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Book Reviews

Great Moments in BYU Sports
(Bookcraft $7.95)
by Brad Rock and Lee Warnick

The memory of incredible plays and well-earned victories lives on. This book contains the exciting details of BYU triumphs on the gridiron, on the basketball court, and on the golf course. These moments are explained using behind-the-scenes details and little-known anecdotes.

Isaiah and the Prophets
(BYU Press $7.95)
ed. Monte S. Nyman

Gleaning from the expertise of an eminent array of LDS scholars, a Brigham Young University symposium entitled “Isaiah and the Prophets” has brought to light a diversity of thought-provoking ideas relative to the Old Testament. This book contains ten of the addresses given at that symposium.

High Honors

Alan Earnshaw of Burlingame, California, was named the National Outstanding Vice President of Marketing at Junior Achievement’s national competition. The award carries with it a $1,000 cash prize. He qualified for the national competition by winning Outstanding Vice President of Marketing for the Bay area.

Junior Achievement gives high school students hands-on experience in establishing, running, and liquidating a small business. As a result of his experience, Alan has decided to study for his MBA. He is attending BYU as a Presidential Scholar.

Alan is from the San Mateo Ward, San Francisco California Stake.

Musical Girl

Charisse Christiansen has had many opportunities to show her musical talent. She was named as a member of madrigals in her school. She also played the lead when her school put on the musical Oklahoma.

Charisse was a member of her school’s homecoming royalty and was recently selected as Miss United Teenager for Utah. In that competition, she was selected as Miss Photogenic and was first runner-up in the essay portion.

Charisse is a member of the Bennion Second Ward, Bennion Utah Stake, where she is first counselor to the Laurel president.

Achieving the Highest

Douglas Hobbs of the Anaheim Third Ward, Anaheim California Stake, came out on top in several of his endeavors. He graduated from seminary with a perfect attendance record for four years. He was the trumpet section leader in his high school band. He also served as deacons quorum president, as teachers quorum president, and as first assistant to the president of the priests quorum.

Douglas earned his Eagle and also received the Duty to God and On My Honor awards. His Eagle project involved repairing 125 hymnbooks.

Three Brothers

The Devenport brothers all received their Eagle Awards simultaneously, and they have been serving missions at the same time as well. Karl, Jr., Stephen, and David are all from the Union 28th Ward, Sandy Utah Willow Creek Stake.

Karl, Jr. served in the Japan Tokyo Mission. Stephen was in the Finland Helsinki Mission, and David is serving in the Japan Osaka Mission. The Devenport’s four younger brothers and one sister stay busy writing letters to the missionaries.

Best Actor

Jerald Bryan Shields won the best actor award at the Interscholastic Association of South Asian Schools Cultural Convention. He won this award for his portrayal of the actor George Spelvin in Cristopher Durang’s comedy, The Actor’s Nightmare.

Bryan is active in theater arts at the Jakarta International School and has served as class secretary and treasurer the past three years. He is a priest in the Jakarta English-speaking Branch in the Singapore Mission.

Best Student

For the third straight year, Thomas Aldous, Jr., 14, was voted the outstanding male student in scholarship, citizenship, and service by his classmates and faculty in Hershey, Pennsylvania. T.J., as he is called, also received the American Legion award for leadership, patriotism, scholarship, and service. In addition, he started the SADD, Students Against Drunk Driving, program in his school.

T. J. is a straight-A student, plays the piano, acts in many church and school plays, enjoys playing golf and soccer, and loves to cook.

He is a teacher in the Hershey Ward, Harrisburg Pennsylvania Stake.

Farm Tour

Clark Mower of Fairview, Utah, and Jason Sunderland, Chester, Utah, were the only two LDS youth in 40 chosen to take a six-country farm tour of Europe. The two participated in the People to People Agricultural Youth Exchange Program.

They stayed with farm families in Ireland, England, and Denmark in addition to touring the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland.

Clark is a priest in the Fairview First Ward, Mt. Pleasant Utah Stake; and Jason is a priest in the Moroni Second Ward, Moroni Utah Stake.

A Scrapbook Year

by Rosemary Peck

If you could choose one activity to do as a Laurel this year, what would it be?

Make bread. Sew clown suits for a service project. Learn what boys like about girls. Hold a career night. Make Christmas presents. The answers were as varied as the girls themselves, and their adviser, Paulene Berge, with assistant adviser, Kathy Whiting, looked forward to a colorful, busy year, one which addressed the needs and desires of each member of the class. The Laurels of the Arvada Second Ward, Arvada Colorado Stake, planned, baked, sang, sewed, and did it all.

Clowning around at a rest home was first on the agenda. The Laurels sewed 15 sets of neck ruffles to go on jogging suits and learned how to apply real clown makeup. They planned a program of gymnastics, piano duets, and songs complete with actions. Then they performed for 200 patients at a hospital and at a rest home.

For a lesson on personal histories, they learned to write up special events, keep records, and mount photos. On scrapbook day, they met with bulging boxes and drawers. Hours later they finished with empty drawers and terrific scrapbooks.

At the boys-meet-girls fireside, guest speakers from a neighboring ward led the discussion. At the Dads and Daughters Dinner Dance, the girls brought their fathers for an evening of good food and dancing lessons. At trousseau night, the bishop’s wife talked about good home management, and the girls learned about coordinating a wardrobe.

On career night, bread demonstration night, Laurel cookbook night, and at the Around the World party, the girls and their advisers learned more of the how-tos of preparing for a job and learning to cook. It was definitely a year for the scrapbook.

Super Raft Race

In the first of what will be an annual event, the youth of the Bristol England Stake held a super raft race on a marine lake.

The group gathered at Weston-Super-Mare on a sunny but brisk day in June. The rules were simple. Each group had to make their own raft and using manpower take it across the lake and back. But it was easier said than done. The eight rafts gave the word unstable a new meaning. But through team effort the Weston Ward won.

After everyone dried off, the group held a barbecue and dance to complete the activity. Although the water was cold and the wind brisk, the glow of good fellowship added a special warmth to the day.

Arizona Miss

Jennifer Sine of Tucson, Arizona, is a busy girl. Besides being on the honors and dean’s list throughout high school, she has been a member of the flag corps, has served in student government in the Student Educational Assistance program and in Key Club, and is the junior varsity football manager. She also placed first in the Optimist Club Oratorical Contest on a local level and placed at the district level.

Jennifer was also named the winner of the Arizona Modern Miss Teen Scholarship pageant. She was chosen from among 300 entrants. Her selection was based on high scholastic and community service standards.

Jennifer is the Laurel president and ward chorister in the Tucson 16th Ward, Tucson Arizona North Stake.

Homemakers’ Vice-President

Jolynn Cummings of Fillmore, Utah, was elected national vice-president of Future Homemakers of America. Jolynn is one of 14 national officers selected at the national leadership meeting.

Jolynn is a Laurel in the Fillmore Second Ward. In school she is an honor student and active in student government, drill team, drama, music, and girls’ athletics.

Science Scholar

Laura Call, a Laurel in the Safford Arizona Stake, was one of 54 students chosen nationwide to attend the Rickover Science Institute at the Xerox Training Center. She was chosen on the basis of grades, aptitude test scores, essays, and recommendations. She was the only student chosen from Arizona.

The six-week program matched students with a high aptitude for math and science with top-notch teachers who stressed the theoretical aspects of mathematics and physics and biological sciences. Each student served an internship with scientists in ongoing research projects. Laura’s research involved use of a mass spectrometer and gas chromatograph.

Spelling Ace

Melinda Bassett won the final round of a spelling bee sponsored by the European Congress of American Parents, Teachers, and Students in Berchtesgaden, Germany. She defeated her last opponent by spelling rallentando correctly.

Melinda, 12, plays the violin and coronet. She has five brothers and sisters, and her parents are stationed in the Air Force at RAF Lakenheath in England. They belong to the Cambridge Ward, Ipswich England Stake.

National Champ

Michael DeLoach of Hollister, Florida, won top honors nationally in team roping. He and his partner, Andy Mills, placed first in their event at the National High School Rodeo Finals held in Rapid City, South Dakota. They also helped the Florida contingent to outscore the two-time defending champs from Texas. This was the first time that a high school rodeo team east of the Mississippi had claimed overall top honors.

Caring Carnival

The youth of the Minnesota Region found a special way to say they care. As a part of their youth conference, they sponsored a special carnival for handicapped children.

The youth conference was held on the campus of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Three hundred and sixty young people gathered for seminars, dances, and activities. One of the activities was finding a way to serve that would make a difference in someone’s life. They hit upon the idea of the carnival for handicapped children.

Every one of the youth conference participants was given an assignment to set up or run a booth, meet the children, or be their companion for the day. The carnival was complete with clowns, cotton candy, a pinewood derby, fish pond, and games, including a dunk tank that was everyone’s favorite.

The young people of the Minnesota Region made arrangements with residential homes for the handicapped. They helped with transportation and caring for the children. Whatever apprehensions any of the youth felt disappeared as soon as they became involved with the children.

One of the best memories of the youth conference was not just the dances and socializing. The young people in Minnesota also remembered a carnival that showed they cared.

Book Review

The Love That Never Faileth
(Bookcraft $8.95)
by Barbara B. Smith

Many books have been written about love. This one explores various facets of that powerful emotion, pointing to Christlike living as its most profound expression. Yet it is practical and down to earth in the counsel and encouragement it offers.

Talented Guy

Todd Larsen of Sandy, Utah, is equally at home on the sports field or with a musical instrument in his hands. He started running at the age of seven and since then has accomplished great things in track. At the Utah high school state track meet he set a new record in 400 meters. Also his 1,600-meter relay team took first place. In the summer Utah Junior Olympic program, he took first place in the decathlon. Todd also plays football, swims, and dives.

Todd is musically inclined. He plays all brass slide and valve instruments, electric bass guitar, drums, and piano. He enjoys writing music and singing.

A four-year seminary graduate, Todd is attending BYU on an athletic scholarship.

The million little things that drop into our hands, the small opportunities each day brings, He leaves us free to use or abuse.

—Helen Keller