FYI:
For Your Information

The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep On Running!

Stephen Tueller of the Bountiful 47th Ward, Bountiful Utah Central Stake, placed second nationally in the 1500-meter run at the AAU-TAC Track and Field National Championship held in Pleasant Hill, California. More than 1,500 top athletes from across the nation competed in this meet. An 18-year-old priest, Stephen is planning a mission soon.

Translating Personal Progress

“Meeting President Kimball—that made all the hard work more than worth it,” said 19-year-old Marianne Schmidt of the Ogden 65th Ward, South Ogden Utah Stake.

Marianne, who’s been blind since birth, met President Kimball after presenting the Young Women Presidency with the Personal Progress book that she translated into Braille. The project took Marianne over two years to complete, but she had help from a dedicated Young Women adviser, friends in her Young Women class, and friends from school.

“I thought it would be great for the young women who are blind to have a Personal Progress book where they could read their goals over and over,” said Marianne. “If the goals are written on paper, it’s easy to forget them when you’re blind.”

The initial translation took Marianne one year, and proofreading and making corrections took another year.

“It was discouraging at times because it was hard to juggle schedules to get people to read to me so I could translate. My hands would get tired from Brailling, and it’s funny, my eyes would too. I knew that it would be a difficult project, though. For this particular book, one page of print is about four pages of Braille.

“But I have always been determined to accomplish my goals. I’m majoring in elementary education at college, and some people think that I won’t be able to teach kindergarten. But I’ll prove to them that I can. Nobody knows what I can do except me, and I don’t think of myself as handicapped. The only thing that limits me is when people are afraid of me. When they’re not, I can do anything,” said Marianne.

The Long Ride

From Yellowstone Park, through Jackson Hole, Wyoming, then on to Kaysville, Utah, by bicycle sounds like quite an undertaking for the 12 Varsity Scouts of the Kaysville Eighth Ward, Kaysville Utah East Stake. And it was. After weeks of discussion between parents, Scouts, and leaders, the five-day, 380-mile trip was officially planned, and the Scouts were ready to get in shape for the trip.

Training for the group was each Tuesday. The first trip to help them get in shape was from Kaysville to Antelope Island and back, a 44-mile trip which took 3 1/2 hours. After recovering from sore muscles, the group made several other test runs, helping build up stamina.

In preparation for the adventure, each Scout made sure his bike was in good condition. Then one summer morning, food and gear were loaded into a pickup truck, the bikes loaded into a trailer, and the group set out for the west gate of Yellowstone, where the bicycle journey was to start.

Bicycling through the mountain passes, sometimes climbing 1,000 feet per hour or fighting strong winds, challenged the Scouts. One day they rode 90 miles. Another day they woke to find a layer of ice on their sleeping bags. They crossed the continental divide four times and passed through countless little towns along the way. Four of the Scouts rode the entire 380 miles; the others each rode at least 250.

Was the trip worth the tired muscles and the long hours of preparation?

The answer is an enthusiastic yes!

“We were really blessed on the trip,” said one of the participants. “The weather was perfect, we didn’t have any bike problems except two flat tires, no accidents or injuries, and we all got along well and grew closer.”

They’re planning their next trip already.

The Great Idea Hunt

We’re hunting for some creative service project ideas. Have you run into any lately? Or can you think of any? If so, grab your pencil and a piece of paper, write them down in a list, and send it in to us. Then we’ll print some of the best ideas. Send your idea list to: FYI, The New Era, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150.

BYU Summer Term

Want to beat the crowds, and save time and money while attending BYU? If so, summer term may be just what you’re looking for. Classes are smaller, scholarships and part-time jobs easier to come by, and housing is plentiful. The eight-week term starts June 30; last day for preregistration is May 29th. (You may also register late on the first day of classes.) Tuition is $242 for the summer term.

An Outstanding Scout

Marlan James Coe, 15, of the Las Vegas 36th Ward, Las Vegas Nevada Stake, was chosen to represent the Boy Scouts of America as the outstanding Scout in his region. Based on his outstanding achievements as a Scout, he was named the western regional winner. Marlan then went on to compete with five other Scouts from across the United States vying for the title of Scout National Youth Representative. After flying to Chicago for interviews, he was named runner-up to the national representative. That’s quite an achievement!

Home Run!

Shawn and Mark Conrad, brothers in the Kalispell Third Ward, Kalispell Montana Stake, wield a mighty baseball bat. Both brothers were chosen to play on the Babe Ruth All-Star teams for their age divisions. Shawn, 13, played first base for the Kalispell All-Stars Team, helping to earn them the title of State Babe Ruth Champions. The team then advanced to the regional competition in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Mark, 15, played third base and shortstop for the Kalispell Rangers Team, which won the Montana State Babe Ruth Championship, advancing them to the Pacific Northwest Regional Tournament in Lewistown, Idaho.

Watch Out, Lois!

Stana Allison, 16, may soon be asking Lois Lane to move over at the typewriter. Stana recently won first place in the feature writing category of Eastern Michigan University’s writing contest, for which she received a four-year scholarship. A junior in high school, she was competing with 300 other Michigan juniors and seniors. Stana is secretary of her Laurel class in the Detroit Second Ward, Bloomfield Michigan Stake.

Beta Club President Chosen

Joseph Catlett, Jr., a priest in the Fayetteville Second Ward, Fayetteville North Carolina Stake, was named the Beta (academic honorary) Club president for North Carolina at a state convention held in Raleigh, North Carolina. Joe is the only Mormon attending Cape Fear High School, where he’s been active in various clubs and athletic activities. A straight “A” student, Joe has received the Citizenship Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as a citizen’s award from the group. He is president of his stake seminary and plans to go on a mission soon.

Camilla: A Biography of Camilla Eyring Kimball

What’s it like being the wife of Spencer W. Kimball? In Camilla: A Biography of Camilla Eyring Kimball by Caroline Eyring Miner and Edward L. Kimball (Deseret Book, $7.50), we learn exactly that, along with the story of the courtship of President and Sister Kimball her childhood in Mexico, her shyness in her teen years, and the challenges of raising her family. Reading the book is almost like spending an evening visiting with this gracious woman who has set an example of courage and faith for all who know her.

Project Cleanup

by Ruth M. Challis

Ten minutes to the east of Cedar City, Utah, is Coal Creek Canyon, hillsides covered with pines, sprinkled with yellow-green aspens in the spring, and enjoyed by everyone in the area. Cleaning the canyon has recently become one of the “in” things to do for the 90 young men and women of the Cedar City Seventh Ward. The young people eagerly looked forward to organizing a service project for picking up litter along the sides of the road and began preparing for this event early in the year.

Committees were organized, planning meetings held, and arrangements made for the project. Trucks had to be found to pick up the litter, plastic bags bought to put it in, men scheduled to drive the trucks, cars assigned to carry the volunteers to the mouth of the canyon, and people appointed to supervise the groups. Charts were drawn of the canyon, and plans made for assigning so many volunteers per mile.

On the appointed June day, cars carrying the young people headed for the mouth of the canyon. The volunteers were divided into groups and let out of the cars every mile with large plastic garbage bags. People scrambled along the sides of the road picking up cans, paper, garbage, even a dead lamb. Ten truck loads of litter were hauled out to Woods Ranch, eleven miles up the canyon. At the end of the cleanup, the food committee was ready with chicken, dutch oven potatoes, salads, rolls, root beer, and cake for dessert for the weary volunteers.

In addition to cleaning up, the young people talked with tourists driving through the canyon and explained that they were members of the Church. One group of girls talked with some bicyclists who asked many questions about the gospel.

The project was a huge success, and plans are underway again for project cleanup!

Shawn, Mark