My husband (Derrel) and I recently had the opportunity to visit Oakcrest (an LDS Girls Camp) for their stake night where my husband spoke to the Young Women in our stake who attended the camp.
Derrel spoke to the Young Women and traditionally the leaders that come for stake night (Bishops, Stake Presidency and Stake YW) bring the girls a little treat/gift, this is where I come in:)
When my husband told me that he wanted to speak about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly and this process being similar to these girls learning and growing and becoming something beautiful, my mind went immediately to the play on words Be YOU tiful, meaning you are beautiful when you be yourself. Originally I wanted to paint a block of wood for each of the girls with this word on it for the girls to have in their room as a reminder, along with a butterfly necklace. When I found out that there were 33 girls I knew I could never make that many in the amount of time I had with everything else going on in my life. I was talking to my sister, Elisa, about my dilemma and she had the idea to give a picture of a butterfly and offered some that she has taken over the years. I took her photograph and added the word to the picture on picmonkey creating this.
Then, because I really wanted to do the necklace still and couldn’t find anything online cheap enough that would get here in time, I ran over to Bead Farm at Gardener Village and asked for help. The woman working there was more than happy to show me options and was so extremely helpful. I opted for this cute little butterfly and cording to make the necklace.
Then I learned how to do the sliding knot from this video.
We also thought it would be nice to take up something refreshing as we have had 100 degree weather lately. A refreshing drink I enjoy is SoBe , the thought came to me SoBe You!! My hubby loved the idea so we got each of them a SoBe and I made this tag for them (also on picmonkey). If you would like to use this you can print the tags Here
My husband talked about the 4 phases of a butterfly. First the egg, then larva (caterpillar), pupa or chrysalis(cocoon) , then at last adult (butterfly). As he talked about this he showed pictures of the cocoon, caterpillar and butterfly. 
The egg is attached to a leaf. When the egg finally hatches it is a caterpillar. During this stage all it does is eat. When the caterpillar is finished growing, it forms a cocoon around itself. There, metamorphisis occurs. The caterpillar basically turns to mush before the butterfly begins to grow. For a monarch this takes about a month. Once the butterfly is fully formed the cocoon is clear and the butterfly begins to break free. when it is finally free the wings are soggy and close to the body but as the butterfly pumps blood to the wings they become strong and when they are dry the butterfly can fly.
What would happen if you were to see a butterfly struggling to break free from the cocoon and you decided to help it along by pulling parts of the cocoon away to help it get out easier? What would happen is the butterfly would have a swollen body and small, shriveled wings and would never be able to fly. The butterfly is SUPPOSED to struggle. In fact, the butterfly’s struggle to push its way through the tiny opening of the cocoon pushes the fluid out of its body and into its wings. Without the struggle, the butterfly would never, ever fly.
The struggles we go through in life help us to grow, help us to expand our wings so that we can fly.
In the bible is a story of Esther. She was an orphan who was brought up by her older cousin, Mordecai. They were Jews living in exile in the Persian diaspora. Through her youth and beauty Esther becomes queen of the Persian Empire. Haman, who is in high position with the king, hates Mordecai because he wouldn’t bow down to Haman. Haman plots to kill all the Jews in the kingdom. Esther chooses to stand up to the King and tell him that she is a Jew, something he did not know. She had no idea how he would react. In doing this difficult task she was able to save her people.
What might happen to Esther if Heavenly Father started to “remove the pieces of her cocoon”?
Through difficult times we grow to be more than we ever thought we could. We become strong with the ability to “fly”. We all have trials and hard times for our good. If Heavenly Father removed the “pieces of our cocoon” we could not grow to be what we are meant to be.
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.-Richard Bach
My husband ended his talk with this story. He put the names of some of the Bishops who attended in place of the names in the story. It had the girls laughing.
Be Yourself by: Author Unknown, A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Ever since I was a little kid, I didn’t want to be me. I wanted to be like Billy Widdledon, and Billy Widdledon didn’t even like me. I walked like he walked; I talked like he talked; and I signed up for the high school he signed up for.
Which was why Billy Widdledon changed. He began to hang around Herby Vendeman; he walked like Herby Vendeman; he talked like Herby Vendeman. He mixed me up! I began to walk and talk like Billy Widdledon, who was walking and talking like Herby Vendeman.
And then it dawned on me that Herby Vendeman walked and talked like Joey Haverlin. And Joey Haverlin walked and talked like Corky Sabinson.
So here I am walking and talking like Billy Widdledon’s immitation of Herby Vendeman’s version of Joey Haverlin, trying to walk and talk like Corky Sabinson. And who do you think Corky Sabinson is always walking and talking like? Of all people, Dopey Wellington- that little pest who walks and talks like me!
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Find out who you are, figure out what you are good at and develop those talents and bless others with them. Decide what you like and enjoy, what makes you YOU! It is good to look up to others when you see something good in them and make that a part of you, just as we look to Christ for how we should be. But you are unique and have your own characteristics to share. SOBE YOU!! Be YOU tiful!
SEE THE HAPPY!
This sounds like a beautiful presentation! I wish I were young again and could have been there to feel the spirit that I’m sure was present. The Young Women are very lucky to have you in their lives!
Love,
Mom G
Thank You Dee!! I wish I could keep you in my pocket and take you everywhere I go. It is because of people like you that Derrel and I have the opportunity to do these kinds of things. We learn from the best!!