What's Next For Our Seniors?

We will miss these girls, but are so excited for them, as they leave home for new adventures! It will be wonderful to continue to see these young women grow! 

Here are some fun facts and future plans for our Seniors!

Emily Fischvogt

Attending Indiana University

Work-a-holic

Enjoys unhealthy food

Wants to study apparel merchandizing and business management

Wants to live in New York City or San Francisco and work as a fashion buyer or a textile buyer for a clothing business

Aleese Thomas

Attending BYU-Provo

Loves musical theater-performing and watching (also her planned major)

Loves to read and write

Favorite candy is Twix

Obsessed with Disney and Harry Potter

Favorite color is purple

Favorite author is Brandon Sanderson

Loves kids

Favorite movies are the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Loves to do hair and makeup

Aubrey Vincent

Attending BYU-Provo

Not sure what she wants to study

Planning on going on a mission after her freshman year of college

Wants to travel the world when she is older

Favorite colors are red and green...but not together

Likes all kinds of music

Loves food!!! Mostly her moms cooking

Loves to read and watch movies

Played trombone for 6 years and euphonium for 4 years

Considers naps to be very important

Read all of the Work and the Glory books except for the last one because she didn't want the series to end

Favorite person in the Book of Mormon (other than Jesus Christ) is Captain Moroni 

Likes musicals

Favorite scripture is somewhere in D&C but she isn't really know where...

Likes long walks in general (not necessarily on the beach)

Jenessa Vincent 

Attending BYU-Provo

Loves any milk/dark chocolate dessert

Loves the outdoors

Loves to travel and see and experience new things

Loves to play sports

Loves her family and friends

Loves quality time

Loves to bake

Micah Shoaf
Attending Utah State University
Majoring in Math/Stats education
Favorite foods are chicken, fettuccine alfredo and Hershey's chocolate bars
Loves doing anything sports related
Also, loves to hang out and watch movies
Favorite books are the Hunger Games Trilogy (read all of them 5-7 times)
Favorite movie is Hot Rod
Wants to be a high school math teacher but most of all a wife and mother

July-Book of Mormon Class Recap

"The War Chapters" -Alma 43-63

In many ways, we are under attack from the forces of evil in a similar way that the Nephites were under attack from the Lamanites.  As we study these chapters, we can learn from great examples, such as Captain Moroni, Pahoran, and Helaman and his young soldiers—lessons that will help us stay safe and secure. We can learn the price of contention and the power of righteous unity.  We can see the result of keeping covenants and the blessings that can flow from being true in whatever circumstances we face. We can see the blessings of gospel-centered homes, and gain increased appreciation for the Lord’s closeness to His chosen servants in times of difficulty and trial.

These chapters can and should be studied with a mind geared towards application to our lives today.   This statement from George Albert Smith helps us remember whose side we are on and why we need to be so careful in staying in safe and friendly territory:

“There is a division line well defined that separates the Lord’s territory from Lucifer’s. If we live on the Lord’s side of the line, Lucifer cannot come there to influence us, but if we cross the line into his territory, we are in his power. By keeping the commandments of the Lord, we are safe on His side of the line, but if we disobey His teachings we voluntarily cross onto the zone of temptation and invite the destruction that is ever present there” (George Albert Smith; Improvement Era, May 1935, 278).

Chapter 58 is one of my most favorite chapters in the entire Book of Mormon.  It lays out a pattern of hope, faith, peace, and assurances of deliverance to the righteous in all situations we may face.  If you have a chance read it again, while applying it to your circumstances.  I love this quote from Gene R Cook:

“It may be that the Nephites hoped for a miracle. Maybe they wanted angels to come to deliver them, as had happened a time or two in the Old Testament. But what did they receive? The Lord gave them assurance, peace, faith, and hope. He didn’t directly destroy their enemies, but he did give them the gifts they needed so they could deliver themselves. …

“In other words, the Lord put inside these men the will and the power to do what they desired—to begin with a strong resolve and then to see it through. After their prayer was answered, the Nephites went on to secure their liberty.

“When the Lord instills hope and faith and peace and assurance in people, they can bring great things to pass. This, then, is often what we should look for when we ask for help—not a miracle to solve our problem for us, but a miracle inside, to help us come to the solution ourselves, with the Lord’s help and the Lord’s power” (Receiving Answers to Our Prayers [1996], 156–57).

Such powerful lessons are learned in these wars chapters in Alma!!

August Presidency Message

What would you do if you knew you had the power to put into place in your life more happiness, more peace, more spirituality, more abundance in our crops, and more peace and security in our nation?  And that’s just for starters!!  What would you do if you knew these things were absolutely available to you with only one small commitment on your part?  I think most of us would say, “Show me how!!  I want those things in my life!  Tell me what to do and I’ll do it!” 

These blessings…and more…are ours.  The Lord has promised them to us, and He keeps His promises.  So, what is the magical thing we can do to have such amazing blessings come into our lives?  It is simply to keep the Sabbath Day holy.  That’s it!  Recently our Prophet and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have been alarmed that we as a people are not observing this basic commandment.  We are adopting the ways of the world too much in this area.  They are pleading with us to renew our commitment to observing this eternal commandment.  They know how closely linked the Lord’s protection and temporal blessings are to this principle.

Pres. Gordon B Hinckley has said:  “[We have a] tendency to take on the ways of the world.  We don’t adopt them immediately, but we slowly take them on, unfortunately. I wish I had the power to convert this whole Church to the observance of the Sabbath. I know our people would be more richly blessed of the Lord if they would walk in faithfulness in the observance of the Sabbath”

Please turn to your scriptures and study what the Lord has had to say about the Sabbath Day.  You will be hearing a lot more about it in church in the next few weeks.  And then, do some soul searching and make some new commitments to living this law better and more committed.  I know you will feel the difference in your life, and collectively it will bless us all.

With much love for each of you,

Tracy