What’s Up?

“There is no greater question that you can ask in this world. ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?’ I challenge you to make that the uppermost question of your life.”
—President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994), “Think on Christ,” Ensign, Mar. 1989, 4.

Mothers and Daughters Trade Roles

How would you like to switch places with your mother for a day? That’s what the young women from Manurewa and Pukekohe in New Zealand did for a role-reversal debate.

In the role reversal, the mothers argued that girls 12 years and older should be able to do as they pleased. The young women argued that there should be reasonable limits.

There were also mother-daughter duets, followed by presentations on motherhood from both the young women and their mothers.

Heather Maloney, the mayor of Franklin, New Zealand, was one of the judges for the debate. She praised the mothers and daughters for their courage in public speaking and thanked the girls for their high standards and values and for the respect they showed in honoring their mothers.

The Whole Book in Two Days

Last July, 25 youth of the Bentonville First Ward, Rogers Arkansas Stake, got together to take the 48-hour Book of Mormon challenge. The goal was to read the entire book in two days. They started at 7:00 a.m. on Friday morning, taking turns reading for the entire group. At 11:00 p.m. the youth split up by classes and quorums to spend the night in members’ homes. Then the whole group got back together at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday for breakfast and to begin reading again. At 5:30 p.m. the group completed the challenge by reading aloud together the last three verses, Moroni 10:32–34.

Throughout the two days, the youth welcomed guest readers, or “prophets,” who came to reenact their parts in the Book of Mormon. There were visits from King Benjamin, Ammon, and Samuel the Lamanite.

Everyone had a list of scripture mastery verses, and whoever called out “scripture mastery” first when the group came to a scripture mastery verse was rewarded with a candy bar. Then the entire group would recite the scripture together.

“The Spirit I felt throughout the reading amazed me,” said Kara Barnes, 16. “The thing I loved most was how it all made sense. Everything fell perfectly into place. I love the Book of Mormon. The Spirit it brings is just wonderful.”

“What impressed me the most was the many times the Nephites and Lamanites switched off in righteousness,” said Carl Monson, 14. “It showed how the missionary work went through the whole land.”

Follow the Leader

“The most encompassing short course on leadership was given by the Savior Himself: ‘And he saith unto them, Follow me’ (Matt. 4:19). A leader cannot ask of others what he is not willing to do himself. Our safest course is to follow the example of the Savior, and our security is to listen to and follow the direction of His prophet, the President of the Church.”
—President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, “These I Will Make My Leaders,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 35.

It Happened in June

June 4, 1837: Seven years after the Church was organized, Elder Heber C. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was called to serve a mission to England. He was the first person called to an overseas mission in this dispensation.

June 27, 1844: The Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred by a mob at Carthage Jail.

June 9, 1895: The first stake outside the United States was organized in Canada: the Alberta Stake.

June 14, 1969: The Germany Dresden Mission was organized. There are now four missions in Germany.

June 23, 2005: President Gordon B. Hinckley’s 95th birthday. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A. Stacey Onekawa and her mother, Lenise.
B. Saifia Talisa and her mother, Patricia.
C. Amanda Thompson and her mother, Vernice.
D. Olga Bartley and her mother, Dolores.
E. Melissa (left) and Jessica Heteraka with their mother, Steph.
Photographs courtesy of the young women in Manurewa and Pukekohe, New Zealand

Photograph courtesy of the Bentonville First Ward, Rogers Arkansas Stake

Christ Calling Peter and Andrew, by J. T. Harwood

Illustrated by Gary Kapp

Illustrated by Gary E. Smith