Eveveryone has a story. As we share those stories - others grow. The most extraoridnary stories come from the "ordinary" members (like you and me). Whether your story is long or short please feel free to submit it. (Your name can be with held if you would prefer)
How Can We Come Home From A Mission… And leave all these people here?
Bob and Marion Parkins
If anyone had told us a few years ago that we would be spending 15 months in Texas on a wonderful mission for the church, we would have laughed our heads off.
But after 15 months in this foreign land of Texas, we have come to appreciate serving the Lord and his people. Foreign land, you say! To come to this tropical paradise of the Rio Grande Valley, yes, it has been foreign.
There are three languages spoken extensively here, Spanish, English and Texan, all with a Mexican flavor.
Our stories of the generosity of these people, in every way, will last us a lifetime.
The Calling that Changed My Life …Wasn’t My Calling
In the 24 years since I returned from my mission I have had callings in Sunday School, Young Men, Elders Quorum, Ward Mission Leader, Primary and Clerk. Looking back there is no doubt that the one calling that changed my life the most wasn’t my calling – in fact I am not sure what the official title of this Sister’s calling even was.
When my parents were married it was easier for my mother to down play her Mormon back ground. My father’s family was strong in their church – so as babies all of us kids were baptized. Shortly after my parents were married we moved to Dawson City, Yukon. The nearest branch was in Whitehorse five hours away.
By the time I entered school we had moved to Nobleford, Alberta. In the Nobleford school there were zero members of the church. Since my mom didn’t drive – we didn’t go to any church – and that was fine with me. Occasionally we would go to church in Magrath when one of my Uncles or Aunt left or reported on their mission. Once a year we would even make the long drive (20 minutes) to Picture Butte to attend church. These hit and miss trips were boring to me – and I did not look forward to them. (Looking back it was like I was a visitor every time – hard to feel comfortable being a visitor).
When I was in Grade 6 my mom’s cousin moved to Nobleford. Sometime in the spring mom told me that Penny was going to take us to church every Thursday after school. What? I knew this was going to be bad – all my friends at school hated their church’s catechism – and I knew this would be just as bad. I wasn’t a Mormon – I had been baptized into Dad’s church as a baby – wasn’t that good enough? Looking back I wonder why my dad didn’t vetoed this primary thing.
Wearing Masks:
Mark Watson is a school teacher turned public speaker. Mark shares principles about the Masks we wear. Why would any of us wear a mask? There are things we don’t want others to know about us.
Unconditional love is the remedy to the masks that we wear.
When I heard Mark present this session two years ago, it changed how I looked at the world.
Through the course of several emails this week Dianne LaFreniere of Kimberly BC shared her father’s conversion story. As I read and re-read the story I was in awe of how Brother Harley Dovell came to join the church because of the loss of the three family members in less than a year. Years ago a friend of mine told me that he was grateful that he had had cancer – because it made him slow down his life and in that process he found the gospel. (I wasn’t nearly so grateful he had cancer when he died two years later from the disease).
I have a homework assignment for anyone who reads this article.
Click here to find out what your homework assignment is - and how listing your trials can help you take better inventory of your blessings today.
Sara Lyn Baril
Using Her Musical Gift to Bless Others
I talked to Sara while putting this article together.
Her enthusiasm for her music is contagious – I have never heard
one of her songs (except off the website). Next time I am in the
book store I know what I want to buy.
When asked why she was working so hard at writing and
promoting her music, Sara’s answer said she wanted to use
her music to share her testimony of the gospel.
From the saralynbaril.com website we learn the following about this talented composer
Click here to read more about how Sara got her music career started. Read about Sara's 2007 Alberta tour
Wayne Burton: Sharing the Gift of Music
Wayne Burton is a medical doctor in Lethbridge. However, in his “spare time” he has written, sang, and produced three inspirational music CDs.
His currently has three CDs out, they are:
Closer to Heaven
The Quest
Becoming
Question:
I see that you have 3 cds out...do you have songs out as part of other cds as well?
Answer:
I've done three albums of my own, the most recent being "Becoming" which was released late last year. I really enjoy contributing to other projects and have had songs on several other albums. I like to submit to compilation albums of groups that I'm a member of, like ldsmusicians.com. I've also done music for Becky Garrett and have another song in the works for a youth album and a Christmas album in Utah.
Question:
When did you start singing - when did you first get the idea of taking it to the next level and get it published?
For more information on Wayne Burton see his website: www.wayneburton.com
Canadian Mormons Profiled.
Ben Cahoon
Montreal Alouettes Getting Headlines For Football Play on the Field
And Upholding his
Standards off the Field
Church Member Ben Cahoon is a peculiar football player in professional sports. Prior to the 2002 Grey Cup there were numerous articles about Ben Cahoon and how his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints made him a different football player.
This year the ten year CFL veteran Ben Cahoon continues getting headlines for his play. In July he got headlines for a new reason. With the team’s kicker ejected from the game, Ben came in and kicked the winning field goal in overtime. Cahoon admitted his hand was shaking as he placed the tee on the ground before the play. It was his first field-goal attempt ever in a game.
In August three sessions of Especially For Youth were held in Canada. Two sessions were held in Calgary and one in Vancouver. Every year hundreds of youth come home from this one week youth conference with stronger testimonies, a determination to do what they know is right. I asked my sixteen year old son Spencer to list some of the highlights of EFY – so others can get a glimpse of what the youth were taught. As I read his three page article I was “wowed” by things I read. The principles taught can be used by us aging adults – but it is wonderful to know that our youth have been instructed and taught these principles.
I had so much fun at EFY.
by Spencer Ficiur (age 16)
I got lots of ideas about scripture study from devotionals and the testimony meeting was so powerful. It's so much easier to be a righteous youth when you realize that there are other youth out there that share your beliefs and EFY helps me realize, each year.
Modest wedding gowns became very hard to find from any bridal companies. Very few companies had one dress that was temple ready.
We had three daughters who would one day go to a prom and get married. As parents we all want our daughters to look beautiful (and modest) on these special occasions. When it came time for our girls to have these gowns we never found one dress that was modest. For each one we had to remake it to fit modesty and temple standards.
I participated in church sporting programs. I was about 13 at the time . I was living with my grandfather in Medicine Hat. It was not Church Scouting that we were involved but church sporting activities like the movie "Church Ball ". We were invited out to participate in flag football.
After numerous attempts to meet with missionaries, myself and two other friends took up their invitations to be taught. All three of us were baptized.
Question:
When did you start drawing temples? Why did you choose temples?
Answer:
I started temple drawing of the Cardston temple when I served as a bishopric member in 1997.
The reason was that we the bishopric got many wedding invitations to celebrate the young adults commitment to one another in the House of the Lord. I did not have financial means to buy presents to everyone who send an invitation to me. I decided to draw the temple which I could make prints to give away as presents.
When Alexander B. Morrison joined the church in Edmonton, his Branch President was N. Eldon Tanner and his Sunday School Teacher was Hugh B. Brown. Before being called as a General Authority Brother Morrison served as a Deputy Minister of Health in Ottawa.
BYU Hawaii Professor Driving the Back roads of Western Canada studying and visiting the Hutterite People
Officially Max Stanton is an American – he was raised in Oregon and taught 25 years at BYU Hawaii. However, over the last 20 years he has traveled more of the back roads of Canada than most Canadians – as part of his research – his work and his love.
As a professor of Anthropology, Dr. Stanton began to study the Hutterite people. Just over twenty years ago Dr. Max Stanton, Anthropology Professor at BYU Hawaii made his first visit to a Hutterite Colony. He asked someone at church in Cardston where the nearest colony was. “You can’t miss it,” was the reply and the directions were given.
For those who know Max Stanton there is an irony in this first visit to a colony. Over the last twenty years Max has driven all the dirt roads visiting colonies near and far. He has developed an exact mapping system of where every colony is. When you mention a colony’s name he will now the small towns they are near. Ironically twenty years ago when Max Stanton went out to visit his first Hutterite Colony he got lost.
Every Thursday my brother and I got a ride from Penny all the way to Picture Butte to attend Primary. There I found the surprise of my life – this wasn’t boring – it was actually a fun place to be. Penny must have had the same calling the next school year – so we kept going with her. Even though I was already 12 – I kept going to Primary – because I had a ride in. These people cared about me. The Scout leader promised he would find a way to get me to Scouts for Grade 8 – and I think he would have if we hadn’t moved to Lethbridge that year.
I don’t remember what Penny’s calling was – I suspect she was a teacher – but I don’t remember ever having anything to do with her. All I know is that before she offered to drive us to Primary – I wasn’t a Mormon. After a year of going to Primary – I knew I wanted to be a Mormon – even if I had to wait to be baptized.
Today, 34 years later my parents, their 3 children, 14 grandchildren and 2 great – grand children are in the church. It all started with Penny’s simple question “Would you like me to give your boys a ride to Primary?”
www.johnchanart.com
Studying the Stars Has Strengthened Testimony
Profile of Kathleen Moncrieff
Kathleen Moncrieff is studying for her Ph. D. in Astronomy at St. Mary’s University in Halifax. After earning her Bachelor and Master’s degree from BYU – Kathleen is one of six (?) members of the Church at a university of 8000 students. Growing up she was fascinated by the stars. “Studying them is what I wanted to do before I knew it was something you could do for a living.”
The following are some of her thoughts on Astronomy, University and the gospel.
-What about Pluto? (In 2006 the planet Pluto was demoted to the status of a dwarf planet…in plain English I wanted an explanation.) Kathleen explained “Pluto did not have the characteristics of the 8 other planets. It was okay to call Pluto a planet until we found other ‘Dwarf Planets’ out there. If the criteria for being a planet didn’t change – there would have to be 50 planets. Re-labeling Pluto as a Dwarf Planet was easier.”
-How has studying astronomy changed your testimony? Kathleen said
“There is so much order in the universe. It is incredible how patterns are followed on a large and small scale. For life on Earth to exist on a macro and micro scale everything has been so fine tuned. An example: If we didn’t have Jupiter out there where it is in space deflecting asteroids as it does, we might not have an the Earth as good as it is. We need all 8 planets and the comets and the asteroids exactly where they are so life can exist here on Earth.”
Looking back at her years at BYU – Kathleen made a list of 7 things she learned there – all of which we can all apply to our lives wherever we are:
A Parent’s Experience at The Missionary Training Center
(Also Known as the
Mother Torture Center)
By Rob Ficiur
On February 20, 2008 at 11:00 am we took our third born son Brian to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. It was the fourth time in my life I had been at the MTC – and as we sat there I realized that there are some people who have never been there for this experience.
Back on February 25, 1982 when I entered the MTC there were no tears and no fears. I was excited to go on a mission. Was I suppose to get worried and cry? I was too excited to know that. Even as I said goodbye to my parents I didn’t realize then how hard it was for parents to say goodbye. We spent a month in that hallowed center working harder than I had ever worked in my life. There were so many spiritual experiences as we learned (memorized) the discussions, shared testimonies and sang.
Fast Forward 26 years.
As Brian prepared to be our third missionary son, someone said that this was getting to be rather routine for our family. My response was “No. Each one of these missionaries is a miracle. Each of our missionaries has gone through trials and testimony building experiences that has led him to this point.”
Lyn Larsen has been writing poems, dialogues or plays all her life. When she submitted one of her stories to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series – she was told she would be notified within 4 years if her submission was accepted. To make a long story short – her submission has been accepted. The book will be out for Christmas.
Spencern and his tribe reenact Lehi's journey in the wilderness.
Moroni’s Quest –
the Book of Mormon came to life.
17 year old Spencer Ficiur describes what he learned and what he felt at the Medicine Hat Stake’s Youth Conference .
“Later that day, I got to be one of the Stripling Warriors along with my brother. [They were sent off to fight the Lamanites. Each of the boys selected was sent off by their mother.] It’s difficult to explain the power of these re-enactments, but the mothers of the Stripling Warriors couldn’t help but cry when their sons left for battle, even though they knew it was a re-enactment. [In typical teenage fashion the boys ran off with enthusiasm while their mother’s wept. As an observer it was a powerful reenactment – though it lasted only five minutes – the feeling continues.].
“Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,
in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.” (3 Nephi 11:7)
We heard this said to us three times and then, from amongst the trees, we saw Him coming down the hill. Even though most people knew it was really the stake president, lots of people have said that it was really Jesus Christ because it was so powerful. As he came closer the whole crowd kneeled down, without saying anything. You couldn’t look anywhere without seeing someone crying. He walked around and He lifted each of us to our feet. After blessing His disciples He left and the disciples taught the people. Later on Sunday we had a big sacrament/testimony meeting. The testimonies people bore were really powerful.
