How I Lead as a Stake Young Women President | An Interview with Sharla Goettl

Sharla Goettl lives in Newberg, Oregon, where she serves as a stake Young Women president. In-person activities are still fully restricted there right now, but they have been able to see great success by crafting non-virtual but safely-interactive activities, and are implementing changes that will improve class/quorum leadership. Sharla is the author of the book Spiritual Resilience: Leading Our Youth to Go and Do. Highlights 3:38 Status during pandemic. No Stake youth conference or activities. Large geographic Stake and difficult to get youth together. Still only small groups, no youth activities, most through zoom. Principles: 1. Have events that are shared experiences without being virtual ie Bingo phone-a-thon. Youth registered through online form. Certain rules. Received bingo card with 25 names, must have 5 minutes conversation by phone over a one week period. Helped with fear of phone conversations, required skills needed to get phone numbers and initiate call. Few conversation starters provided. Required download tools app, and/call parents, and set up church account. Helps with further ripple effect to help with familysearch, Gospel Living app etc. Incentives and prizes awarded. Rented local drive-in for participants and families. 15:10 2. Running effective Stake youth council. Her stake assigned the YW co-president of Stake youth council as honorary members of Stake YW presidency. Also 2 of rhe oldest yw in the Stake as her assistants to form a "YW board". They are advisors for all plans. The stake youth leadership committee includes the Stake pres, High Council members over youth, Stake YW/YM pres and co-presidents 17:50 More youth leaders allows them to have more visibility for events. "So much more relatable when you see it coming from a youth rather than from an adult". It is more relevant and hells them recognize they can fill leadership role. 20:33 As a ward leader she would make a plan, fill out agenda but no ownership by the youth. They must be included in the process and planning. Class presidency meetings are so much more important than the adult presidency meeting. Shift focus to class presidency meeting- weekly if possible. (Shorter and more frequent) more ministering, less administration. 26:36 Meetings by zoom may be long-lasting. Or before/after church or activity Include youth leaders in adult presidency meeting, monthly. 29:20 Regarding lessons—be as honest and relevant as we can. Focusing on spiritual resilience. Must be humble, and honest and aware of ways to improve and how the Holy Ghost interacts with us. More aware of small interactions and promptings-they happen daily! How has being a leader helped you be a better follower of Jesus Christ? She feels more confident about the future and the youth today that will find the solutions and implement things that were created by adults. Links Spiritual Resilience: Leading Our Youth to Go and Do TRANSCRIPT coming soon