FYI:
For Your Information

Eagle Pact

Eight young men of the Cleveland Ward, Kingwood Texas Stake, decided to all get their Eagles before the age deadline made several of them ineligible. They made a decision to work and accomplish this goal together. Only tragedy interfered with their goal.

All eight boys were active in key roles in school, sports, and at church. They were all on target progressing toward their Eagles. Stanley Neal, one of the group, died. The remaining seven, although shaken, regrouped and worked harder than ever. Then Andrew Fager and Michael Tompkins drowned on a family outing. Both boys had only to complete their Eagle projects to earn their badges. Five boys and their leader were grief stricken to lose their good friends. They had made a pledge, and these tragedies seemed to spur them on. They all submitted their applications together. Benny Dale, Raymond Hebert, Lance Hill, Allan Neal, and L. Paul Stinson earned their Eagles.

What a Girl!

Ann Galbraith of the Xenia Ward, Dayton Ohio East Stake, started seventh grade with a bang. She was selected as student of the month. She is the seventh-grade choir accompanist and earned straight A’s in her classes.

In addition, Ann has also taken first place three years in a row in her school’s Young Author Contest. She enjoys writing stories and poems.

A Net For Gail

Gail Share of the New Port Richey Ward, St. Petersburg Florida Stake, is on her way to being a volleyball champion. Gail gained a spot as a starter on her high school team and is proving indispensable. She concentrates so hard on her game that team members can hear her giving herself instructions out loud. In addition, Gail is a starter on the varsity basketball team.

Gail is also an honor student and is serving as the seminary president of her early-morning seminary class.

Standout Michelle

Michelle Lynn Carter dominates the floor whether playing volleyball or basketball for her school. From Anaheim, California, Michelle was voted Most Valuable Player by her teammates on the varsity volleyball team and was honored by being placed on the All-Orange League Team, selected by area coaches.

Michelle also averages 19 points a game for her basketball team.

Michelle is active in church activities as well, while maintaining high grades. She is serving as president of her Mia Maid class in the Anaheim Third Ward, Anaheim California Stake.

Let’s Dance

When the Livingston Branch of the Kingwood Texas Stake put on a dance, it was a new page in their history.

The branch, with a total membership of 59, had never sponsored a stake activity, so the Mutual decided to remedy the situation and sponsor the next stake dance. They decorated the multipurpose room, planned refreshments, and sent out invitations. When the night came, more than double the expected number attended. It was a good night for dancing in Livingston.

Teen Beauty

Jan Taylor of the Burley Third Ward, Burley Idaho Stake was selected as Idaho Miss T.E.E.N. In addition to winning the title, Jan won first place in the talent competition for her piano solo. In the national pageant, Jan placed third in the talent competition and did well in her volunteer service project. She chaired and organized a reading Olympics for the March of Dimes.

Jan is the secretary of her Laurel class.

Fireside Montana Style

A Super Fireside including everything from dancing to milking cows was planned and carried out by the youth of the Bozeman First Ward, Bozeman Montana Stake.

With a core group of about 15 youth doing the planning and organizing, all of the youth from the Bozeman and Helena Montana stakes were invited.

The event began with a roast beef dinner followed by a speaker. The older youth pushed back the tables for a dance, while the deacons and Beehives traveled to another location for get-to-know-you games and a magic show.

Early the next morning, the group assembled dressed in work clothes for the day’s activities. After breakfast and an early-morning speaker, the group departed for the stake dairy, the largest dairy in the Gallatin Valley.

Assignments were made for the service project. Some painted the siding on one of the homes. Some helped put up fence. Others painted the calf pens, and the lucky ones got to clean out the barn. With a few paint and water fights, the work was finished in time for lunch in the hayloft. It had been a great success for both the youth and those they served.

National Explorer Olympics

Lehi Second Ward of the Mesa Arizona Lehi Stake shared first-place honors at the National Explorer Olympics with a post from Indianapolis, Indiana.

The young men of the Lehi Second Ward defeated 500 state participants in the Arizona Explorer Olympics. They came out on top over 5,000 other Scouts at the national competition.

In the Saddle

Girls in the Idaho Falls Idaho East Stake, working for their Summiteer Award in the Young Women camp program, mounted horses and headed for Dead Horse Point on a riding adventure.

For most, riding horses on mountain trails with a sleeping bag tied on behind was a new experience. After receiving instructions on the care of her horse (each girl was expected to brush, saddle, bridle, feed, and hobble her assigned horse during the trip), they headed into the mountains. Past camp experience prepared them for making camp with a minimum of equipment, but long hours in the saddle had the girls discovering new, untested muscles.

After maneuvering up a steep trail to a site appropriately named Dead Horse Point, the group was treated to a spectacular view of the Teton Range from the summit.

At the end of the three days, the girls and their leaders were becoming accustomed to the skills needed to ride the mountain trails. With rain threatening, the group broke camp, loaded the horses, and headed home from an adventure that brought them closer together and left them confident of their abilities to survive and enjoy the outdoors.

Desert Blossoms

The El Centro California Stake hosted a regional Young Adult conference stressing the theme “Ye Shall Find Me.” With the whole desert as a backdrop, the young people got together for some fun on the sandy hills. They enjoyed exploring; playing volleyball, football, and frisbee; as well as trying an impromptu game of golf in one big sand trap.

The group met at the stake center for a series of workshops and a devotional. The workshops stressed such topics as coming to know Christ through service, learning to communicate, teaching children, and learning more about their own potential.

The workshops were followed by an evening of square dancing with the local police chief calling the dance. They feasted on Mexican food and used up their excess energy.

The conference concluded with Relief Society and Priesthood meetings and a testimony meeting in which many of the young adults talked about their testimonies and the importance of the youth programs in their lives.

Top Student

Virginia Kotter, known as “Ginny” to her family and friends, was honored by being selected as valedictorian at Wheaton High School, where she was a student leader and a member of several vocal choruses. Ginny was also president of her Beehive, Mia Maid, and Laurel classes. Ginny is a member of the Colesville Ward, Silver Spring Maryland Stake.

Active in Paradise

Scott M. Lewis of the Las Vegas 27th Ward, Las Vegas Paradise Stake, is a busy young man. He is one of the stake youth specialists in charge of planning the youth conference. He keeps up his grades while working in the evenings and attending early-morning seminary. He was also elected to the teen board of a local shopping mall, which requires him to model fashions from several men’s stores at special showings.

While earning his Eagle badge, Scott discovered a love of scuba diving. His other hobbies include water and snow skiing, camping, and playing baseball.

Scott’s sister, Jennifer, is an excellent student and a member of the Honor Society. She has had to work hard because she is deaf and has chosen to attend a regular junior high school. Her best subjects are math and computer science, and she enjoys programming her home computer. She participates in swim meets, volleyball, and softball. She enjoys attending Mutual and especially likes the service projects.

Jennifer is a good pianist and has received several awards for her art work. She spent much of her summer working at a preschool for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

111 Miles by Canoe

Scouts and leaders from the Elk Grove Third Ward, Sacramento California South Stake, navigated 111 miles of the Sacramento River by canoe. The six-day trip allowed the young men to earn merit badges and several awards including the 50-Miler Award and the river runner’s patch.

Although no severe rapids were encountered, there was enough fast water and whirlpools to make the trip exciting. Each night a campsite was set up on the river bank, where the Scouts worked toward cooking, camping, canoeing, nature, swimming, pioneering, and wilderness survival merit badges. The group made special stops at a state historical park and at a fish ladder, adding to the excitement of the trip.

Scouts found opportunities to use their knowledge of knots and lashing when they erected makeshift sails to take advantage of the north wind that blew for two days.

His Brother’s Keeper

Through his knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and heart massage, Paul Reay, 16, of Provo, Utah, was able to save the life of his ten-month-old baby brother.

The baby, David, pulled himself into the bathtub, pulled the stopper closed, and turned on both the hot and cold water. Minutes later five-year-old Donnie discovered the baby, who was blue and floating face down, and pulled him out of the tub. Donnie ran to get his older brother, Paul.

Paul started working on the baby and called an ambulance. The baby started breathing after about 30 seconds. Paul learned these lifesaving techniques when he took a first-aid class required before he could join the local ski patrol.

Paul is a member of the Oak Hills Third Ward, Provo Utah Sharon East Stake.

New YW Counselors

Two counselors to Ardeth G. Kapp, Young Women president, have been announced. Patricia T. Holland of Provo, Utah, and Maurine J. Turley of Bountiful, Utah, have been called as first and second counselors in the general presidency of the Young Women organization.

Ardeth G. Kapp

Patricia T. Holland has served as president of her ward Young Women organization and as Relief Society president and as counselor in her ward Primary presidency. A graduate of Dixie College and Brigham Young University, Sister Holland is a native of St. George, Utah. She is the wife of Brigham Young University President Jeffrey R. Holland. They are the parents of two sons and a daughter.

Patricia T. Holland

Maurine J. Turley has been serving as Young Women president in her Bountiful, Utah, ward. She has served as Laurel adviser, as counselor in a stake Relief Society presidency, and as Spiritual Living teacher. She has also served as a ward choir director. A native of Logan, Utah, she is married to Robert S. Turley, Jr., director of Operational Auditing for the Church. They are the parents of four sons and one daughter and have ten grandchildren.

Maurine J. Turley

Mormonaires

The El Centro California Stake youth have a youth choir, the Mormonaires, under the direction of conductor Paula Smith. The group ranges in age from 12 to 22. They practice weekly and perform at meetings and special gatherings throughout the stake.

Sister Smith recently left the group to serve a mission, but the Mormonaires are keeping the tradition she started.

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.

—Albert Einstein