1300 Miles in 49 days!

Join us for "Faith in Every Footstep" virtual Pioneer Trek. You have 7 weeks until General Conference. 49 days to reach 1300 miles, from Nauvoo to Salt Lake=1300 miles. Every good thing you do adds a mile. If you feel you worked extra hard at something, give yourself 2+ miles. IF YOU DO SOMETHING GOOD NOT ON THE LIST, ADD IT! This isn't an exhaustive list, just suggestions.

Every day counts, but some days are better than other days. The important thing is moving forward! Follow the prophet! Tallying miles will be done anonymously. The class miles will be added together each day and divided by 14 students (so you will go or be dragged to Zion! Positive peer pressure.). As a class we will move forward, keeping track on the Mormon Trail map.

Spiritual

Personal Prayer AM & PM
15 min Personal Scripture Study
Attend Seminary & stay awake
Be ON TIME 5:45 or 5:55 AM!
Give Seminary Devotional
Learn a Scripture Mastery
Attend all 3 Church meetings
Fast with a purpose
Write in Journal
Read New Era/Ensign
Listen to uplifting music
Duty to God section/Merit Badge
Personal Progress Experience/Project
Bear Testimony
Share Gospel/give a BM away
Do Family History
Photo or scrapbook
Give talk in Sacrament mtg
Home Teaching
Go whole day w/o pouting
Go to Mutual
Bring a friend to Mutual
FHE participation
Pay tithing


Mental

Do home work on time
Practice instrument or voice
Give Best effort in school
Teach someone something
30 minutes reading uplifting material
Attend cultural event
Be on time to every class
Learn a new skill
Share talent or perform
Discuss current events
Visit historical site or museum
Finish a book
Get an A on test or paper


Physical


6+ hours of sleep
Exercise
Competitive Sports
Eat Healthy
Cook Entire Meal
Help with Home Repair
Shovel/yard work service
Attend sporting event
Car maintenance or repair
Sewing mending
Ironing
Work at Job
Make bed
Clean room
Laundry
Do Chores
Serve Parents
Hygiene: shower, deodorant
Listen to Classical music
Drink 4+ glasses water
Take out garbage
Pick up litter
Brush teeth
Floss


Social


Do Service Project
Letters to missionary or family
Volunteer work
Avoid Gossip
Anonymous kind deed
Nice to family member
Visit sick
Quality time with siblings
Keep standards with friends
Tell parents "I love you"
Use clean language
Write thank you note
Respect teachers
Dress modestly

Missionary Companions

Dear Seminary Students and Families:

We are getting down to the end. Monday morning we will cross the deep sea with the Jaredites by light of glowing rocks. I have been moved to tears reading this section of the Book of Mormon again and the serious, sober stories, the warnings, the testimonies, the sadness.

BE GOOD! Grow up strong, holding on to the Iron Rod with both hands! Prepare to go to the temple! Go on missions! Get married to an amazing, strong-testimony Saint, someone who will help you live the Gospel and raise your family righteously.

My parents are newly arrived on their mission in St. Croix (rhymes with "boy"). Their adventures include a tour of the Church building and finding 3 dead lizards in the baptismal font, (because the elders really like it when they have beach baptisms...as that is the ONLY way they can get in the water).

I have believed for a long time that the ideal missionary companionship is a husband and wife, the way they can compliment each other's talents, build on one another's strengths, do things unitedly but differently based on their talents and natural abilities. It felt right teaching the Gospel that way when I was 21 (doing zone leader splits, always 2 elders and one sister in my mission back then)--and I know that was preparation for future FHE lessons for my own children. Now, I look forward to serving a mission with Bro. Landbeck. Not just us writing back and forth for two years, but serving together. It is going to be amazing!

That companionship, that trust and working together-united-wonderful feeling can be yours now, as you live worthily to have the Holy Ghost be near you. Things of the world offend him-contention is a guaranteed way to make the Spirit leave you. Dirty words, ugly thoughts, foul language, selfish-lustful-not-waiting-for-temple marriage-to-be-intimate sexually and rude actions--they all drive the Holy Ghost away, and you are left feeling hollow, alone, sorrowful, depressed, guilty, shamed, and not wanting to pray (quick--think Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9!).

I want so much for you to have beautiful, joyful lives! I want you to feel the love that I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for you youth! I want to see you with your arms around your spouse when we bump into each other after a temple session, and we will smile at each other, knowing it is worth the awkwardness of being different, of being modest, of talking softly and being good.

Hang in there! Finals and HSAs and graduation and big projects are here. You can make it. I know you will be blessed as you sacrifice sleep for seminary. You can feel the spiritual renewal and flow of intelligence as you make it clear about your commitment to obeying the Lord. He will help you. You just need to ask. Sincerely ask. Ask with faith--which we learned last week means ACTIONS! We have to do something, believing we will get an answer. Seek help knowing He will help you.

Keep coming! There is still more good stuff ahead!