For three years, my family lived in Southeast Asia—first in Singapore, then in Jakarta, Indonesia—while my dad worked contracts in the semiconductor industry. We had some incredible experiences together as a family. (That’s me, the youngest girl on the left.)

But during that time, I was in the thick of my awkward stage—growing fast, clumsy, and towering over nearly everyone (including most of the grown men in Jakarta!). And even if I hadn’t been, let’s be honest: that age is rough no matter what.

I also felt out of place because of my religion. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in a community that was almost entirely Muslim, I definitely stood out.

But religious differences weren’t what made me feel the most insecure. Honestly, that part was kind of beautiful. My best friend at the time had a Hindu mother and a Jewish father, and I loved learning about their traditions and beliefs.

(I think that’s when my appreciation for religious and cultural diversity really began to blossom. I came to see that truth-seekers will cling to truth wherever they find it—and that it’s far more powerful to build on what we share than to argue about what we don’t.)

Still, like so many girls that age, my biggest insecurities came from worrying that I wasn’t pretty enough… or cool enough… or likable enough. Even the girls who were undeniably beautiful seemed to think they weren’t.

But then something happened when I was 12 that made a huge difference—maybe one of the best things my parents ever did for me during that fragile, searching season of life…

They took me to hear motivational speakers. People who reminded me of the beauty and potential already inside of me. People who helped me see that I had value—real value—no matter what the popular girls at school said about my clothes, my red hair, my height… anything.

It was a summer church camp called Academy for Girls. Even though it was created for girls in my church, my best friend came too, and she loved it just as much as I did.

 Leslie as a counselor for Academy for Girls, 1990

That experience changed me. It helped me see that true principles are universal—they apply no matter who you are or where you come from. That realization leveled the playing field for me. I started seeing all people as children of God, with so much more in common than we sometimes think.

I loved how I felt in those classes. I left feeling like I could do something amazing with my life.

That’s when the dream first hit: I want to be a motivational speaker someday.

When I was 18, I came back to the Academy as a counselor. (That’s me on the ground in the picture to the right.)

It’s incredible what a small seed, planted at just the right time, can grow into.

That one experience gave me the strength to withstand peer pressure, and it sparked a deep desire to help other people feel good about themselves—even if it meant standing out, or being misunderstood.

Wouldn’t you love that kind of strength for your daughter?

Would you like to give her the kind of experience that could change the entire trajectory of her life?

Time to Blossom event 2010

Let me tell you about the modern-day version of the Academy. It’s called Time to Blossom.

It’s a one-week experience (instead of two), held at the Hilton Hotel in Mesa, Arizona—right here where I live now. And believe it or not, one of the speakers who impacted me when I was 12 is still inspiring girls today at this event!

And if you register, tell them Leslie Householder sent you!