2006
What’s Up?
September 2006


“What’s Up?” New Era, Sept. 2006, 36–37

What’s Up?

“It is not enough to know that God lives, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that the gospel is true. We must take the high road by acting upon the knowledge.”
—Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Be Not Deceived,” Ensign, Nov. 2004, 46.

What Kind of Member Missionary Are You?

Do your friends know you’re a Latter-day Saint? How do you let them know you have a testimony? Take this quiz to see how you’re doing on member missionary work.

  1. Your best friend asks you what you did over the weekend. You say:

    1. Oh, you know, the usual—just hung out.

    2. I did some fun stuff on Saturday and went to church with my family on Sunday.

    3. I had a soccer match on Saturday, and then on Sunday at church we had a lesson about serving missions. It made me feel really excited to be a missionary when I get older.

  2. You’re eating lunch at school. The people at your table notice your CTR ring. When they ask what it is, you say:

    1. This is my CTR ring. It stands for “Choose the Right,” and it reminds me to do what the Lord wants me to do.

    2. A lot of kids from my church wear this ring. I like it.

    3. Oh, this is just a church ring. No big deal.

  3. Your friend asks you why you don’t drink iced tea or coffee.

    1. You tell your friend that you just don’t like these drinks.

    2. You let your friend know that it’s against your religion to drink them. Besides, they’re not good for you.

    3. You explain that in the Church we have what’s called the Word of Wisdom, which gives us advice on how to stay healthy.

  4. A girl in your English class has been asking you questions about the Church. You think she might be interested in learning more. What do you do?

    1. Keep answering her questions the best you can, and think about giving her a copy of the Book of Mormon.

    2. Invite her to family home evening at your house.

    3. Ask her to come to church with you or if she would like to meet with the missionaries at your house.

  5. A friend notices a picture of the temple in your living room at home and asks what building it is. You say:

    1. That’s a temple. It’s like a special church building for LDS people.

    2. That’s the temple where my parents got married. Temples are special buildings in my church. Let me tell you more about it.

    3. Oh, that’s a church building.

Calculate your score!

1.

A, 1

B, 2

C, 3

2.

A, 3

B, 2

C, 1

3.

A, 1

B, 2

C, 3

4.

A, 1

B, 2

C, 3

5.

A, 2

B, 3

C, 1

1–5 Super Shy
You’re a Latter-day Saint who’s a little timid to admit it. Shed your shyness, and start trying to share the gospel. Many of your friends need the gospel in their lives! You can do it!

6–10 A Little More Confident
You’re good about letting people know you belong to the Church, but you could share a little more. Be bold, and share the gospel even more with those around you.

11–15 Super Sharer
You’re doing an awesome job of being a member missionary. You’re bold and love to share your testimony. Keep up the good work, and remember to share the gospel with love and compassion!

Coming Next Month …

Do you have a friend who is new to the Church? Then you’ll definitely want to show them next month’s Ensign or Liahona magazine—an edition created especially for new members.

The October issue has answers to questions like “How do I handle the concerns of family members who aren’t LDS?” or “Where do I go for answers to questions I don’t even have yet?”

You can get a copy at your distribution center. You can also see the magazine online in the Gospel Library at www.ldschurch.org.

Living Legend

Katy Mangus was crowned Miss Legend at Oconee County High School’s annual pageant in January 2005. A Laurel in the Athens Second Ward, Athens Georgia Stake, Katy stood out from the other contestants in many ways—but one distinction was the most obvious. Of the 30 contestants who each took the stage in a formal evening gown, Katy was the only one whose dress was modest. When she stood at the microphone to introduce herself and her platform, she explained, “Something that influences our everyday lives—how we feel about ourselves and how we interact with others—is my platform: ‘Making a Difference with Modesty.’”

By choosing to stand for modesty, Katy hoped to set an example for other young people, both in and out of the Church, and to encourage them to take a stand and make a difference through modesty in dress and behavior. She said, “We can influence others for the better by being an example of modesty and setting a higher standard for ourselves.”

Make a Family Flag

Here’s a great family project that can help you learn more about your family history, and you’ll have a lot of fun doing it. Do some planning and designing, and then gather the items you’ll need to make a family flag: scissors and sewing materials, glue, different colors of cloth, maybe some paints, and a flag pole or stick.

How to Do It

  • Discuss the project with your family members and get their ideas on what should be part of your family flag.

  • Do some family history research so you can include symbols of important events.

  • Sit down with your family and design the flag on paper.

  • Write out an explanation of the flag’s design and significance.

  • Have fun putting the flag together with your family.

Illustration by Steve Kropp

Photograph courtesy of the Mangus family