Lesson 44

Lesson Title: "Avoiding Crisis Living"

OTHER RESOURCES:

• Resource Guide for Young Women Manual 3 at lds.org. With Ensign, New Era, and Friend references

OBJECTIVE:

Each young woman will learn that through wise planning she can avoid crisis living.

PREPARATION:

1. Provide paper and pencils for the class members.
2. Make wordstrips of the following phrases or write them on the chalkboard: Establish priorities; Eliminate unimportant things; Improve work and study habits; Recognize your limitations.
3. Assign young women to present any stories, scriptures, or quotations you wish.

ATTENTION GETTER:

Story Tell the following story:
“After dinner with her family, Helen read through the term paper once more, and after correcting two typing errors, placed it in a yellow plastic cover. ‘Twenty-seven pages,’ she thought. ‘That’s the longest paper I hope I ever have to do. I sure hope Mr. Gillam is interested in this subject.’ Helen put the paper with her other schoolwork. ‘I’m glad I started on it when I did, or I’d have never had it ready to turn in tomorrow,’ she thought. ‘That man really expects a lot of us seniors.’ With her homework finished, Helen went downstairs and watched a TV show with her little brother before going to bed. “Three houses down the street, Paula, another member of Mr. Gillam’s current affairs class, had gulped down a few bites of mom’s homemade lasagna, one of her favorite meals, and said, ‘Sorry, mom, I’ve just got to get that paper started—and finished!’ and hurried to her room. Her study desk was covered with notecards, most of them obviously written in haste. ‘At least I got some research notes taken at the library last night, so I can type all night if I have to.’ She moved some of the cards aside to slide her typewriter into place, put a piece of paper in the machine, and looked at the first stack of cards. ‘I’ll just have to skip the first-draft stage,’ she sighed, ‘not to mention the second-draft stage. This paper has to be turned in tomorrow morning or else.’ As she started to type the one and only draft of the paper that Mr. Gillam would use to decide half of her semester grade, she wondered, ‘When will I ever learn to start sooner?’ ” (adapted from Ron Woods, “Taking Control of Your Life,” New Era, Sept. 1980, p. 12).
Discussion
• Which person do you resemble? Which paper is likely to impress the teacher more? Which student is likely to feel better about herself?

LESSON:

CONCLUSION:

Distribute paper and pencils to the young women. Ask them to write down how they will apply one or more of the suggestions discussed today in order to help them manage their time more wisely.

HANDOUT: