need fuel to get our balloons or our lives off the ground.  We need to fill our tanks.  We can’t just fill them half way and take off in flight.  We might run out of fuel and crash if we’re not sufficiently prepared.   We need to prepare to rise to our potential, just like the balloonists need to prepare to have a safe and fun flight.

Last week, the Young Women General president Sister Oscarson gave a talk here in Orem to priesthood and young women leaders in our area.  In order to help our young women know what is truly important to help them right now in their lives, she used an object lesson.  She held up her hand and counted her five fingers. The five fingers on her hand represent the five things she is challenging our young women to do to fill their fuel tanks with sufficient fuel that they will be able to safely take flight and accomplish their goals.  The five things (one for each finger) are Prayer, Scriptures, Attend church meetings, Service, Temple attendance/family history work.  She then gave her counselor Sister Marriott a “high five” and they encouraged each other to do those five things to prepared to rise to their potential.  I have a feeling we’re going to be hearing more about these ways to add fuel to our tanks from her in the future.  

If you Young Women fill your fuel tanks with the right kind of fuel at sufficient levels, there is nothing you can’t achieve!  You can truly Rise to your Potential as daughters of God.  You know who you are!  You know whose you are! You know what you need to do!  You have great parents, siblings, grandparents, leaders, programs and helpers to hold the ropes and get you safely off the ground.  Once you have taken flight though, you are in control of your destiny.  How high you go, how far you go, how unsafe or safe you are all up to you.  Where you land, when you land, who you let into your balloon to travel with you are all your decisions.  Be careful of those daily decisions that lead to future consequences for good or for ill. 
You can do it!  Each day, pray for help to make good decisions.   Rise to your Potential!  Work a little harder in school.  Get better grades. Prepare for your future as mothers, wives, and women who contribute to society through meaningful employment or service.   Be nicer to your siblings at home.  Help your mom and dad more.  Tell the truth.  Be kind.  Help others.  As President Hinckely said – try a  little harder to be a little better. 

May each of you remember who you really are, what God expects of you and that he has a mission for you to accomplish.  You have a divine potential to return to Him.  May you allow your support team to help you and to guide you.  May you fill your fuel tanks to the brim with good fuel that will see you safely on your journey.  May you enjoy the wondrous beauty of flying and of looking at God’s creations from above!  On the north east side of Albuquerque sits the LDS temple.  It is beacon of hope and goodness in the valley.  May you set your sights on the temple and guide your balloon to land near it and access the many blessings that await you there is my prayer.