Shining Sister

Shining Sister Becky Wise

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in several places. I am the second oldest of 7 kids. My family is really close (in age and in our relationships with each other!). We lived in Sandy, UT initially and then moved to Layton, UT when I was 6. Our family moved to Los Alamitos, CA when I was 14 and stayed there for my sophomore and junior years of high school. Then we moved to Minnesota when I was a senior in high school. Although it was hard to start over, especially during my senior year, I am grateful for the experiences and friends that came with each move.

I left Minnesota to come out to BYU. It was at BYU that I started thinking about serving a mission. I had never really considered it before, but after talking to returned missionaries and taking a Mission Prep class, I decided that I wanted to serve. I was called to the Phoenix, AZ mission, Spanish speaking. I loved my mission and am so grateful I had the opportunity to serve!

Family

I met my husband, Elias, at BYU. We were both in the same undergraduate program--Geography, with an emphasis in Urban Planning. We met when Elias started talking to me in class one day. It wasn't until after talking with him that I noticed that he was in 3 of my other classes! We became friends with a group of students that were in our program and started spending a lot of time together. We dated for 3 months and got engaged! We were then engaged for 6 months, and got married in June of 2010.

Our son, Helam, was born in April. He is 7 months old now and learning new tricks every day! He recently learned how to climb up the stairs and pull himself into a standing position. Oh, and he just got his first two teeth! He is so much fun and keeps me busy!

What kinds of things do you enjoy?

I enjoy reading (just finished Harry Potter 7 again), singing, scrapbooking, and organizing. I love being a mom--best job ever!

Any inspirational quotes/songs/sayings/advice that gets you through hard times or you just love.

I have a couple of scriptures that help me when I get down: D&C 123:17 and Alma 26:27.

I also keep the word ANIMO on my mirror to remind me to keep going and stay positive. It is a Spanish word that doesn't translate well...it means "come on", encouragement, energy, courage...

Music always cheers me up, especially Broadway and Christmas! :)

Shining Sister (New name for the spotlight)

(Isn't Linda stunning?!)

Shining Sister of the week:

Linda May Kurtz (Williams) Van Orman

Was born in Portland, Oregon in October of 1948. In 1959 we moved to New Jersey and my Dad worked in New York City.

In 1964 we moved to Chicago where I graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.

I have many great memories of my childhood: going to the beach in Oregon with my parents; seeing Broadway shows in New York; a fun vacation on Cape Cod; a great older brother that took me on dates and tried to teach me how to behave. Mike is 8 years older than I am. My parents were fabulous and gave me many opportunities like dance lessons, voice lessons, lots of traveling and great lessons on manners and how a lady behaves!!!

I graduated from BYU in 1970 with a degree in Music and Speech & Drama and have been privileged to go on two USO Tours throughout the Far East and to teach all three subjects in my 18 years as a teacher at Dixon Middle School. I began my career at KIXX and then KEYY Radio in Provo where I was a secretary and had my own one hour show each day. I once interviewed Robert Redford and he was a true gentleman!

I have 3 wonderful sons from my first marriage and Peter has 4 beautiful daughters from his first marriage (I was a single mother for 10 years and then was blessed to marry Peter in 1998)....So together we have 7 children, 7 spouses of those children and 25 grandchildren. Our oldest grandson is currently in the MTC learning Mandarin Chinese which he will use in the Calgary, Alberta Mission.

My favorite quote is from a song in the Sound of Music Movie:

"A bell's not a bell till you ring it;

A Song's not a song till you sing it.

And love in your heart wasn't put there to stay

Love isn't love till you give it away!"

My favorite songs are "I Heard Him Come" or "Because I Have Been Given Much."

Note: Linda wrote this in an email to me and I changed nothing because it was so beautifully written. What an amazing life she has had thus far. You are loved Linda! I hope you feel like the "Shining Sister" that you are!

Up and Running!

I am back from the hottest summer of my life spent in Dallas, Texas. This blog will be back up and running from now on with more exciting posts to look forward to!
Since there has been a lot of new move-ins recently, I thought it would be fun to spotlight a sister every couple of weeks. It will include basic and fun information about the spotlighted sister. So, if I (Pregnant Courtney Gray) call you and ask to interview you, you will know what I am asking. I prefer to come interview you in your home, but if that cannot be arranged, a phone interview will surely be acceptable.
Be looking forward to my call :)

In the mean time, be looking forward to the General Relief Society Meeting on Sept. 24th, at 6pm.

Goals

As I was reading through our Relief Society yellow book, I noticed that it has goals for 2011. If you haven't started these goals, now is as good as time as ever!

1. Increase computer literacy among the sisters.
2. Increase scripture study (New Testament & Book of Mormon)
3. Help each sister to feel loved and wanted at all times.

Remember these fun activities

Play Group: Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Young Mothers and children come together to have fun in the cultural hall.

Cozy Corner Crocheters: The 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Carolyn Davis' home.

Book Nook: The 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1:30. Call Gigi Berrett (221-2991) if you have a question.

Girls Night Out: A night for young mothers to leave the children at home and get together for some fun. Call Kaysee Leishman for details.




*Note*
Claire Hudman is at Stonehenge in room 213. She will be there another few weeks.

Upcoming Event

May 10th 7 p.m.
The Director of Turning Point at UVU will speak to us. We would encourage everyone to bring at least one nice, clean outfit to donate to Turning Point. They can use dresses, suits and business casual outfits. Anything that women could wear to job interviews and to work.

More March Birthdays

Julie Nelson- March 25th
Geniel Roper- March 26th
Sara Call - March 27th
Claire Hudman- March 28th

Happy Birthday to You!

Kylen Conterio: Today! March 23rd

Motherhood

Click here to see a beautiful video from lds.org on motherhood. Hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Happy Happy Birthday Sisters Dear

Jessica Brown- March 11
Janice Cracroft- March 12
Charitte Davies- March 13
La Nea Bird- March 15
Aimee Monsen- March 15

Happy March Birthdays!

Alison Koralewski- March 1

Karin Rhees- March 3

Kadey Jo Baird- March 6

Carolyn Davis- March 7

May your day be filled with presents, love, and knowing you are special.

Happy happy birthday sisters dear!

Colleen Pinegar- Feb. 17

Kathleen Pyne- Feb. 19

Claudia Salzetti- Feb. 19

Wanda Allen- Feb. 20

Barbie Taylor- Feb. 25

Tricia Harper- Feb. 28

Preparedness blog

Wanda Allen's daughter is one of the producers of this

great preparedness blog.

Click here to read!

Some things to look forward to...

The RS Birthday Party will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8th.

We will have dinner and a program.

On March 17th we have been invited to join with the Orem Stake to hear Sister Julie Bradshaw from the RS General Board.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Orem Stake Center at 80 South 280 East.....you must enter 280 East from 200 South.

She will speak on the history and divine nature of RS. (Doesn't that sound delightful?! All of our sisters are divine!)

*Remember Remember Remember*

Call your visiting teaching supervisors after you
complete your visits each month!

This is a poem I found on sugardoodle.net. It was written by Shel Eldridge. Enjoy!

Our lives are very different,

Though many ways the same.

We're daughters, mothers, grandmas.

We all know joy and pain.

Our struggles, fears and triumphs

Are all part of the plan.

There are days our hears just know we can't,

But our Father knows we can.

One sister fighting loneliness,

One sister lives in pain.

One sister thinks she'll lose her mind,

if the toddler screams again.

One sister makes a phone call.

One gives a kindly word of praise.

One sister stops to say hello

and brightens an otherwise dreary day.

One sister offers to bring a meal.

One sister shares a smile,

and stops to listen to frustration's voice

and tarries for a while.

The thing about these sisters,

each one a unique creation,

Their lives are very different,

each at different stations.

But deep inside, a feeling swells,

a gift so precious and divine.

A love that runs deep within the soul,

A love we're sent to seek and find.

The Pure Love of Christ

That urges all to share the heavy load.

A gift most priceless, given to us,

to help make easier the road.

Our lives are very different,

Though sisters all are we.

May we all search deeply and answer the call

To be filled with Charity.

Play Group

Play group is a fun way for sisters in the ward to get to know each other (and to have a break and let the kids run around, just in time for them to get so tired that they go home and take a good, long nap). Bring kids/babies/grandbabies of any age and meet at the church on Wednesday mornings.

We have had the awful cold that has been going around at my house. I am so sorry for belated birthdays. Happy, happy birthday sisters!

Alice Hunt- February 9th
Melinda McClure- February 9th
Mandy Merrill- February 10th
Lynette Carter- February 12th
Courtney Rawle- February 15th
Cherie Garr- February 16th
Lindsay Smalley- February 16th

Happy Upcoming Birthdays Sisters!

February 1st: Maija-Liisa Phipps

February 2nd: Hailey Mary Thompson

February 9th: Carolyn Crabb & Christina Yazzie

May you feel extra special on your special day

Visiting Teaching Conference

We had an amazing visiting teaching conference this past Sunday. I don't think I have ever been to church meeting where I could feel the spirit radiating so strong even before I stepped foot in the room. I tell my husband all the time that this ward is full of angels.
Some highlights for me from the conference:
Visiting teaching can be compared to oranges. The outside of the orange (woman) may be rough and tough to get through, but once you do, the inside is oh so sweet (it was the best orange I've ever eaten).

The bishop shared an experience where he was having a continuous "pity party" for himself. A voice then came to him saying, "Quit worrying about yourself." That is what we need to do with visiting teaching. Quit worrying about our troubles and focus on serving our sisters.
It was a wonderful visiting teaching conference full of good messages and a very strong spirit of love.

Happy Wednesday!

And even more....

Happy Happy Birthday Sisters Dear

Roxana Diaz- January 26th
Ann Miller- January 28th
Jeanne Borget- January 29th

More Birthdays!

Happy Happy Birthday

Ellie Banner- January 12th

Carol Cooper- January 19th

Ginger Dingman- January 19th

Happy be-lated birthdays

January 2nd: Laura Boyer
January 7th: Cathy Buss
January 8th: Sherma Clark

Happy New Year!

https://lds.org/pages/look-not-behind-thee?lang=eng&cid=email-shared

I found this video on lds.org. Just click the link above and it should take you to the video. If the video does not appear, try pushing "refresh" on your web browser.

Remember, "Anybody can choose to leave the past behind and move forward. That is what faith is." May your new year be full of joy and righteousness.