What We Really Think of Youth
“My dear young women, how we love each one of you. We see you courageously arising and shining forth with light in a world where great challenges accompany great opportunities.”
Mary N. Cook, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, “Seek Learning: You Have a Work to Do,” Ensign, May 2012, 120.
Setting Her Sights High
Photographs courtesy of LaNola P.
Robin Hood of Sherwood fame makes it look easy to grab any old curved branch from the forest, wrap a string around both ends, and effortlessly shoot arrows into a target 50 yards off with the makeshift bow.
In reality, that kind of precision often requires mastery of some pretty complex technology on a modern bow. You start coming across terms like stabilizer, sight, clicker, and more. “My friends are sometimes shocked at all the gear,” says LaNola P., a 17-year-old from California with a true talent for archery. “It’s a lot harder than you would think.”
LaNola has been involved in archery since she was six years old, with her dad as her coach and shooting partner. Over the years she’s won competitions and set national archery records. Archery hasn’t been her only focus, however. She keeps the gospel at the heart of all she does, even when that means getting out of bed at 4:00 a.m. to attend 5:25 a.m. seminary. “The gospel allows me to keep things in perspective,” says LaNola. “I know my strength comes from Heavenly Father.”
LaNola has recently been accepted to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. She hopes to compete in the 2016 Olympics. She also plans to continue centering her life on the Savior. As one example, LaNola chooses not to practice on Sundays, a decision many of her athletic peers can’t understand.
“I don’t think it hurts me in any way,” LaNola explains. “It’s my day of rest.”
My Favorite Scripture
Photograph courtesy of Samantha T.
3 Nephi 17:10 “And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.”
I love this scripture because it shows the people’s love for Christ. I really love the whole chapter because, for me, it is the perfect depiction of Christ.
Samantha T., 15, Utah, USA
Tell us about your favorite scripture in a paragraph or two. Send it to us, along with a photo, by going to newera.lds.org and clicking “Submit Material.”
General Young Women Meeting Broadcast
The Young Women general presidency, under the direction of the First Presidency, invites all young women ages 12 to 18, their mothers, and Young Women leaders to attend the general Young Women meeting on Saturday, March 30, 2013.
The theme for the broadcast is “stand ye in holy places, and be not moved” (D&C 87:8).
The meeting will originate from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The live meeting will be broadcast by satellite to meetinghouses worldwide and on the Internet at broadcast.lds.org.
|
Live Broadcast |
Rebroadcast |
|---|---|
|
8 p.m. Eastern time |
10 p.m. Eastern time |
|
7 p.m. Central time |
9 p.m. Central time |
|
6 p.m. Mountain time |
8 p.m. Mountain time |
|
5 p.m. Pacific time |
7 p.m. Pacific time |
Mutual Activity Idea
Ever try eating spaghetti with a drinking straw? If you hold a “mixed-up menu” activity, then you might just get the chance. Here’s the basic approach: young men offer to cook and serve a three-course meal for the young women (or vice versa). Be sure to prepare and serve a tasty meal, but then add a twist with a wacky menu.
By way of planning, have fun coming up with creative and hard-to-guess names for the menu items—including forks, cups, and napkins. For example, a fork could be “Neptune’s Pride” and a drinking straw might be a “Vacuum Vortex.” Come up with 12 such items, including the actual food (a plate of spaghetti might be “Tangled and Tangy”). At the dinner, pass out menus along with a pencil. Tell each person to fill out the whole menu ahead of time by pre-selecting any four items per course.
For the first course, someone might end up with a cup, straw, napkin, and bowl of ice cream, but that’s the whole point! Separate each course by 10 minutes—adding new courses to the old ones—and let the adventure begin. Who knew service could be this fun?
A Missionary-Minded Branch
Photographs courtesy of Joel Flake
In a rural mountain town in Idaho, 12 has become quite the golden number. That’s because in a small branch with only 75 active members, 9 missionaries (8 elders and 1 sister) are serving full-time missions. That adds up to 12 percent of the entire active congregation. Missionary prep is a big deal to this branch, including regular preparation classes. “Serving a mission is the single best decision I’ve ever made,” says Elder Dillon Flake, one of the elders serving from the branch. “It’s the most worthwhile thing I’ve ever done with my life.”
