Personal Touch

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

For our Personal Touch interview for this week, Rebecca Cressman interviews Austin. Austin Emch is High School Student Body President at Riverton High School in Riverton, Utah. Every year, his High School chooses a non-profit charity whose mission brings awareness to an important social issue. The students fundraise, collect donated supplies, and personally engage and commit themselves to the cause. For the 2010-2011 school-years, Austin and the student body at Riverton High tapped into the immigration debate and adopted the cause of the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City. The IRC helps refugees who cannot return to their home due to war or violence and helps them rebuild their lives in America’s safe haven. By the end of December, 2010, the fundraiser known as “Silver Rush” had earned a grand total of $81,087.11. For more information on Silver Rush visit the Riverton High School website at http://www.rivertonhigh.com/

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Don’t you feel sometimes as if you are in perfect sync with the Spirit? As if you could almost see past the veil. You can follow the promptings and feel inspired to do what’s right without question.

That’s how it feels when you read Jennifer Rick’s article today. You feel empowered by this connection, you feel touched and moved by the hand of the Lord.

I thought of another example, one of our Anonymous contributors expressed it well here  and you can’t help it but wonder What do I need to do to be so blessed most of the time? I know that I need all the blessings that I can get, and being close to the Spirit is one to cherish. Is that how it is with you?

Elder Bednar has said: “The standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are not for us. Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should shun, then such things definitely are not for us.” Source: here.

We definitely need to make a choice of what we want in our lives. As for me, I want the company of the Spirit at all times. Like a safety blanket.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday, 3 January, please click here.