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Now is the time to liven up this month with some of our tried and true dating suggestions (those of you who are over 16, that is). Valentine’s Day offers you a great excuse to try them out, but you’ll find they’ll work all month—or all year—long.

Dynamic Dating

Keep It Simple

Some people really go overboard with exotic date invitations. But you don’t have to write someone’s name in the sky or rent a billboard just to ask for a date. There’s nothing wrong with extending the invitation in person or calling on the phone. But if you’re slightly shy, or if you want to do something a little unusual but not too expensive, try these ideas.

• Ice breaker. Freeze your invitation in a block of ice, leave it on your prospective date’s doorstep, ring the bell, and run.

• Rapping it up. Write a date invitation rap, record it on a cassette, then have the tape delivered to the person you’re asking out.

• That’s puzzling. Find a picture that relates to what you’ll be doing on the date, glue it to construction paper, and write the invitation on the back. Then cut it into puzzle pieces and deliver it.

• Have a ball. Tape the invitation to a tennis ball, basketball, racquet ball, etc., then invite your friend for a game. They’ll catch the hint.

• Inflating the ego. Divide your information into several parts, slip each part into a separate balloon, then inflate them. Your date will have fun popping the balloons to get the message.

• Kid stuff. If your little brother or one of his friends has a remote control vehicle, write your invite on a card, put it in the car, station yourself behind a wall or a bush, and let the vehicle deliver your message.

• Good fortune. Type your message on a small piece of paper and place it inside a fortune cookie.

Most Creative Response

The most interesting reply to an invitation for a date that we’ve heard about came from Nikki Mather of Preston, Idaho. She responded to a dance invite from Wade Meek by delivering a jar full of Reese’s Pieces and M&Ms. She told him if there were more M&Ms than Reese’s Pieces, the answer was yes, and vice versa. It’s difficult, however, to tell one kind of candy from the other, so Wade had to have the whole family and half the neighborhood over to cut the candies in half, see if there was chocolate or peanut butter inside, and count them. When they were all tallied the answer was yes, of course.

Great Dates

Going to a movie is unoriginal. Going out to dinner can get old. Here are some ideas for out-of-the-ordinary dates.

• The Laurels and priests from the Las Vegas Second Ward, Las Vegas Central Stake, suggest a progressive fast-food dinner with soft drinks at one place, nachos at another, then burgers, fries, and sundaes, all at different restaurants.

• Do something service oriented—bake cookies together and take them to a local retirement home, homeless shelter, or police station.

• Offer to baby-sit for a couple in the ward that seldom gets out.

• Go out to breakfast before school.

• Make or buy kites and fly them.

• Cook dinner together—do the shopping too. And don’t forget the dishes.

• Pretend you’re tourists in your town and go see the things tourists would see.

• Play croquet. It can be extremely unusual in the wintertime or at night with flashlights.

• Hike somewhere interesting to watch the sunrise, and take a breakfast picnic.

• Spend an evening helping serve and prepare food at a local soup kitchen.

• Get together with some others and do a readers’ theater. Go to a library and check out several copies of a play you’ve always wanted to see, assign parts, and have a dramatic evening.

• Have a foreign night—go to an ethnic restaurant or prepare food from a foreign country, then watch a video that tells about or was made in that country.

• Make paper boats and race them in a stream, or launch them in a lake or pond. Take along some bread to feed the ducks.

• Have a cookout, but bring along your favorite poetry to read by the campfire. Have your date bring some too.

• Have an unusual music night. Pick a kind of music you don’t usually listen to and go hear it performed. Take note of the people there who enjoy it. Try to hear it through their ears.

A Song and Dance Man

Lorne C. Campbell, a priest in the Como Ward, Southern River Stake, Western Australia, has a major past, present, and future in theatre. He began dance, drama, and music lessons when he was just five. By 14 he was composing his own songs, choreographing production numbers, and teaching. At 16 he wrote and produced a full length musical play, and now, at 18, Lorne is on a Rotary Exchange Scholarship to Belgium, where he attends the multilingual Athenee Royale.

All this, and Lorne never missed a beat in Primary, priesthood, or Young Men. He plans on furthering his studies at the University of Western Australia and on serving a mission. It looks like Lorne is making all the world his stage.

New Young Men Presidency

Elder Jack H Goaslind, Jr., of the Seventy has been called to serve as General President of the Young Men program. His new counselors are Elder LeGrand R. Curtis, first counselor, and Elder Robert K. Dellenbach, second counselor.

New Young Men General President Elder Jack H. Goaslind, Jr.

Elder Goaslind is a native of Salt Lake City and a University of Utah graduate. Prior to his call to full-time Church service in 1978, Elder Goaslind was vice president of a metal company. Among other Church callings, he’s served in Area Presidencies in Great Britain, Africa, the South Pacific, Asia, and the United States. He and his wife, Gwen, have three sons and three daughters.

First Counselor Elder LeGrand R. Curtis

Elder Curtis was an orthodontist before he was called to serve as a Seventy in March 1990. He is also a Salt Lake native. He and his wife, Patricia, have four sons and four daughters.

Second Counselor Elder Robert K. Dellenbach

Elder Dellenbach was raised in the small, farming community of Clinton, Utah. He was also called to be a Seventy in March 1990. Prior to that he was involved in international business. He and his wife, Mary-Jayne, have three sons.

All three members of the new presidency have had many Church callings, and each has served as bishop, stake president, regional representative, and mission president.

Guilty of Greatness

“This is the best Young Women activity we’ve ever had,” said Kimberly Whatcott, of the Waynesboro Virginia Stake, when the stake Beehives gathered in the Waynesboro General District Courtroom for a mock trial.

The girls took the parts of everyone involved in the trial—judge, jury, attorneys, defendants, witnesses, etc., in deciding the case of a teenage romance that resulted in violence.

“What the trial made me think of,” said Tara Hull, “was how I should not accuse people, or judge them, unless I have good evidence—and even then I should go through proper channels to ensure fairness.”

“During the trial, I though a lot about how we learn the difference between right and wrong,” said Elizabeth Rogers, proving that the activity was a good learning experience.

Write Away

Attention all you 11th and 12th grade authors in Hawaii and the Pacific Rim! Now there’s a writing contest just for you, and the deadline’s coming up fast.

BYU—Hawaii is sponsoring “No’ono’o hana Palapala,” a creative writing contest for high school students.

Categories include fiction, poetry, and essay. Best of all, the grand prize is cash or a BYU—Hawaii scholarship. All entries must be postmarked by April 30, 1991.

For a specific list of rules and more information, you can write to No’ono’o hana Palapala, BYUH Box 1869, BYU—Hawaii, Laie, HI 96762 USA. Good luck!

Philippine Fun

Where does following the commandments and being an all-around good kid get you in the Philippines? It gets you to a special two-day youth conference.

Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds from the Aparri, Liagan, Tuguegarao, Solano, Alicia, and Santiago Districts were interviewed by their branch presidents, then permitted to go to the conference designed as a reward for their faith and as a workshop for youth leaders.

They participated in sports, “getting-to-know-you” games, workshops, native dancing, and, of course, a testimony meeting.

“I feel great happiness to be a Latter-day Saint and be able to share in this conference,” said one of the young people who participated. “I have gained a strong testimony here,” said another.

Writing Around

Regan Grandy, of the Petersburg Ward, Alaska Anchorage North Stake, knows how to write right. The essay he entered in a Drug Free Youth contest won him the opportunity to intern as a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., for Senator Frank H. Murkowski. He also won an honorable mention in a local TV station’s writing contest with the theme of “What I Can Do for Planet Earth.”

Regan also plays percussion instruments with his high school band and has landed a chair in the honor band. Add to that Regan’s service as seminary president, and you’ve got one active guy.

Awesome Ambassador

It could be a little scary touring Europe in a group where you’re the only Church member and the only person from Utah, but Xela (Shayla) Taylor jumped at the opportunity. She was invited to be a member of the American Ambassador Band, consisting of 95 students from across the United States, and together they played all over Europe.

Band, however, is not Xela’s life. She participated in choir, drill team, drama, student government and basketball at Green River High School, and was Laurel class president in the Green River Second Ward, Moab Utah Stake.

Not Just a Brain

There’s more to Anna Philips, a Laurel in the Goodyear Ward, Buckeye Arizona Stake, than a great mind. Okay, so she does have a 4.57 grade point average, and she is also a National Merit Scholar, a Regent’s Scholar, and has received a four-year scholarship to Arizona State.

But she also takes time to hold leadership positions in seminary and Young Women and enjoys doing volunteer work with the children at the Phoenix Crisis Nursery. She’s smart enough to figure out that joy is found in service.

She’s Optimistic

It’s no wonder April Schenk of the Frontenac Ward, St. Louis Missouri Stake, received the Youth Achievement Award, given by the Kirkwood Optimist Club.

April has been active in SADD (Students against Drunk Driving), Trend Club (a group that sponsors nonalcoholic activities), and the Wilderness Club. She was also on student council and was a varsity cheerleader, to name just a few of her many involvements.

Church has kept her busy too. She’s an early morning seminary student, is working on her Young Womanhood Recognition, and was president of her Mia Maid class.

Music and the Mat

Jon Jason (J. J.) Brashear of the Choteau Ward, Great Falls Montana Stake, is a standout both in sports and in singing. He’s the Montana State Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and has also been selected to sing in the all-state choir.

J. J. also plays fullback on the Choteau High School team and has been named to all-state and all conference teams. He’s played in state football championships three out of the past four years. The stellar athlete wants to be a stellar missionary.

Running On and On

You’ll find Dascha Spellman, a Laurel in the Ojai First Ward, Ventura California Stake, running all over the state. The all-state middle-distance runner is one of the fastest in California and has placed in many of the most prestigious meets for runners of high school age.

Dascha is also extremely active in school and church. She’s a member of the Nordhoff High track team, and has served as her school’s representative to the California Association of Student Councils. She’s been first counselor in her Laurel class presidency.

Bowling Them Over

Seminary students in the Sacramento North and Fair Oaks Regions of California get really excited for their seminary scripture bowl, held each year in the spring. Over 500 students have been known to attend.

“The Spirit was so strong that I knew I was where my Heavenly Father wanted me to be,” said Cecelia Hart, after her first year’s competition on her Winters Branch, Davis California Stake team.

Each four-person team is tested on over 200 scriptures that they’ve memorized throughout the year. They also take a prebowl test, and the scores from that are added to their final team scores. Leaders try to emphasize learning over competition. It seems to work. Every year, the number of participants grows.

The Philippine youth conference featured a “banana stuff” (left) and workshops by missionaries (below), just some of the activities blending faith and fun.