Father’s Day Spotlight editor LuAnne Reese

A few of the Young Women in our ward were willing to share their feelings about their fathers with us.

Samantha Stoddard about her father Howard: “My dad goes the extra mile, he is always willing to help and he can fix pretty much anything. He graduated in graphic design and he always uses his art skills on things like a birthday card, a school project or a pinewood derby car. My dad always helps my mom; he cooks, cleans and sometimes he even washes the dishes. On Saturday night if we don’t have what we need for Sunday dinner, he’ll go buy it, even if it’s 10:30 at night. I love my dad and I want to marry someone just like him. But most of all he has a strong testimony of the gospel. He gives us father’s blessings, and I’m glad to have the priesthood in our home.”

Markell Anderson about her father Dirk: “There isn’t just one thing I like about my dad, other than he is my best friend. My brothers and I don’t call him dad, we call him ‘Fabio’. He can make anyone laugh at anytime. If you ever want to go on a trip you don’t have to ask him twice. He’s an awesome guy, who I look up to!”

Laura Evans about her father Gary: “Last year my dad and I went on a road trip to go camping at Little Wild Horse slot canyon, it’s right by Goblin Valley and Moab. We camped in the middle of nowhere. We had tons of fun, eating junk food and telling funny stories around the campfire. We hiked about 3 miles in a beautiful slot canyon and came across Bowtie Arch and Corona Arch. We took lots of pictures along our hike, on the way up and on the way back. When we were coming to the end of our hike my dad told me he could tell is getting old because the hike was only 3 miles long but it felt like it was 10 miles to him! I loved being with my dad, camping and hiking . . . just me and him. He’s a wonderful daddy and I have so many good memories in my life because of him. He makes everything fun, especially with his sense of humor. He’s totally awesome and I couldn’t ask for a better dad, ever!!!” Jessa and Sara also wanted to add that they think their dad is one of the funniest dads ever! He is also someone with a lot of patience, understanding, very protective of his family and crazy at the same time. They think it’s wonderful to be a member of such a loving family.

Sara Esplin about her father Bishop Kimo: “ He works hard every day so our family can have food, clothes and a nice house to live in.”

Relief Society Summer Salad Social this Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Be sure to join us for the annual Willow Creek 7th Ward Relief Society Summer Salad Social this Wednesday at 6:30 pm in Jody Done's backyard. We will enjoy several sister's demonstrating how to make their favorite salads and then relax and visit in the beautiful garden setting. This is a fun activity and we look forward to beautiful weather this year, so be sure to come!

From the Hearty by Shelley Turner

This week, my youngest graduated from high school. We spent the day celebrating this achievement, first with pomp and ceremony and later with a steak dinner. His two older brothers had made the effort to spend the day with him, and it was fun to hear the three of them swap stories about their time at the same high school. Interestingly, although many of the teachers and program details have been the same for each boy, what each has taken away from his high school experience has been quite different.

As I contemplated the three of them together, and the passage of time that little scene represented for me, I remembered something a friend said years ago, something along the lines of “All these years I thought I was raising my children, but really, my children were raising me.” It’s true. I have certainly become a better person than I started out to be—stretched to the max in every capacity to love and to pray for and to suffer deeply for others, as well as to forgive and to see beyond and to have faith—because of those boys.

Like my boys at Commencement, I often find myself swapping stories with friends about our life experiences and the things we’ve taken away from them. And we often lament the fact that after gaining all of this wisdom “the hard way,” no one—especially our children—seems that eager to benefit from it! As the last one goes off to college, I’m struck by the realization that there isn’t anything new I can tell or teach my children at this point in their lives. In God’s school system, they will learn wisdom the way we all do—by their own experience. Perhaps the best gift I can give them is simply to keep my covenants all my life. And honestly, that is the best gift they could give to me.

My children aren’t the only ones who play a part in raising me. Over the years there have been many, particularly among the members of the 7th Ward. Truth be told, I have sustained a great deal of personal growth here in your midst, and intend to keep on learning with you and from you for as long as I can. The best way I can think of to say “thank you” for your love and support and acceptance, and for your long-term investment in me is, again, simply to keep my covenants all my life. And honestly, that is the best gift you could ever give to me.