North America Central Area

Reunion celebrates 75th yearSPRINGFIELD, MO. - More than 80 former members of the Missouri LDS branch founded here in 1914 met for a daylong picnic in the Ritter Springs Park area of Springfield.

The gathering commemorated the 75th anniversary of the branch. Church members and former missionaries now living in Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Idaho and Florida attended the reunion. Some recalled that the branch met at first in old buildings, but in June 1927, President Heber J. Grant dedicated a new meetinghouse for the branch.

North America Northwest Area

`Camp Book of Mormon'

LAKEWOOD, WASH. - Young women from the Lakewood Washington Stake gained insights into Book of Mormon times as they attended a "Camp Book of Mormon" on the Nisqually River, south of Tacoma.

During the camp, held July 10-12, young women found their way through a "wilderness" to a "promised land," where they read the scriptures and composed songs and drew pictures with Book of Mormon themes. Food included such things as "Liahona lentils" and "Slayed Wild Beast."

The camp culminated with a campfire program, which told of the Book of Mormon base for the seven Young Women values, said Geneva Smith, stake public communications director.

North America Northeast Area

Prisoners hear chorale

RICHMOND, VA. - Members of the Richmond Virginia Stake recently put on a program for prisoners at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland, Va.

More than half of the prison's 600 female inmates attended the program, which featured the Richmond Mormon Chorale and talks by three inmates who have been attending Church meetings at the center. Stake Pres. Larry E. Tolpi also spoke. Prison Warden Shirley Burton attended the program, the first of its kind at the center. Members of the Richmond Stake have been meeting every Sunday with inmates since October 1987.

North America Southwest Area

School named for patriarch

LAS VEGAS, NEV. - Decorated in ribbons and balloons, a new elementary school here was named in honor of Marcus J. Christensen, longtime civic worker and former patriarch of the Las Vegas Nevada Stake.

Speaking at the ceremony were family members, including Christensen's sons Judge Carl Christensen, County Commissioner Paul Christensen, and Boy Scout executive Don Christensen, and Clark County Schools superintendent Brian Cram.

Patriarch Christensen, who died in 1987, was extolled as one who "labored to forge for this community a foundation grounded in the form of industrial expansion and community pride. And all the while, his family became blessed with a heritage in truth, honesty, courage and dedication."

Utah North Area

Disabled Scouts attend camp

OGDEN, UTAH - Forty-six Scouts with disabilities from Troop 2 and Troop 22, sponsored by the Church's South Weber Area Mutual for Handicapped Youth, participated in a weeklong camp in southeastern Idaho.

The Scouts learned crafts and camping skills, had campfire programs and worked for advancements during the camp from July 30-Aug. 4. They were assisted by their adult leaders and a group of Silver Beaver volunteers from the Lake Bonneville Council. The Scouting program for youths with disabilities was started in the Weber County area in 1986.

Utah South Area

Value-colored blossoms

SPANISH FORK, UTAH - Nearly 100 young women and their leaders in the Spanish Fork Utah Stake recently planted thousands of flowers in about 40 planter boxes lining the city's Main Street.

The project originated last fall when city officials agreed to acquire the flowers in the six Young Women value colors - yellow, purple, blue, red, green, orange - if the youths would do the planting. The work was done on a Saturday, and many of the flowers have recently blossomed, prompting praise from the town's mayor for the beautification efforts.

According to stake Young Women leaders, the girls enjoyed the project and have taken great pride in their work, often pointing out "their box" to family and friends as they pass by.

North America Southeast Area

Meetinghouse care taught

STUART, FLA. - Primary children in the Stuart Ward, West Palm Beach Florida Stake, recently received a surprise visit from a man dressed as King Benjamin.

The visitor taught the children of the importance of taking care of the new meetinghouse into which the ward has just moved, according to Dan and Susan Best, Blazer B and Merrie Miss B team teachers.

North America West Area

LDS sayings shared

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIF. - Well-known LDS sayings were shared with the Kehillath Israel synagogue here recently by Richard Holzapfel, director of the institute of religion in Irvine.

"The glory of God is intelligence," and "Man is that he might have joy," were two of the sayings Holzapfel used to describe Latter-day Saint life in today's world. Holzapfel, a former student at the Hebrew Union College who has a deep understanding of Judaism, spoke at a comparative religions seminar. The speaking engagement was arranged by the California office of Church Public Communications.

His remarks were extremely impressive, said Rabbi Stephen Reuben of the Kehillath congregation. Holzapfel was later invited to speak at a Friday sabbath service.

"I am a firm believer that the more people know about each other, the more sensitivity and empathy there will be in the world," said Rabbi Reuben, "and the less enmity and pain we will cause to one another."

Pacific Area

Team sweeps speech contest

NUKU'ALOFA, TONGA - The speech team from the Church's Liahona High School here took first place at the Inter-Secondary Speech Competition held recently at St. Andrew's School. The four-student team spoke for nine minutes on the topic of "Children and the Environment" to commemorate National Environment Awareness Week. Competing against nine other schools, Liahona was awarded $200 for first place. 'Apifo'ou, a Catholic school, took second place and Tonga High School placed third.

"It was an exciting event," said John Jeffrey, the Pacific Area director of the Church Educational System. "It was evident that the Liahona students coordinated as a team in content and spirit."

The team, composed of Tongans who spoke English as a second language, included Pita Tu'akoi of Tokomolo, Moana Fatani of Matangiake, Toni Naeata of Vava'u, and the captain, Sosaia Mateaki of Ha'akame.

United Kingdom/Ireland/Africa Area

`Primary airline' tours world

LONDON, ENGLAND - Primary children in the Selsdon Ward, London England Stake, recently went on a 21/2-hour "trip around the world," aboard the imaginary "Primary Airline."

First "stop" for the children was Accra, Ghana, where they met Doris Boqual. Attired in her national costume, Sister Boqual performed two dances, the Accra Kpalogo and the Ashanti Adowa. Mango fruit was provided as refreshment. At other stops, various countries were represented with photos, displays and food samples.

The imaginary tour ended with children drawing pictures and writing to Primary children in their "twin" town of Warsaw, Poland. The plane was piloted by Bishop David Eaton, with Jenny Adamson, Primary president, as second-in-command.

Europe Area

Join in study of values

SIRACUSA, ITALY - The Catania District Relief Society joined other civic-minded groups recently in helping to conduct a survey among youths in the community concerning vulgarity and family relationships.

Results of the survey indicated that 219 thought it was good to speak "cleanly," yet 171 admitted to swearing, with most of those saying they did so because they heard such language on television. More than half of the youths said bad language could be eliminated through greater self-control, education, and changing friends and their environs.

Concerning family relations, 203 respondents said they like their parents, and 198 said they wanted to be parents who were "educated, kind and tranquil."

As a follow-up on the survey, two roundtable discussions were conducted for parents, children, educators and the media. And the results were sent to a government group in Rome concerned with improvement of values in society.