EFY = Good Times March 7, 2009

Anyone who has ever attended an EFY session (Especially for Youth) can attest that they’re some of the best times ever. EFY is synonymous for the cutest boys, little or no sleep and the most fun you’ve ever had… in addition to being a huge testimony booster. At EFY chivalry is alive – boys open doors for girls, carry cafeteria trays and serenade them on a regular basis. It’s amazing.

In 2004 I had a chance to be an EFY counselor in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta – and had time of my life. Several of my kids from EFY have gone on missions and gotten married in the temple. It’s incredible to see how the gospel sticks in their lives.

I always had HUGE crushes on my EFY counselors – always the older, hotter guys – and it was interesting to have the tables turn 🙂 One of the kids from EFY Calgary had a big crush on me. So cute!

Did you go to EFY? What were some of your favorite memories? Here are some of mine…

Chivalry is alive!

EFY dances.  There’s no going back.

Marking up brand new scriptures

Maren Ord came to perform at our EFY talent show. Michael proposed. Maren played along.

My Edmonton girls

being randomly serenaded by the boys

the poster contest – Ezra on the left has gone on to major in art!

heart attacks

the Asian invasion

awesome fellow counsellors

the lost and found fashion show

utter and complete exhaustion

Let’s hear it for EFY.

A Brand New Year January 18, 2009

This Wednesday, the youth in our stake had a huge joint activity where we all watched a broadcast from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City featuring Elder Jeffrey R. Holland & Elaine S. Dalton. The 2009 worldwide theme for the youth of the church is to be an example of the believers. The youth have been encouraged by the First Presidency of the church to do 3 things: read the Book of Mormon for five minutes every day, pray daily and to smile. At this same activity, each of us was assigned a page or two to read from the Book of Mormon. We all collectively read the entire Book or Mormon in seven minutes!  🙂  Beat that!

And the biggest shock this week – I was released from my calling in the Young Women’s presidency! In fact, our entire presidency was released. You know when you can feel it coming?  It’s still so strange and I feel somewhat directionless.  The girls are blessed to have an awesome prez coming in w/Kim, Mindi and Jamie.  We all had opportunities to bear our testimonies in Sacrament Meeting today and I’m so glad we did – I had really wanted to.  It’s been an absolute privilege to serve the amazing girls in our ward – I have needed them as much as they’ve needed me.  I really have thought twice about what type of example I’d be setting for them, so they’ve helped me be a better version of myself.  We really have had awesome memories together.  I love you, girls!!!

Okay, so what do you do with yourself once you’re released from a momentous dream calling?  Advice, please!

Photos by Alexei

New Young Women’s Value – Virtue December 7, 2008

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints recently announced a new value to the Young Women’s theme – virtue.  For the official letter dated November 28, 2008, click here.

From the official church website, ‘”Virtue is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. It encompasses chastity and moral purity.” The time has come for the young women of the Church to lead the world in a return to virtue. This is the time to be pure and to qualify for the guidance of the Holy Ghost.’

The Young Women’s theme is recited by Latter-day Saint girls aged 12-18 each Sunday across the world.  Here is the updated version:

“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.”

For the official press release, visit www.lds.org.

General Conference October 5, 2008

The first weekend in October, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all over the world gather to hear the words of the General Authorities of the church, living prophets and apostles, at General Conference. Conference is held at the magnificent Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah and brings people from far and wide to worship – a Mormon Mecca of sorts.

If you’d like a breath of fresh air and much needed perspective with all that’s going on in the world, you’re welcome to watch Conference online at www.lds.org. So far we have been spiritually nourished by messages of Christ, gratitude, living now, unity, faith and encouragement. Transcripts will be available next week at www.lds.org.

Church History Museum August 17, 2008

This week, Tim and I had a chance to be chaperons at Youth Conference.  Our first day, we had a National Treasure hunt that started at the Church History Museum on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  Here are some of our favorite memories:

Holding onto the Iron Rod on the path to the Tree of Life.  L to R: Candice, Tim, Quinton, Brady, Liz & our resident Brazilian, Manuel.

Brady standing next to a replica of the framing of the Salt Lake City tabernacle supporting the impressive roof without any pillar support – a whopping 9 feet across!

One of the highlights of the visit was spent in the kids area.  Here they are rubbing the CTR symbol in multiple languages including Arabic, Korean and Cambodian.

My impressive rubbing skills.

Liz, me & Candice sitting in chairs intended for littler people.

An impressive three dimensional painting of the prophet Joseph Smith.  The real-live arches added a lot!

“I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It” August 9, 2008

Driving home, I heard “I Kissed a Girl and I Liked it” by Katy Perry on the radio. If you haven’t heard the song yet, here are some of the racy lyrics:

“I got so brave, drink in hand / Lost my discretion / Just wanna try u on / I’m curious for you
I kissed a girl and I liked it / I kissed a girl just to try it / It felt so wrong / It felt so right
No I don’t even know your name / It doesn’t matter / You’re my expiramental game / Just human nature
Us girls we are so magical / Soft skin, red lips, so kissable / Hard to resist so touchable / Too good to deny it / Ain’t no big deal, it’s innocent”

Before I say anything, please know I have a tremendous amount of respect for individuals who choose alternative lifestyles. It is everyone’s choice and prerogative which I respect. I have also been blessed to know many such people who are remarkable, talented and dear friends.

Here were the messages I heard in this song:

1. If you’re bored or curious, go for it.
2. Feel free to experiment on strangers
3. It’s innocent and human nature, why not?

This song plays on radio stations that are listened to by young, impressionable girls, many of whom don’t listen to the lyrics and just like the beat. This is a catchy song. Have you ever noticed that you’ll hear a song on the radio a few times and realize you know all the words? These things are internalized by the subconscious mind whether we realize it or not.

I am earnestly concerned for young people who listen to this song and accept the messages being fed to them that it’s okay to do whatever you want and that there are no consequences for your actions.

What do you think?

Rob and Stacy’s Wedding July 13, 2008

Last week, we drove to San Francisco for our good friends’ Rob Arao and Stacy Evanson’s wedding. We have known Rob for years, ever since he was baptized in Vancouver. He moved to Utah within the last year, having felt like he should be there. After going through several bad relationships, he hit the jackpot with Stacy. They both have such tender hearts and are a perfect match! They were married at the Oakland temple.

Stacy lived in Oakland for several years and before she’d even met Rob, knew exactly where she would have her wedding reception – a beautiful place at the top of a mountain called the Brazilian Room. We had the honor of sitting at the table next to theirs with Rob’s aweome family from Canada – we were the proud Canadian Corner! (Tim being an honorary Canadian of course)

After the ring exchange, Stacy had prepared some beautiful thoughts to share with Rob which moved him to tears.

Rob’s father had some excellent marriage advice for the new couple, including “falling in love many times – with the same person.”

Joseph Smith The Prophet April 29, 2008

This Saturday night, our friend Collette was performing “Joseph Smith The Prophet” at the Tabernacle on Temple Square. While we went to support her, Tim and I were astounded at the caliber of music we heard. Similar to Music and the Spoken Word, produced by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir each Sunday morning, Joseph Smith The Prophet consisted of orchestration, narration, soloists with a powerful choir to back them up. The Spirit was felt in abundance and I was in tears for the first half of the performance.

We later learned that this musical masterpiece was composed and conducted by young Rob Gardner who, with little formal musical training, possessed a tremendous testimony to share of the Prophet Joseph.

Early this morning I looked online for the CD and found Spire Music, a non-profit organization co-founded by Gardner with this vision: “…Music has an unparalleled ability to teach, uplift, edify and inspire. Our hope is to discover gifted individuals: composers, vocalists, instrumentalists, arrangers, lyricists, etc., and to give them the opportunity to use their talents to write and give voice to new, superior music of a sacred or inspiring nature. To paraphrase Spencer W. Kimball, our mission is to “strive for perfection—the best and greatest—and never [be] satisfied with mediocrity,” seeking out those “[who will] give life and feeling and true perspective to a subject so worthy.”

This performance redirected my focus and reminded me of the music within that I yearn to share and the responsibility that is mine. A heartfelt thank you to all the musicians who shared their music with us. It has been years since I have felt music bring the Spirit so powerfully.

Truly we were inspired.

Spire Music – http://www.spiremusic.org

Easter Weekend March 23, 2008

Last night, Tim and I experienced the most authentic Chinese and Japanese food since being in Utah! Fortune Cookie restaurant is at 3728 W 13400 S Suite 107 in Riverton – 801-302-1366. OH MY GOSH, their food was incredible! Tim swears their shrimp and vegetable tempura was the best he’s ever had and for me – well, it felt like I was home again. Apparently they are originally from Hong Kong – it’s no wonder I love it so much! Might I recommend the shrimp and snow pea dish – their shrimp is absolutely perfect. Oh and another thing – I saw Chinese people dining there also – always a good sign.

We left extremely full and satisfied, picked up Cadbury mini eggs in royal dark chocolate (though a big dark choc fan, I prefer the milk chocolate ones) and rented Sabrina with Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond. If you haven’t seen it before, I highly recommend it. The tale of an ugly duckling, Sabrina spends a season in Paris and comes back transformed, turning her old world upside down. It’s one of Tim’s new favorite movies 🙂 and one of the best we’ve seen in a while.

Greg Olsen Painting of Christ

We also read several accounts of the Savior’s crucifixion and subsequent resurrection in the New Testament last night. I also happened upon a brilliant General Conference talk by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve entitled Sunday Will Come about how the Resurrection blesses us individually. So happy Easter, everyone! May we always remember Him.