Being a Young Women Mentor | An Interview with Scharman Grimmer

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Scharman Grimmer serves as a member of the Young Women General Advisory Council for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has served as stake and ward Primary president; ward Young Women president, Primary and Relief Society counselor, stake Young Women camp director, Sunday School teacher, Seminary teacher, and in Primary as a music leader, teacher, and Nursery leader.

Scharman and her husband, Matt, have five children and live in Alpine, Utah. Scharman earned a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in Child and Teen Development from Syracuse University. She currently works as a child and teen development specialist, consulting parents on best developmental and relationship practices and healthy habits in families.

Scharman is proud to be from Humble, Texas! Growing up in an area with few members of the Church, she learned valuable lessons as she watched her parents faithfully lead in their ward and stake. Her own experiences as an adult in Texas and New York have given her an appreciation that every member can contribute and is needed.

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Finding Strength in the Lord: Emotional Resilience
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Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Acts 8, Acts 3, Doctrine & Covenants 104
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Highlights

3:00 Getting called to be a part of the young women’s general advisory council.

5:20 What does Scharman’s calling entail?

Council meetings
Working groups

7:30 Scharman has a masters degree in child and teen development and has been able to use her degree not only professionally but in her calling and personal life. She works a lot with parents and helps them find holy, healthy habits as a family.

8:50 Her experience in Young Women started as a young woman herself and callings in Young Women in her early twenties. She learned to mentor.

12:00 How can you become a mentor for youth? Scharman shares scriptural examples.

15:45 Leading youth to have covenant relationships. The focus of the Young Men and Young Women programs is to build a foundation on Christ. Gathering to Christ.

17:20 Do what works for the youth. Sometimes you have to switch it up for the group you have.

21:40 Build on Christ as your foundation, gather to Christ, and covenant with Christ. The focus of the youth programs are based on these three things.

22:45 What is an AOA? Area Organization Advisors. Women around the world that are trained by the general presidencies and then take those teachings and minister to the people in their areas.

24:00 How can we get the Young Women and Young Men groups to work together better?

27:20 Studies show that participation in religion as teenagers doesn’t mean belonging. When youth are connected to five or more adult members of their congregation and they feel known, seen, loved, and cared about, their feeling of belonging goes sky high.

30:30 How can we make youth-led activities? They need to be idea generators and the adults are the support team.

33:40 Helping stimulate activities with the youth

38:00 Youth can tell when you are genuine and authentic. Be open with your struggles but be careful of oversharing.

41:00 Helping the youth with emotional resilience. Combining the skills of mental health with the gospel of Jesus Christ’s eternal truths is what is life changing. The Church has an emotional resilience course that is a resource for youth age 16 and older.

46:45 Girls camp. Have a strong group of YCLs. Have youth leaders help pick a scriptural theme.

50:15 Questions that Scharman hears the most

How do you balance leaders and the young women speaking in class?
How do you work together with the young men’s presidency?

51:45 Scharman’s final thoughts and testimony

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