So Here It Is!

So....this is it.  This is what our second tier appeal to the health insurance coverage hinges on.  The irony of the entire situation is that Baylee had "surgery" yesterday.  Aspirations (the withdrawal of fluid from her joints) and the injection of steroids directly into the problem areas.  They don't usually do more than 4 joints at a time, yesterday they did 6.  She had a team of 7 doctors and nurses.  United won't pay for her medication or treatment....but they will pay for that.  Go figure!  Wish us luck!!!

March 26, 2012

United Healthcare

Attn:  Appeals Department

PO Box 30432

Salt Lake City UT 84130-0432

RE:     Subscriber ID:            908007314                            Group/Contract:        192961

            Patient:                    Baylee A. Morgan                Date of Birth:            06/11/2001

            Diagnosis Code:       714.32                                    Procedure Code:      J1745

            Date of Service:        01/11/12; 02/07/12  

To Whom It May Concern:

I am appealing the denial of claims submitted from CH WUSM Ped Diagnostic on dates of service 01/11/12 and 02/07/12 for Baylee Morgan for the following reasons:

1.    Good Faith:  Treatment was pursued based on assurances by United Healthcare Employees that the procedure and diagnosis were covered.

2.    Covered Under Previous Insurance Plans

3.    Medical Necessity: A proven history of the failure of other TNF inhibitors.

2012 Coverage - Good Faith

We switched insurance to United Healthcare as of January 1, 2012.  Sue Price, the insurance coordinator with Rheumatology department at St. Louis Children’s Hospital called to authorize her treatment and received verification of coverage.

Baylee received her first Remicade infusion on January 11, 2012.   We received a denial for the treatment at the end of January.

The denial listed diagnosis code 364.01 (Primary Iridocyclitis) which is the diagnosis code for Uveitis and Iritis.  I called and spoke with Sue Price, who agreed that the code should have been 714.32 (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis), and that they had already begun an appeal process and were conducting a peer to peer review with United Healthcare.  Sue said it is not uncommon to receive denials at the beginning of the calendar year, and to go ahead with the next treatment as it was likely just a diagnosis code error.

Baylee had her second Remicade treatment on February 7, 2012.  We received our denial of appeal near the end of February.

As part of my process of appeal, I called several times, speaking to several different employees of United Healthcare.  Following is a chart of dates, individuals and conversation notes.  All phone calls were initiated by me.

Date	Dept./Employee	Conversation
February 24, 2012	Appeals	Instructed me on appeals process.  I asked what Remicade was approved to treat and was transferred to the UHC pharmacist (Chris), who said he didn’t know why I was transferred to him and he couldn’t help me.
February 24, 2012	Member Services / Vanessa	Verified diagnosis code 714.32 and procedure code were covered.  Confirmed both codes were covered.  Specifically asked if JRA was excluded and was told it was not excluded, that Remicade was APPROVED treatment for JRA.
February 24, 2012	Member Services / Barb	Explained issue, said I had additional questions.  *Disconnected*
February 24, 2012	Member Services / Stephanie	According to plan documents, Remicade is a COVERED procedure for treatment of JRA.  Verified code 714.32 was used for billing.  She said she didn’t know why it was denied.  Stephanie talked to her supervisor who suggested I be transferred to Rapid Resolution Claim Center to have claim fixed.
February 24, 2012	Rapid Resolution Claims Dept / Kira	Confirmed appropriate billing code and procedure code.  Kira said claim had to be processed manually, not automatically.  She flagged both claims, said they would both be paid and that new EOB’s would be issued within 10 business day.  She said she also flagged the account so we wouldn’t have any issues the rest of the year.

Both claims were denied again on February 27, 2012.

Date	Dept./Employee	Conversation
February 28, 2012	Rapid Resolution Claims Center / Karina	Told her I was told claims were covered and asked for explanation of denial.  She said the notes said it was not approved.  Asked her for a list of Remicade approved treatments, she said it would take 5 business days to figure out how to do that.  I asked to speak to a supervisor because the information was necessary for appeal.  She said there were no supervisors available and one would call me back in 24-48 hours.
February 28, 2012	Member Services / Susie	Asked for copy of what Remicade was approved treatment for.  She was unable to find a way to get me the information.  She said according to plan documents, Remicade was APPROVED treatment for JRA.  Suggested a second level appeal.
March 1, 2012	Member Services / Unknown Male	Said there is no such thing as a Summary Plan Document.  I asked for information on how they knew what was covered he said it was all programmed in the computer.
March 1, 2012	Member Services / Ramona	Asked for supervisor from Rapid Resolution Claims center because they never returned my call.
March 1, 2012	Rapid Resolution Claims Center / Sharina	Sharina said we could get a copy of our Summary Plan Document from Aon or benefitsnow website for Henry Schein.  Sharina said the procedure is a COVERED procedure, but not for all diagnosis codes.   Sharina confirmed that procedure code J1745 is approved to treat 714.32.  Gave me the phone number for Claim Coordination Dept to verify.
March 1, 2012	Claim Coordination Dept / Lisa	Verified procedure code J1745 was approved to treat 714.32.  Lisa said notification is not required and to re-verify benefits through Member Services.  Transferred.
March 1, 2012	Member Services / Mitch	Verified J2745 is APPROVED to treat 714.32.  Gave following benefit information: Outpatient covered at 85% Office Visit covered at Office copay amt. Out of Network covered at 70 %

Based on information provided from United Healthcare, we continued forward with Baylee’s treatment on March 13, 2012.

We ask you to reconsider the denial of payment for the Remicade treatment on Good Faith effort on our part to verify coverage.

Covered Under Previous Insurance Plans

Baylee received Remicade treatments for almost a year and half with no opposition from previous insurance companies.

Date	Insurance Carrier	Status
July 7, 2010	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
July 20, 2010	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
August 17, 2010	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
October 16, 2010	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
November 20, 2010	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
December 18, 2010	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
January 15, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
February 12, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
March 12, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
April 9, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
May 21, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
June 18, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
July 16, 2011	Intermountain Healthcare	Covered / Paid
September 1, 2011	Cigna	Covered / Paid
September 29, 2011	Cigna	Covered / Paid
October 26, 2011	Cigna	Covered / Paid
November 22, 2011	Cigna	Covered / Paid
December 20, 2011	Cigna	Covered / Paid
January 11, 2012	United Healthcare	Denied / Appealed
February 7, 2012	United Healthcare	Denied / Appealed
March 13, 2012	United Healthcare	Denied March 23, 2012

Medical History

In May of 2003 Baylee Morgan was recovering from pneumonia, when she suffered a fall down a 2-3 stairs.  Her knee became swollen and she had difficulty walking.  Over a period of days, she regressed from a busy, active toddler to a child who needed assistance to walk, then becoming unable to walk at all.  After a series of tests, her condition was still unknown.  We were sent to an orthopedic surgeon to check for any abnormalities in her knee. 

On June 11, 2003, the orthopedic surgeon found what he termed a “tumor”, or unknown mass within her knee joint.  He was able to get us in to Dr. Lor Randall, an orthopedic oncologist within a period of weeks.  Upon initial examination, he felt biopsies of the affected areas were necessary, and felt certain it was likely cancer.

When the biopsy results came back, there was no sign of cancer, but all areas biopsied showed severe inflammation.  We discussed the possibility of arthritis, but Dr. Randall deferred to Dr. John Bohnsack, Pediatric Rheumatologist, for an assessment

We met with Dr. Bohnsack in August 2003, where he confirmed diagnosis of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA).  Dr. Bohnsack noted that several joints were involved (toes, ankles, knee and elbow), and immediately started her on an NSAID, Naproxen

At her six week follow up examination, the Naproxen, while helping slightly, had not done enough to reduce the pressure of the inflammation on Baylee’s joints.  In September 2003, Baylee began a weekly subcutaneous injection of Methotrexate.

The Methotrexate showed positive results, and while it was adjusted from time to time to accommodate her growth and progression of her disease, was considered all that was necessary for treatment at the time. 

At age 3 ½ (approximately) she was diagnosed with Uveitis, and later Iritis.  Baylee’s eye conditions were treated separately with an Ophthalmologist.

In the first few years of the Methotrexate treatment, Baylee entered remission of her disease, but upon discontinuation of the medication, the JRA returned.  Shortly after the return of the JRA, there was a shortage of injectable Methotrexate and Baylee was switched to oral Methotrexate.  Baylee was more resistant to the oral version of the drug, and began to physically regress.

Upon renewed availability of the injectable form of Methotrexate, and an increase in dosage to accommodate her growth, Baylee once again began to show improvement.

In July of 2005, at a regular examination from Dr. Bohnsack, Baylee showed persistent inflammation in her ankles, knee, elbow, wrist and toe.  The decision was made to add Enbrel (Enteracept) to her regimen.

Baylee’s arthritis was controlled on Enbrel, but she never did enter into remission. She was doing well enough to have the Enbrel discontinued in March of 2008.

In June of 2008, because of active arthritis in 2 joints and active arthritis, she began using Humira (Adalimumab) in conjunction with her Methotrexate.  In order to help control her inflammation, she also began taking Meloxicam.

Baylee remained on Humira and Methotrexate until June of 2010.  The Meloxicam had been discontinued because of abnormal blood tests.

After a flare up of both her arthritis and uveitis, Dr. Bohnsack consulted with Dr. Albert Vitale and together, they made the decision to start her on Remicade. 

Remicade was chosen in part because of the ability to adjust it according to the activity of her disease.

Baylee received Remicade treatment, covered under Intermountain Healthcare, until July 2011 when our family relocated to Missouri.

Upon our arrival in Missouri, we consulted with new physicians at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  Dr. Andrew White, Rheumatologist, agreed with the previously prescribed treatment and continued the Remicade in combination with Methotrexate. 

Baylee’s treatment continued uninterrupted covered under insurance (through Cigna) until December of 2011.

I have included copies of Dr. John Bohnsack's examination notes and notes from the Department of Rheumatology at St. Louis Children’s Hospital (which were already submitted).

I ask you to consider appeal on the basis of Medical Necessity because through her medical history we have used the other two TNF inhibitors approved by the FDA without long term positive results.

After thorough research, the majority of insurance companies initially do not cover Remicade unless it can be proven that other TNF inhibitors have failed to control the disease, at which point it is covered.

I believe we followed standard treatment protocol for Baylee’s Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and throughout the course of treatment exhausted other stepped forms of treatments.  The course of treatment for Baylee was not considered lightly.  Several doctors who are specialists in their fields and in multiple locations (Primary Children’s Medical Center and St. Louis Children’s Hospital) were consulted and came to agreement that Remicade was the appropriate next step in her treatment.

I would respectfully request you approve the Remicade treatment to manage Baylee’s Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and honor the health coverage and benefits as outlined by multiple representatives of United Healthcare.  Treatment was only continued on the basis of information provided, a history of coverage through other carriers and most importantly, the medical necessity of treatment to the long term care and quality of life for Baylee.

I appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,

Wendy Morgan

Attachments

10 Business Days

So.....life has been so busy lately....the adventures never end....but this one is too perplexing not to share.  And children....ask Sears, Hollywood Video or any other place of business what happens when you mess with me.  Although....this isn't retail....perhaps I am expanding my horizons.

Many of you know, but some of my new friends may not, that we have had a series of adventures in the medical realm throughout this adventure known as life.  One of the greatest (and by greatest I mean time consuming.....because our trials are relative, based on what we need to learn) is Baylee's plate of adventures.

Among a host of things neatly piled on her plate of life, are arthritis, uveitis, iritis, neuropathy, erythromylalgia....yada, yada, yada, yada (and no I didn't list them all, I have to do that often enough on medical and insurance form, I most certainly don't want to list them in this forum!).

As we have gone through the different phases of Baylee's health, we have tried different treatments, therapies, medications....blah, blah, blah.  But in order to put things in perspective, I need to give a little background so you can understand why I am so wound up.

Diagnosis with Arthritis at age 2.  Anti-inflammatory's are the first step.  When they don't work, you move to Methotrexate.  When that stops working you add Enbrel/Humira or a cocktail of other medications that help balance the body attacking it's own cells.  We have done them all.

 Diagnosis with Uveitis at age 3.  This is eye inflammation, common in girls with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  This is what spurred us on towards "cocktail medicine".

Diagnosis with Iritis at age 4.  This is worse eye inflammation, not so common.  But this is what spurred us on towards stronger "cocktail medicine".

All-in-all everything we have done medically is to keep Baylee walking and seeing.  That's it.  So as we have moved forward, things are stable, not stable, stable....that's just kind of how it works.  (For information on how uveitis and iritis works....this is our favorite (and only) charitable organization that is able to bring national attention to this disease  www.pinkburstproject.org)  And as we continue to fight these disease, and Baylee grows, we have to adjust medication.

Eventually....the medication just stopped working.  Time for a new cocktail.  And as expensive as her medications have been....oh man.....that was nothin'!

In June of 2010, we began Remicade treatments.  Intravenous therapy....and for any of my friends who have had, or have had a loved one with cancer, please forgive the comparison...but it is the closest thing we have.  Basically it is chemo.  But it is chemo with no end.  She started at therapy every 2 weeks, then every 4 week, then every 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks (which was too far apart for her body to stay stable), then every 6 weeks, then every 4 weeks....you get the idea.

For reference, it took a solid year before we were able to stabilize her eyes and take a step back from the threat of blindness.

In the mean time, we got this crazy idea to move to a new state....blah, blah, blah.  Once we got here, we had to get into new doctors, have the talk to her old doctors and get everyone to agree on the same therapy.  SUPER FUN!!!!

But, thanks to our incredible medical professionals from Utah, and their justification, Baylee's therapies have continued.  Some adjustments (because it has been difficult to keep her stable).  And because life is life.....we have switched insurance carriers.....TWICE!

So....out of the blue in January, we receive notification from our new insurance that Remicade is not covered.  It is considered an experimental treatment.  WHAT?????  They referenced her iritis/uveitis on the rejection letter and I wondered if that is why it was denied.

I call the doctors office insurance specialist...she says it happens all of the time....especially in January.  Happens all of the time, they have already prepared the appeal, and the doctor has already done the peer-to-peer review with the insurance carrier doctor....and to go ahead and do her next treatment in February.  At $7,000 a pop....why not?

So we do the February treatment and the doctor and I both receive rejections to the appeal.  And the doctors office gives me these options:
1.  Fill out the paperwork for their program to have the manufacturer pay for the medication (where income is not a factor....yeah, right)
2.  File a parental appeal.
3.  Pay the $7,000 a month.

So I call the appeals department at the insurance company, which proceeds to tell me, they will only deal with me in writing.  I ask one simple question.  What diseases is Remicade approved to treat?  She can't tell me that.  She is in the appeals department, she doesn't know about any of that.  But she can transfer me to a pharmacist who can help me with that.

So I talk to the pharmacist.  And he says....why did she send you to me?  I don't know anything about claims and coverage....I just am the specialist for what the drugs treat and the different therapies.  Yeah, I know.  It totally wasn't him....it was the appeals lady who just didn't want to talk to me anymore.

So I call the insurance company again to ask what diseases Remicade is approved to treat.  The lady I talked to  said Remicade is approved to treat Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, but it is not approved for uveitis and iritis.

So I call the doctors office insurance lady back to ask again if it was denied because of the billing code.  She said that all of the correct codes were referenced, but told me who to ask at the insurance company and that we would talk again on Monday.

So I call the insurance company back.  I explain that I think everything was denied because of an incorrect diagnosis code.  And *CLICK*, she hung up on me.  I guess work was optional for her today.

So I call back again.  I talk to the Medical coverage peoples.  She was great.  I explained the entire thing, and she said it should be covered.  She asked if she could put me on hold so she could talk with her supervisor.  Then she and her supervisor came back and said they can't figure out why the claims keep getting denied.  Remicade is approved for the treatment of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. However, it is NOT approved for uveitis and iritis.  Well, that is what they said earlier.  But this time, they transferred me to the Rapid Claims Resolution Center, so that I could find out what was being denied so that I knew how to prepare my appeal.

FINALLY!  That is what I needed!  How on earth could I fight the insurance beast if I didn't know which part of it I was fighting.

Soooooooo, I talk to Kira in the Rapid Claims Resolution Center.  I give her all of our information.  And for the 457th time today, I tell our sad, sad story.  She pulls up the claims and says, "Oh, I see what the problem is.  It has the correct code.  It has the other codes as well.  This type of claim can't be processed through the system automatically.  It is supposed to be flagged and processed manually. "  Huh?  I asked if it was being denied because of the diagnosis codes.  "Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis is the primary diagnosis code, which is correct.  But this type of claim can't be processed automatically because of the type of treatment, and the type of claim."

So it was just automatically rejected?  Yup.  How come our appeal was rejected?  Because of the codes.  It was right.....but there was too much information.  And the computer....regardless of all of the documentation.....regardless of the doctor, taking his time and doing a peer to peer review.....the computer does what the computer does and through all of it....no one thought to check the claim to make sure the system was processing it correctly.

According to the Rapid Claims Resolution Center, everything will be paid and we will have updated documents in 10 business days.

But, "Aye, there's the rub...."  Baylee has her next treatment in 7 business days.  Do we risk it and risk another $7,000 (especially since it is also the day she has procedures on 4 joints to reduce the pressure from the inflammation)?  And because I won't know for 10 business, I still have to mount an appeal, fill out assistance paperwork (for assistance that isn't guaranteed)....and figure out how to pay the $14,000.....just in case.

So the stunning part....is that the doctors office has never heard, experienced or even knew that this kind of thing could happen.  It is unheard of to received an appeals rejection due to the computer system not being able to process a claim automatically.

A conundrum to be sure!

Lessons Learned
1.  I will fight for my children.  I'm not done fighting.....can you tell?
2.  I have sooooooooo many thoughts on insurance, government, regulation, greed, corporate corruption...blah, blah, blah....and this just riles me up.
3.  Is there a reason I can't process stuff like this unless I write it down?  Probably, but not going to figure it out right now.
4.  Ugh!  I hate having to fight for things!  I'm having such a Monkee's "Can't we all just get along?" moment!
5.  I suppose we would all do whatever is necessary to protect our children....and perhaps by one person standing up, someone else's children might get protected too.  Right now, I just want my daughter to receive the treatment that keeps her from going blind and becoming immobile....is that too much to ask?

We Are Daughters....

I have officially given my second talk in less than six months.  For someone absolutely terrified of public speaking....this is huge.  So for your reading pleasure.....here's my talk, minus ad libs, tears and miscellaneous rambling.

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

Every Sunday the Young Women stand together as symbols of truth and righteousness and repeat the Young Women theme.  Each Sunday we say and listen to these words, as a reminder of our value to our Father in Heaven and the sacred nature by which we are here.

Brother Holmes asked me to speak on how the Young Women’s theme could apply to all of us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  The easiest way to do this is look at each part of the theme.

The first part of the theme says “We are Daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him.”  In one of the first pages of the Personal Progress handbook, the First Presidency wrote a message for the Young Women of the church.  In part, it reads, “You are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father, prepared to come to the earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose. You have a noble responsibility to use your strength and influence for good. Your loving Heavenly Father has blessed you with talents and abilities that will help you fulfill your divine mission.”  Can this not be said of every one of us? 

We have each been sent to earth to fill a divine mission.  Our missions vary as much as we do.   Sister Majorie Pay Hinckley said, “Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for an relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm.” 

Our Father in Heaven did not give us our missions lightly.  I am certain that before we accepted the opportunity to come to Earth, He took a moment with each of us.  I know that He explained that it wouldn’t be an easy road.  I know He explained that there would be many trials and tribulations along the way, but that there would also be great joys.  I know He told me how much He loves me and that if I didn’t think I could do it, He would understand.  And He made sure that I understood He would stand beside me and that the armies of Heaven would surround me and that I would not have to take one step of the journey alone.

The next part of the Young Women’s theme comes from Mosiah 18:9.  “We will stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places as we strive to live the Young Women values.”

The values by which we live are Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity and Virtue.

Why are these 8 things the values that Young Women’s is based on?  They are cornerstones.

In Alma 32:32 we read, “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”  Faith is the building block that brings us to church each Sunday, and brings us to our knees in times of great trial and great joy.

“Be partakers of the divine nature. … Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:4–7).  It is not necessary to be a Young Woman to recognize your Divine Worth.  It is only necessary to recognize that you are a Child of God.

D&C 18:10 says, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”  Our Father in Heaven knows who we are.  There can be no question, that to Him we are HIS child, not another in a sea of faces.  Anyone who has ever received a blessing can attest to the fact that He is aware of our individual needs.  He is  mindful of WHO WE ARE.

D&C 88:118 says, “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”  We may not all be destined for continuing education, but we are not to strive only for secular knowledge.  We are here to learn of Him, and how we can be more like Him through all that we do.  Our Savior gave us the example and teachings necessary; we have simply to follow and learn from His example.

We have been counseled in Joshua 24:15 to “Choose you this day whom ye will serve;…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  At any age, one of the most difficult lessons we have to learn is consequence.  We seem to think that we can rationalize our way out of anything and everything.  But with each choice, there will always be a consequence.  Our choices can bring great sorrow or great joy.

Good works is a necessary key to living the gospel  3 Nephi 12:16 says, “Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”  One of my favorite scripture mastery verses is from James 2:26.  “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  Faith is a verb, it requires action, and how better to exemplify our Savior’s example than through service to others.

Job 27:5 reads, “Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.”  Joseph B. Wirthlin gave his definition of integrity in a conference talk from April of 1990, “To me, integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences.  It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions, but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts.  Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant.”  I would like to add that integrity means standing for what is right, even if it means standing alone.

The final value is virtue.  Young Women’s General President, Elaine S. Dalton said, “Virtue is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards”, which was taken from Preach my Gospel, but she went on to say, “It encompasses chastity and moral purity.  Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind.  It is nurtured in the home.  It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions.”

Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity and Virtue are not simply values for Young Women.  They are meant for each of us, as a guide for each day and encouragement to “Hold to the Rod”.

The final section of the Young Women’s theme says, “WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.”

Living the values outlined in the Personal Progress program prepares us, each of us.  Age is irrelevant; we are being prepared for each new breath, each new experience and each new lesson.

I love that the theme specifies we are being prepared to strengthen home and family.  The family is under attack.  Satan goes to great lengths to lessen the importance of a family in today’s world.  Part of the “Family: A Proclamation to the World reads, “…The disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”  However, through living the values of the Gospel we are able to create armor against the biases of the world and protect that which we and our Father in Heaven hold dear.

By learning who we are to our Father in Heaven, and recognizing our sacred role as His children we become worthy to enter the temple and make the covenants that will help us return to Him.

Our mandate from Our Father is simple, “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Nephi 31:20) 

And it will be joyous, “And for this cause ye shall have fullness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father, yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fullness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father…” (3 Nephi 28:10)

[There was some filler here....ad libbing, crying, miscellaneous rambling....]

I would like to close by urging you to develop your relationship with Heavenly Father.  Get to know Him as He knows you.

And to close, I would like to share the theme one more time, with a single word change.

We are CHILDREN of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.