Westland 8th Ward
Bishop's Youth Challenge
Summer 2011
The Articles
To All Westland 8th Ward Youth,
(and anyone else that DARES to take on this challenge),
Ok, scroll down and you will find a bunch of links to articles from Prophets and Apostles that the Bishopric thought would be great for you to read this summer. You have one month (that would be until August 16th) to read as many of these articles as you can.
There will be PRIZES if you reach certain goals! To qualify for the prizes, you need to keep a little journal, notebook, or text somewhere in electronic format (like on your Facebook page, this Blog, an email, Twitter, or wherever, as long as you can show them to your leaders) with a few sentences about how the article made you feel, what it made you think, or how changed your outlook on life (you know, all that stuff that's hard to write down).
Wait! I can tell what you are thinking! Your mind is saying to yourslef, "Self? When will all of these fabulous prizes and amazing events transpire so one so worthy, hard working, and diligent (not to mention good looking) as myself can reap the benefits of all this hard work?" Well, you can just tell your good looking self that we're going to have a "game show" party very soon after the 16th of August (like the next day if plans work out the way we would like them to). At this activity, all of these fabulous, mind blowing events will occur!
Remember August 16th, 2011 (yes that's this year), is the deadline, so get started yesterday!
So, read, write, read, write, read write, (lather rinse repeat) and then party! Not too hard to remember I think.
Post some comments at the bottom. Let us all know which articles you are reading and which ones you think your friends should read. Post some good game show questions in the comments and challenge your buddies to try and answer them. Tell us what your favorite article is. I double dog dare you!
Yours Truly,
Brother Anderson
(and anyone else that DARES to take on this challenge),
Ok, scroll down and you will find a bunch of links to articles from Prophets and Apostles that the Bishopric thought would be great for you to read this summer. You have one month (that would be until August 16th) to read as many of these articles as you can.
There will be PRIZES if you reach certain goals! To qualify for the prizes, you need to keep a little journal, notebook, or text somewhere in electronic format (like on your Facebook page, this Blog, an email, Twitter, or wherever, as long as you can show them to your leaders) with a few sentences about how the article made you feel, what it made you think, or how changed your outlook on life (you know, all that stuff that's hard to write down).
- 5 Articles or more - A nice pat on the back from Brother Spangler! You won't want to miss that! Oh, and a cookie.
- 10 Articles or more - Everything above plus congratulations from Brother Spangler and Brother Hagblom! Ooooooooo wouldn't that be special! And, a doughnut!
- 20 Articles or more - Everything above plus kudos from ALL your leaders and the Bishopric, AND a big candy bar! Now we're talking.
- 30 Articles or more - Everything above plus all the congratulations you can handle, AND something cool that I can't tell you... yet... (mostly because we haven't decided... but it will be COOL!)
- All 43 Articles - Everything above plus accolades galore from everyone you know (especially your leaders and the Bishopric), your name in the display cabinet outside the Bishop's office for achieving such a high honor, and Heavenly Choirs will sing!
Wait! I can tell what you are thinking! Your mind is saying to yourslef, "Self? When will all of these fabulous prizes and amazing events transpire so one so worthy, hard working, and diligent (not to mention good looking) as myself can reap the benefits of all this hard work?" Well, you can just tell your good looking self that we're going to have a "game show" party very soon after the 16th of August (like the next day if plans work out the way we would like them to). At this activity, all of these fabulous, mind blowing events will occur!
Remember August 16th, 2011 (yes that's this year), is the deadline, so get started yesterday!
So, read, write, read, write, read write, (lather rinse repeat) and then party! Not too hard to remember I think.
Post some comments at the bottom. Let us all know which articles you are reading and which ones you think your friends should read. Post some good game show questions in the comments and challenge your buddies to try and answer them. Tell us what your favorite article is. I double dog dare you!
Yours Truly,
Brother Anderson
The Articles
(Click on any title to follow the link to the talk on-line.)
Elder Henry B. Eyring | 2006 | |
Sister Elane S. Dalton | 2008 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1979 | |
President Harold B. Lee | 1973 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1989 | |
Elder Dallin H. Oaks | 1992 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1986 | |
Elder Dallin H. Oaks | 2011 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1986 | |
President Thomas S. Monson | 2008 | |
Elder Allan F. Packer | 2009 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1988 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1980 | |
Elder D. Todd Christofferson | 2011 | |
Elder Dallin H. Oaks | 2006 | |
Elder Marvin J Ashton | 1982 | |
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin | 2007 | |
Elder Dallin H. Oaks | 2007 | |
President Spencer W. Kimball | 1976 | |
President Spencer W. Kimball | 1973 | |
Elder Matthew Cowley | 1953 | |
Elder Neil L. Anderson | 2010 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1987 | |
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland | 1998 | |
Elder Neil L. Anderson | 2011 | |
Elder David A. Bednar | 2005 | |
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland | 2009 | |
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland | 2009 | |
President James E. Faust | 1995 | |
Elder Boyd K. Packer | 1978 | |
Brother John G. Bytheway | 1999 | |
Elder Richard G. Scott | 2011 | |
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf | 2008 | |
President James E. Faust | 2007 | |
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin | 2000 | |
Elder David A. Bednar | 2010 | |
President Thomas S. Monson | 1998 | |
President Ezra Taft Benson | 1986 | |
President James E. Faust | 2000 | |
Elder David B. Haight | 1973 | |
Sister Sharon G. Larsen | 1998 | |
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf | 2010 | |
Elder L. Tom Perry | 1998 |
New talk requested by Bishop Sorenson...
The Purifying Power of Gethsemane
Elder Bruce R. McConkie, 1985
________________________________________
If you haven't read the comments yet, don't forget to take a look at them too. There are some good ones and MAY even give you a few hints as to the questions for the "game show"... Come back often and you'll have an advantage for the BIG prizes!
NOTE: Click below about | here | to view and post comments.
You can download a .zip file of all the talks from:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.yousendit.com/download/cnJqRkJaY3k4aU0wTVE9PQ
The link will be active until July 25th.
President Benson was the prophet when I was a youth. One of his first talks as the prophet was "Cleansing the Inner Vessel." it's like a roadmap for the rest of his presidency. Two questions I might ask from this talk would be:
ReplyDeleteWhat is the "theme" of every latter-day prophet?
What is the "plaguing sin of this generation?"
President Benson's prophetic foresight is even more evident today!
Bishop Sorenson just requested another talk to be added to the list. Consider it a BONUS!
ReplyDeleteI just read Sis.Dalton's talk, "A Return to Virtue." Among the many thoughts I had in response to it was a renewed determination to do something everyday to be more virtuous and to have the spirit with me. I don't want to be tricked by the adversary into doing nothing, so my first "something" (besides taking this challenge) will be recommitting to morning prayer. What will your "something" be?
ReplyDeleteI just found out the Bishop is trying to get the BIG PRIZES! He's reading one talk a night! Now there is a challenge for all of you to show him up!
ReplyDeleteCan you read more than the Bishop?
I just read Miracles by Matthew Cowley. Faith is a powerful force!
ReplyDeleteHow many people were brought back from the dead?
What does fasting have to do with miracles happening?
Is your faith strong enough to give someone their sight after they were blind?
It's a good talk, and it's not very long! :-)
I just read Elder L. Tom Perry's talk "Youth of the Noble Birthright" in which Elder Perry offers us grandfatherly counsel on being in the world but not of the world. His counsel is simple and easy to follow. I took away courage to continue being in the world, knowing I can remain untainted from the world.
ReplyDeleteI read A Priesthood Quorum by Elder Eyring. I was reminded of the great responsibility and trust that is given to our Aaronic Priesthood holders. What a blessing it is to have the priesthood in my home. I am grateful for great young men (and women) how are leaders and examples to us all!
ReplyDeleteI just read President Eyrings talk a Priesthood Quorum. Being the Teachers Quorum President I found a lot of ways and oppertunities to strenthen my quorum and being us together more in unity. This is a great talk that I challenge all of my quorum to read.
ReplyDeleteDouglas Orchard
In A Return To Virtue sister Dalton shared a quote from President Monson. "There is no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience..." really struck me. How true that is! Friends may come and go but we have to live with ourselves forever. It is so important to make wise and good choices so that we can be friends with ourselves. Living a virtuous life will allow that friendship.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I read one of my favorite talks, "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane." Elder McKonkie gave this talk just a few days before he died. Listen carefully to the surety of his testimony. He absolutely knew, and he absolutely loved his Savior. That is the kind of testimony I want.
ReplyDeleteJust finished the the first two. Looking forward to reading all the rest of them. The messages make me feel good.
ReplyDeleteThe It's Not Fun To Be Poor article is a really good example of what we should do each day with the commandments as a good base.
ReplyDeleteCooper Anderson
I just read "Your Happily Ever After" by President Uchtdorf and found it to be a nice 5 minute talk with meaning to it, even to a guy like me who hasn't thought to much on the subject of my "happily ever after". Even though this talk was given to the YW, after the first paragraph it could be for anybody. He does a good job telling how we can have a fairytale ending in a troubled time with bad influences everywhere. He also tells about how to overcome adversity.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Hutchison
Today I listened to "Miricles" by Elder Cowley. It is a powerful and moving talk about the wonders of our heavenly father. When he says it, the sperit testifies that these acts were done by the power if God and he also adds some funny tidbits in the audio that is not in the written part.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Hutchison
I love the talk "Remember Lot's Wife", by Elder Holland. Sometimes it is so hard to not look back and look forward with faith and hope. But more often than not, that is all that is required of us!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a FHE lesson on Ezra Taft Benson's talk, "Beware of Pride". It's a really good talk that tells a lot about the consequences of pride and why we shouldn't be prideful. I found it really interesting how many bad things in history happened because of proud leaders or nations.
ReplyDeleteI just listened to "The Value of Self Esteem", by James E. Faust, with my family for FHE. We learned that doing drugs and alchol will ruin your self esteem and that telling the truth, loving God and loving yourself will help build yourself.
ReplyDeleteJust listened to Elder Fausts "The value of Self-Esteem" Great talk, with 6 keys to self-esteem. The two I thought were most applicable in my life is the importance of hard work and honesty in building and maintaining a healthy image about yourself.
ReplyDeleteKelton
I just watched Elder Oaks' talk about Desire. It is amazing to me how much peace you can have in your heart when you focus your desires on the correct principles! - Cory King
ReplyDeleteI put together a little one-page checklist so I could keep track of what talks I had read and thought that I'd share it with any of you that want it. Here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B431_isxJrvhYmQzYTU2Y2ItMTk5ZS00OTUwLWIzODMtZGNlZmE4NmE4MzIz&hl=en_US
I was going to skip over the talk A Priesthood Quorum by Ireing, but then decided that if I was going to read them all, I needed to start at the beginning...There was a lot in there that was applicable to everyone...not just those of us in quorums. I especially liked the comment that when we are fellowshipping with others through service we are also fellowshipping with the Savior. Hadn't ever thought of it quite in that way before.
ReplyDeleteI just read "what I learned from bible stories" by Elder Oaks. my favorite part of the story was when a robber pointed a gun on him and the Holy Ghost told him what to do.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible! I have finished every talk, and I feel so uplifted by their messages!! Did you know that you can listen to many of the talks on the Mormon Channel and on BYUB.org? Try it!!
ReplyDeleteJana King
The talk"pay your debt,and live"is a good talk to tell us how to spend money.
ReplyDelete-Cooper Anderson
I like the original title of Pres. Foust's talk "Serving the Lord and Resisting the Devil" it was " Trying to Serve the Lord Without Offending the Devil" (speeches BYU). It's a little more tongue in cheek but to the point. We seem so worried about offending the world with our goodness.
ReplyDeleteRyan Hutchison
I have been traveling and offline for a while. I'm impressed at how many of you are getting in to these talks. I just finished another one of my favorites, "Beware of Pride" by President Ezra Taft Benson. I love his talks, and this is one of the best. President Benson teaches what pride really is, and that it is the universal sin (all of us are guilty to one degree or another). At the end he gives several examples of how we can choose to be humble. As I read I felt that I should identify one of those ways to choose to be humble and to work on it. I'm looking forward to working on it.
ReplyDeleteWhat is even more impressive than the miracles Elder Cowley speaks of is the simple faith that powers them.
ReplyDelete