Individual Worth
*Definition:
I am of infinite worth with my own divine mission, which I will strive to fulfill.

*Scripture Reference:
D&C 18:10: "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."

*Color:
Red

Stories and Quotes on Individual Worth
The 20 Dollar Bill

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a bill. In the room of 200, he asked,"Who would like this bill?"
Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this to one of you but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth . Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him."


'
"The values of faith in God and virtuous behavior... are often rejected by many as worthless. This is a route destined to failure because it does not take into account the powerful importance of the subjective things we can know but not measure. For instance, I love my wife and family, and I feel their love for me. You cannot measure how deep our feelings of love are for each other, but that love is very real to us. Pain is also difficult to measure, but it is real. The same is true of faith in God. We can know of His existence without being able to quantitatively measure it. Paul states, The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God' [Romans 8:16]."
--James E. Faust--




Women have strengths that amaze men.
They carry children, they carry hardships, they carry burdens but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
Women wait by the phone for a "safe at home call" from a friend after a snowy drive home.
Women have special qualities about them.
They volunteer for good causes.
They are pink ladies in hospitals, they bring food to shut ins.
They are childcare workers, executives, attorneys, stay-at-home moms, biker babes and your neighbors.
They wear suits, jeans, and they wear uniforms.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up for injustice.
They are in the front row at PTA meetings.
They vote for the person that will do the best job for family issues.
They walk and talk the extra mile to get their children in the right schools and for getting their family the right healthcare.
They write to the editor, their congressmen and to the "powers that be" for things that make for a better life.
They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.
They stick a love note in their husband's lunch box.
They do without new shoes so their children can have them.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
Women are honest, loyal, and forgiving.
They are smart, knowing that knowledge is power. But they still know how to use their softer side to make a point.
Women want to be the best for their family, their friends, and themselves.
They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They have sorrow at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
A woman's touch can cure any ailment.
They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
She can make a romantic evening unforgettable.
Women come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes.
They live in homes, apartments and cabins.
They drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin!
Women do more than just give birth.
They bring joy and hope.
They give compassion and ideals.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
And all they want back is a hug, a smile and for you to do the same to people you come in contact with.
Women have a lot to say and a lot to give.




The 26 Guards

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them later?"

A missionary on Furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan.

"While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies.

This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord.

I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated.

He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines.

He said, 'Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.

At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.' At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:

"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?"

The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw.

There were 26.