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A Missionary Moment: Josh Ord

Josh graduated from San Juan Hills High school and was then accepted to BYU Idaho where he will resume his studies when he returns from his Mission in the Spring of 2016. Josh loves being with his family and spending time with his good friends; many of them are also currently serving missions.  He loves photography, surfing, golfing, camping, water skiing, snowboarding, pretty much anything that can be done outdoors.  Before he left on his mission, he worked doing website optimization, video production, and editing.  Josh received his Eagle Scout Rank as a youth and also enjoyed serving in his youth quorum as well as on the Stake Youth Steering Committee for the Mission Viejo Stake.  He loves to serve and give back in any way he can.  He has a strong testimony of the gospel, loves his Heavenly Father and strives to exemplify the Savior each day by the way he lives his life. 

Food Storage Fridays- Cold Weather Car Rides

Happy Fall All!

As we are heading into the colder/ holiday season, we thought we'd mention a few tips to keeping your family safe while traveling.

Whether you are taking a drive up into the mountains to play in the snow, or just driving your regular daily routine during a rainstorm, your car should be equipped as a short-term safety shelter.  It’s easy!  Fill a small duffle bag or plastic shoe box with some essential items, and tuck it away under the back seat or in the cargo area for emergencies.  Be sure to include small water bottles, small packaged snacks, flashlights, rain ponchos, and heat-reflecting blankets.  

Thanks Alana, for the tips.

If you are interested in more detail on survival kits and 72 hour kits to keep your family safe in emergency situtations, please visit the following links:

http://www.lds.org/church/news/a-kit-in-time?lang=eng&country=au

http://www.lds.org/manual/family-home-evening-resource-book/family-activities/making-a-survival-kit?lang=eng&query=emergency+car+kits

Have a wonderful weekend! Be safe!

Spotlight! India Mcfadden

This week, we decided to spotlight the talented India McFadden. She is a talented musician who had a wonderful opportunity to share what she loves with an audience!

On a whim, India decided to try out for Kpop Star Season 2.  Kpop Star is a music show the equivalent of American Idol in Korea.  After spending the day in LA at a High School waiting in anticipation for her turn to register and try out,  she finally made it into the audition room to sing and play her guitar in front of four judges.  Her song of choice was “If I die Young”  by the band Perry.   The judges seemed pleased by her performance.  After the first song, they put her on the spot and asked if she could sing additional songs to show her range.  After her performance the judges discussed amongst themselves while India stood nervously waiting for the verdict.  Happily, she made it through the second round, which meant another performance that same night.  Only about 40 people made it to the second round.  After performing, they told the performers they would get a call later that week if they made it on to the show.  One week later, India got the happy phone call saying she made it and would be traveling to Korea to participate in the show. 

Late October of 2012, India left with her Mom to travel to Korea for the show not knowing when she would return.  Before the show started they got to tour around and just have fun together. 

India didn’t make it past the next round, but that was quite OK with her.  It was a fun day of performing and meeting new people.  And when the show part of her trip was through, India and her Mom were able to travel around and just enjoy themselves.  It was a trip of a life time.  

India is a beautiful inspiration. She is young, courageous, and follows her passions. 

Sunday Inspiration From William Riley- All is Thine

All is Thine

Although King David, having spent his adult life as a man of war, was forbidden to build the House of the Lord which would shelter the sacred Ark of the Testament, he spent most of his final days gathering materials which would be used in building the monument to the Lord which would bear his son Solomon’s name. As he inventoried the spoils gained from the campaigns of his reign and just prior to anointing Solomon as King of Israel, he was not only amazed with the volume of the spoils, but was also struck with the numerous ultimate sacrifices which had been required to bring about the stockpiling of such an immense treasury.

Standing before Israel surrounded by the spoils of their efforts, while offering one last sacrifice to the Lord, David then spoke his last testament to Israel, honoring his leaders and people for their dedication and then expounded on a principle that so often we are tardy in learning, we seldom understand, and only occasionally reluctantly live.

David proclaimed, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee.” (I Chronicles 29:14)

“For all things come of Thee and of Thine own have we given Thee.” Searching his life and writings we find it interesting that the great Israelite King makes this proclamation at the end of his life. One wonders if the concept came as an accumulation of experiences which brought him this wisdom or whether he had long ago been enlightened by this truth. His history indicates that even though in his Psalms the son of Jesse spent many hours singing appreciation to the Lord, some of his life’s decisions leave us to question the timing of his learning, the depth of his understanding and his dedication to the principle.

Thankfully, wiser judges than we will be left to determine the when, the sincerity and depth of King David’s commitment.

However, it takes only a glance at history and at our own times to realize that precious few of the masses which make up mankind ever learn to understand that so little of life and its treasures can be personally claimed and how much of life’s spoils are but stewardships on loan. That most of what we have become is but the borrowing from others who were willing to share. That the dances we do are only possible because the Master Puppeteer shows us the steps.

Some other principles of life we may be slow to learn and are yet shallow of understanding and reticent to live:

If we are among those who are lucky enough to enjoy the gift of education, how long did it take, five, ten, fifteen years, before we realized what a blessing it was to be with those who knew a little about the paths we were about to walk upon? Teachers must learn they have a responsibility to know the way and then to teach in exciting and interesting ways, but students must someday grasp that learning only comes when they take upon themselves the responsibility to learn.

Undoubtedly the vibes were felt during the bonding years, perhaps covered up during the elementary school years, found counterfeits during adolescence, might have been stimulated at the wedding alter, had to have been stirred when standing by the crib, but for most true love remains a mystery and few learn, understand or live lives where love is expressed in acts of giving and not in getting.

Listening quietly to soft tones, sitting alone away from the glittering lights of Gotham drinking in the brilliance of the Milky Way, watching the blaze of the sun being extinguished in the waters of the Pacific; these moments and many more give us glimpses of the true treasures of life. Sadly, most tomorrows come and the busyness of gathering stuff reveals how little we have learned, how minute is our understanding and what pittance of our three score and ten we devote to the real riches of life.

Like the ancients, we too are slow to learn of life’s truths. We too stop short of understanding of the purposes of existence. We too fritter away years in pursuit of that which will never satisfy.

Worst of all, the choices of the many seem to indicate that we are slowest to learn the greatest of all truths. All that I am, all that I do, all that I know, all that I have in my storehouse exists because of a benevolent, loving Heavenly Father.

“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee.” (I Chronicles 29:14)

Youth Marathon Runners

Not too many people have ever thought about running 26.2 miles, let alone actually tried it. In the past few years over fifteen youth from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) from the Mission Viejo area have done just that. With ages ranging from 12 to 18, these teenagers have spent months training and preparing to run a race most people only hear about.

For some of them it started as a way to stay in shape, though they now say it's provided opportunities to make lasting friendships that go well beyond the desire to stay fit.

That's not to say everything's always easy. With a majority of marathon races being scheduled on Sundays, many of these runners have had to face additional challenges. Taylor Meurs described an experience she and several others faced a few years ago while training with their team We Rock.

The team’s planned race unfortunately fell on a Sunday that year. Wanting to keep their Sabbath worship, Taylor and several other teammates opted to run a different race, one set on a Saturday. After registering bad news hit again—the Saturday race had been cancelled. Discouraged, but determined to meet their goal of finishing a marathon, these youth decided to sign-up for another Saturday marathon scheduled a full two months earlier than originally planned.  Not only did they have to ramp up their training program and train harder than they had imagined, but they also had to do it alone, since their remaining teammates were not affected by the change.  Taylor remarked how great of a challenge it was to prepare for the race, but that all of them were so glad to have completed the marathon as well as fulfilled their Sabbath commitments.  What a great example for all of us!

So how do these kids do it? How do they stay motivated during the endless hours of practice and the 26 miles on race day? A few mentioned a team mantra they’d repeat to themselves, “I feel good, I feel great, this is fun!” Others mentioned the help of teammates and coaches driving them on. Some just knew that they’d already gone as far as they had, so they weren't turning back now.

Needless to say these are some pretty amazing youth right here in our community.

 Kira, Christy, and Karter Farris
 

 Noah Meurs and Jane Fitzpatrick

Food Storage Fridays- Water

Water is an important part of food storage.  The amount of water you need to store depends on several factors, including how many people it is expected to serve, and how much of your food storage is dehydrated or freeze dried.  Remember, unlike wet-packed foods (canned in juice or water), dried and dehydrated foods will require significant amounts of water to prepare.  Each person will need a minimum of one gallon of water per day, and more for dry food and hygiene.  Water should be rotated (large containers emptied and refilled) every 6 months.  Set up a convenient, repeating calendar reminder to rotate your water…the first Saturday in October and April, for example.