EchoBlog

Europe West Area: Strengthening youth their goal

HAARLEM, THE NETHERLANDS - Citizens of this coastal Dutch community and surrounding municipalities banded together recently to learn how to deal with problems, different lifestyles and pressures affecting their children. The result was an "information market" where 36 groups, including the LDS Church, displayed materials, offered workshops and provided theme-centered entertainment for more than 650 visitors. The event, held in an LDS meetinghouse, received government support and was covered by local newspapers.

Heading up the committee planning the event was Ineke den Hollander, a member of the Haarlem Ward, who, with several other women from the area, conceived the event. "Those of us on the planning committee wanted to show parents ways to educate and therefore influence their children in dealing with such things as problems in the home and school, drugs, abuse, neglect and violent behavior," Sister den Hollander said.

Pacific Area: Cowley law group founded

HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - The first Latter-day Saint "peer association" group to be established in New Zealand and Australia, the Matthew Cowley Law Foundation, has been organized. The founding meeting, held earlier this year in Hamilton, New Zealand, brought together Church members involved in the practice and study of law.

Describing the inaugural conference, District Court Judge James L. Rota said the establishment of the foundation was a "historic occasion."

The foundation honors the late Elder Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve, a former New Zealand missionary and mission president. He was an attorney who spent 13 years as a lawyer and prosecuting attorney in Salt Lake City.

Elder V. Dallas Merrell of the Pacific Area presidency attended the foundation's inaugural meeting and challenged its members to emulate Elder Cowley's outstanding qualities. "He prepared himself and was involved in professional law; he was a faithful Latter-day Saint and he never compromised."

The 30 registered participants from New Zealand and Australia brought together various stages of experience within the law profession: students, graduates, practitioners and judges.

North America Northwest Area: Descendants reunite

BEAGLE CREEK, ORE. - More than 500 descendants of the Mississippi Saints who crossed the plains in 1846 met in a reunion here June 28-July 4. The reunion was held to renew appreciation for the contribution to their legacy made by the four families, according to Orrin Lay, one of the organizers.

Attending were descendants of Leonard Sampson Lay and William Harvey Lay, among them the Bankhead, Brown and Crosby families.

"The point of doing this was to teach these people what the Church has done for them and for their ancestors," said Brother Lay of the Franklin Park Ward, Boise Idaho Central Stake. Activities included a hay ride, a hillbilly band sponsored by descendant families from Tennessee, many historical displays, and a legacy program.

"This was the first time the Bankhead family had gotten together," said Brother Lay. He said many religions were represented as people came from such states as Connecticut, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, California, Washington, Oregon, Utah and Colorado.

"People went away with an understanding who they were, and they also understood their Southern heritage."

In conjunction with the event a history book, Southern Grace, A Story of the Mississippi Saints, by Charmaine Lay Kohler, was published.

North America Southwest Area: Float wins grand prize

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - The Arlington Texas Stake was awarded the grand prize in the Arlington Fourth of July parade. This was the ninth consecutive year the stake sponsored a float.

The stake's theme this year was Moroni's Title of Liberty. On the side of the float were the words: "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children." (Alma 46:12.)

A choir sat on bleachers in the front of the float and sang "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful." On the back of the float were replicas of the presidents' faces, similar to those on Mount Rushmore. These replicas were decked out in baseball caps and carried bats in keeping with Major League Baseball's All-star game festivities. The float's design and artwork was done by Dennis Dorrity, who shortly after the parade left to enter the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.

North America Southeast Area: Youth serve for ancestors

BIRMINGHAM, ALA.- Young men and young women in the Gadsden Ward, Birmingham Alabama Stake, researched 600 family names and then made two trips to the Atlanta Georgia Temple to be baptized in their behalf.

The youth said they enjoyed performing this service. Several young women commented that when they were baptized for their ancestors, "tears came to our eyes."

After the youth completed their work, adults in the ward participated in ordinance work for their ancestors.

"The feelings the youth experienced while performing this great work has continued with them and will not be soon forgotten. The Spirit of Elijah is alive and well in the Gadsden Ward," said Charley Walker, ward Young Men president.

Utah South Area: Mormon Trail sites cleared

OREM, UTAH - Youth from the Orem 6th Ward, Orem Utah Stake performed a service project on a portion of the Mormon Trail in Wyoming.

Among the projects they completed were refurbishing and fencing off a historic marker at Fort Supply, and clearing sagebrush from a mile-long segment of the trail so four-wheel vehicles could pass. The group also located several pioneer graves, which were marked and fenced for protection.

The effort was under the direction of Bishop David J. Cherrington, and specialists Vaughn T. Hawkes and Louis A. Erickson.

Margaret Y. Dyal, ward Relief Society president, said, "It was very touching to walk the same trail, eat at the same places and camp where my ancestors, Brigham Young and Anson Call and their families, walked."

Julie Schill, a Laurel, said, "I have learned so much about the pioneers. My testimony about faith has grown so much from this experience. I admire the pioneers."

Brother Hawkes commented, "We felt the hallowed spirit left behind by those who made the trek west by wagon or handcart. We were most grateful for permission granted . . . to walk and work on the property."

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