FYI:
For Your Information

Marinda Gorbahn of Prince George Branch, Canada Vancouver Mission, is making a name for herself as a volleyball player. As captain of her volleyball team, which won the British Columbia Provincial Single A Senior Girls Volleyball championships, Marinda attracted the attention of sports scouts and received invitations to try out for provincial and national teams.

Marinda agreed to participate only if she was not required to practice or play on Sundays. To her amazement, head coaches relented and agreed to accept her, excusing her from Sunday play.

Marinda received an additional honor. Recently 300 outstanding youth from across British Columbia were invited to a special banquet with Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Marinda was chosen to attend.

Marinda has served as president of her Beehive and Mia Maid classes and was counselor in her Laurel class presidency. She is currently teaching Primary.

Rachel Bennett of Sutton Coldfield, England, enjoys dancing and has earned many certificates for her achievements in tap, modern, stage, ballroom, and Latin dancing.

Rachel is finishing her fourth year at Fairfax High School, where she plays the clarinet in the school’s famous wind band.

In addition to her school activities, Rachel serves as secretary to her seminary class.

Over 1,000 seminary students from Orem, Utah, participated in building a replica of the Salt Lake Temple. The project, entitled “Get on the Stick and Read,” was designed to help motivate students to read as part of their seminary assignments. A student could earn a stick by reading a specified amount consisting of several reading assignments. He could then write his name on the stick and attach it to a framework of the temple replica.

Julie Renstrom said, “Seeing my name up there on the temple replica made me want to hurry and read my next assignment so I could see it up there again.” Russell Teichert said, “The project motivated me and several of my friends to read. I think it was good idea.”

The seminary principal said that the project was part of a “Back to Zion” theme for the year. The hope was that by reading the scriptures, the students would become a more spiritual people.

Lon Page and Chrisjonna Lackey were selected as outstanding boy and girl students from Irving Junior High School in Pocatello, Idaho. They were selected on the basis of academic record, leadership, service, and courage.

Chris also served as student-body president while maintaining high grades. She was a cheerleader and peer helper. She was also on the track team and set a city record in the hurdles.

Lon also received the outstanding athlete award for his participation in track, football, wrestling, and basketball.

Chris is a Mia Maid in the Pocatello 10th Ward. Lon is a teacher in the Pocatello 20th Ward. Both are in the Pocatello Idaho Central Stake.

Remember the special issue of the New Era on careers and leadership? Or how about that great one on courtship and marriage? What about the Aaronic Priesthood issue or the special Young Women New Era?

These issues can be an excellent guide for workshops at youth conferences, firesides, or in preparing talks or lessons.

If you have wanted the youth in your ward to have their own copies of these great special issues, it is not too late. Copies of the special issues of the New Era are still available:

Careers—January/February 1985 (PFMA0939)

Young Women Fireside—YW November 1985 (PFMA0859)

Aaronic Priesthood—June 1986 (PFMA0429)

Courtship and Marriage—February 1987 (PFMA0870)

Leadership—June 1977 (no number)

Please send $1.00 for each copy ordered to:

Salt Lake Distribution Center

1999 West 1700 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84104

Make checks payable to “Corporation of the President.” The following states require sales tax on distribution center orders: Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. If you reside in one of these states, please add sales tax to your order.

Jeff Harris of Bremerton, Washington, keeps on top of current events. His habit of reading the newspaper every day helped him take top spot in an area news quiz program. He was selected to compete with two other students from the Puget Sound area, based on his excellent grades on weekly current events tests.

Besides his interest in world events, Jeff enjoys singing, and he received a superior rating in a recent competition. He also had the leading role in a play for ward drama night.

Jeff is the deacons quorum president in the Bremerton Second Ward, Bremerton Washington Stake.

The top four students in Farmington, New Mexico, all happen to be Latter-day Saints. The four, Celesta Flack and William Hansen from the high schools and Kori Christensen and Jeff Knowles from the junior high schools, were chosen for the distinction by the Farmington Elks Lodge.

Selection for the honor was made based on academic performance, service to the community, and involvement in church groups.

Kori is from the Farmington New Mexico Stake, Celesta is from the Kirtland New Mexico Stake, and William and Jeff are from the Bloomfield New Mexico Stake.

Melissa Sherbert served as the student-body president of her high school in Subic Bay, Philippines. Besides her school leadership, she is active in athletics. She was named best defensive player on her volleyball team and most valuable player on her basketball team. She was selected to play on the Philippine Secondary School Athletic Association All-Star Team and on the Far East All-Star Team in Japan.

Melissa sang the female lead in her school’s Christmas musical and is copy editor for her high school yearbook. She also serves as Laurel class president and seminary class president.

Deborah Stuart of the Pittsburgh Fifth Ward, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Stake, likes to help people. She has become a certified Emergency Medical Technician by taking evening classes at a community college while finishing her final year of high school. She passed her state certification and worked with the local emergency medical service. Deb also served as co-editor of her high school’s yearbook and as stage manager for several dramatic productions. She also served as Laurel president in her ward.

Ronda Redding and Teresa Tapp, both from Animas Ward, Duncan Arizona Stake, are each other’s best support. They are active in similar activities and encourage each other in reaching their goals.

Ronda has served as a high school class officer, played on the volleyball and basketball teams, and was a cheerleader. She is serving as secretary in her Laurel class.

Teresa also served as a class officer, played basketball, and was a cheerleader. She was also valedictorian of her graduating class. Both Teresa and Ronda were selected as prom royalty for their high school.

Sets of sisters don’t usually come by the dozen except in the Bennion First Ward, Bennion Utah East Stake.

In the Young Women program, with about 40 girls enrolled, 24 come in sister sets. In many ways it has added a new dimension to the lessons and activities of the Young Women. Older sisters can tell their younger sisters about the importance of sticking with their values and working hard in school. And the younger sisters listen more carefully because they often admire their older sisters and the things they are doing. Sisters not only share wardrobes but also the tears of joy and sorrow that go with growing up.

Brenda Jeppson, the Young Women president, wanted to include all the girls in the Young Women in that sisterly feeling. They launched a secret sister project where each girl was assigned to remember another girl in small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness.

As the year drew to a close, with several Laurels graduating and several new Beehives coming into the program to join their older sisters, the Bennion First Ward still can claim sisters by the dozen.

Athena Dayley of the Vicenza Ward, Venice Italy Stake, is making the world her stage. She has performed the leading role in both community and high school plays and has danced, sung, and acted in supporting roles in other plays. She has been the secretary/treasurer of the International Thespian Society chapter in her school, the secretary of the student body, a cheerleader, and a member of Honor Society.

Athena serves as chorister in her ward and loves to speak and sing in both English and Italian.

Peter Cope of Wednesfield Ward near Wolverhampton, England, has reached Grade VI for the trombone. He plays with his high school band and in concert with the Wolverhampton Music School Band. He has also excelled in sports in Church regional sporting events. He successfully memorized all 40 seminary scriptures for the year.

Maita Rueckauer, 13, of Stuttgart, West Germany, is an avid reader of the scriptures. She reads on a daily basis, “just like the seminary students,” she says. In addition she reads the speeches of the General Authorities in the Conference Reports.

Maita enjoys gymnastics, collecting stamps, and playing the flute and violin. She is the oldest of seven children and helps tend them.