2013
Emerald Skye from Hawaii
January 2013


“Emerald Skye from Hawaii,” Friend, Jan. 2013, 18–19

Friends around the World

Emerald Skye from Hawaii

From an interview by Amie Jane Leavitt

Aloha, friends!

Have you ever seen a penny lying on the ground and passed it by? Maybe it didn’t seem like it was worth enough to make a difference. Maybe you have felt that way sometimes too—like you are too small to make a difference. This is Emerald Skye F., and she wants to tell you that everyone is valuable. Everyone can make a difference!

My friends Hoku, Minami, Sophia, Eden, Jane, and I wanted to help kids in other parts of the world, so we collected lots of pennies and sent them to an organization that builds schools. I felt happy because helping others is something Heavenly Father wants us to do. And I learned that even something as small as a penny can help others.

My name is perfect for me. First of all, my birthstone is an emerald. I also have ancestors from Ireland, which is known as the “Emerald Isle.” One of my favorite movies is The Wizard of Oz, which has an “Emerald City.” Finally, I live on an island that is as green as an emerald.

My favorite building on the island of Oahu, where I live, is the Laie Hawaii Temple. I got to visit the temple open house before it was rededicated. I felt happy because I’d never been inside the temple before.

When I grow up, I want to be a graphic designer, a modest-clothing fashion designer, or maybe an ice-cream taster. I want to do more service projects too—maybe helping endangered pandas or earning money for cancer research. For now, I will keep doing what I love: swimming, riding my bike, and spending time with family and friends.

Top left: photograph by Adam Palmer; right: temple photograph by Amie Jane Leavitt; family photograph by Dr. D. Errol Miller; other photographs courtesy of the family