Tools for Individuals
The Ultimate Scripture Mastery Cheat Sheet: Preach My Gospel 2.0
President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described the new, second edition ofPreach My Gospel as "possibly the best document and manual available in the church". This marking system places it quite literally at your fingertips the Gospel of Christ to help you undestand doctrine, principle and application.
"Hello fellow scripture lovers. This is Sister Nannette Judd. My husband Joel and I are serving a mission in the mission office of the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are over all of the housing for more that 200 missionaries and take care of 76 properties. It is challenging work, and the Lord has helped us every inch of the way. I want to share something that has really been a personal blessing to me. I wanted so badly to become a Preach My Gospel Missionary on this mission! But as Senior Office Missionaries, we don’t have the time, we don’t receive the same training, and frankly we don’t have the same opportunities as the young ones. However, one afternoon I suddenly remembered that my great friend, Maraly Ledezma Frandsen, had created a scripture marking system using the four basic lessons in Preach My Gospel. I wondered, would following her plan and marking my scriptures for the PMG lessons help me become a PMG missionary? Maybe. I contacted her and she kindly shared her program. I LOVE IT SOOOO MUCH!!! I am learning so much. I am a lifelong member of the Church and have always made scripture study an important part of my everyday life. However, as I mark these verses under each subject outlined in Preach My Gospel, my testimony of the blessings of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is growing. Our mission here will come to an end in less than two months, but frankly I have no end date in mind for this study. I want to spend the rest of my life becoming a Preach My Gospel missionary."
Tools to Help Communities Thrive
The homeschool co-op resources shared here are offered to support families and leaders who want to build Christ-centered communities that are joyful, sustainable, and safe for children and youth.
They come from years of lived experience and are shared so others don’t have to start from scratch.
Use what serves you.
Adapt prayerfully.
Keep Jesus Christ at the center. His name is powerful. We encourage you to choose to gather around him and include HIs name on your mission statement.
Training Videos
These videos are longer-form and meant to be watched intentionally, either by leaders or by families who are discerning whether this model is right for them.
You do not need to watch everything at once.
1. Knock-Your-Socks-Off Co-Op Secret Sauce
(~2 hours)
This video walks through how a homeschool co-op can be organized in a way that:
- protects families and children
- supports leaders
- creates clarity and fairness
- allows joy to endure over time
Content Overview:
A Proven Roadmap for Meaningful
Relationships and Experiences
SECRET SAUCE
- Center yourself and the co-op on the living Christ and His restored gospel
- Set a nourishing mamma culture
- Shared governance with clear processes
- Mom teacher servant leaders (moms teach one class and assist one, this builds connections and a sense of belonging)
- Youth Program of Servant Leaders (maximize opportunities for them to serve and hype us all FSY style creating an environment of belonging)
- Activities: minimal requirements, maximum optional exciting ones
Best for:
founding leaders
board members
families considering starting a co-op or joining a Joy Standard Sister Co-op
👉 Watch the video on Youtube (same video enbeded below)
Download the Knock-Your-Socks-Off Co-op Secret Sauce Slides
2. Why Community Matters for Children and Teens
(~1 hours)
This video explores the developmental needs of youth and why intentional community is especially important during the teen years.
- Topics include:
- belonging and identity
- leadership development
- healthy peer culture
- mentorship and responsibility
Best for:
parents of teens
youth leaders
families discerning long-term participation
👉 Watch the video (coming soon, May 2025 gathering, presentation by Kylie Brewer)
3. Youth Voices: Leadership & Belonging
(~2 hours)
In this video, teens share their own experiences participating in a Christ-centered co-op and leadership culture.
We have a Young Men General Board training on letting youth lead.
This is not theory, it is lived experience, in their own words.
Best for:
parents wanting to hear directly from youth
teens curious about leadership and belonging
families wondering what this feels like in practice
👉 Watch the video (coming soon, October 26, 2025 gathering at Castle Park, presentation by Jonas Cox and other youth leaders and Mark Weiss from the Church of Jesus Christ Young Men General Board)
Community Handbook & Bylaws
These documents provide the structural framework that has helped communities remain healthy and joyful over time.
They are shared as working examples, not mandates.
Community Handbook
The handbook explains:
- shared values and culture
- expectations for families and mentors
- rhythms that support safety and belonging
- how participation works in practice
- you c an use it as a jumping point to start your own
Bylaws
The bylaws outline:
- leadership structure
- decision-making processes
- accountability and continuity
- protections for families, youth, and leaders
A note on copying and adapting
You are welcome to use these resources.
Every community is different in size, location, and needs. We encourage groups to:
- read thoughtfully
- adapt prayerfully
- adjust for local context and legal requirements
- focus on alignment rather than replication
The goal is not to duplicate, but to build together something that can last with joy.
Tools for families
Support for Real Life, Real Families
The Joy Standard does not replace inspired resources that already exist, lets just point you to them.
These resources are offered to support individuals, marriages, and families as they seek to live Christ’s gospel with greater peace, order, and joy. Use what is helpful. Return as needed. Growth happens over time.
For Parents & Families
Parenting is holy work, and no family should have to navigate it alone.
We recommend the Church’s parenting resources, which offer:
- Christ-centered guidance
- age-appropriate counsel
- practical tools for daily family life
- support for strengthening relationships with children
👉 Parenting Resources from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/life/parenting?lang=eng&cid=v_parents_eng
These materials support parents in teaching truth, building connection, and creating homes of faith and order.
Podcasts & Ongoing Encouragement
We recommend thoughtfully chosen podcasts that encourage:
- joy-filled living
- personal responsibility
- faith, marriage, and family alignment
- growth without pressure
One community favorites are:
- Delicious with Marilyn. Down-to-earth wisdom and practical tips that have helped shape our community of love through encouragement, clarity, and joyful, intentional living.
- Amai Moms with Aurora. Thoughtful interviews on intentional mothering, featuring expert voices and meaningful conversations about family life.
Recommended Readings For Marriages
Strong families grow from strong marriages.
The following books are recommended because they emphasize:
- agency and personal responsibility
- charity and humility
- change through principle and respect, not control
- healing through truth and love
Bonds That Make Us Free – on moral agency, self-deception, and relational healing
The Empowered Wife – on respect, influence, and personal stewardship
Teaching from Rest – on teaching, leadership, and peace through alignment
The Life-Giving Home – on creating a home culture of warmth, rhythm, and belonging
Each offers a different perspective, but all point toward living correct principles with charity and agency.
Parenting with Love and Logic - Teaches responsibility and self-government through empathy, natural consequences, and calm parental leadership.
Hold On to Your Kids - Explains why strong parent-child attachment is essential for healthy development and long-term influence.
The Whole-Brain Child - Helps parents understand children’s emotional development and respond with clarity, connection, and patience.
How to Use These Resources Well
Start small, pick one thing and don't feel like you need to do it all.
Apply what resonates.
Let principles guide you, not pressure.
Revisit as seasons change.