A Brand New Year

A Celebration for Youth

Last night I attended the taping of a DVD called "A Brand New Year" which was specifically for the Young Men and Young Women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a fun evening, and we enjoyed ourselves. The message was really great and focused on the great things that the youth throughout the Church have done throughout 2008. It is going to be showed throughout the Church as a New Year's event (possibly on New Year's Eve). The program asks youth to make personal commitments during 2009 to make a specific effort to keep the standards listed in For the Strength of Youth. 

Young Women's President Elaine Dalton and Young Men's President Charles Dahlquist challenge the youth to do three things in 2009:

-Pray day and night
-Read the Book of Mormon at least 5 minutes each day
-Smile and be happy

I was amazed at the production quality of the event, and the talented people who are involved. The youth performed both in singing and dancing as well as playing in the orchestra. It was kind of like experiencing, "High School Seminary Musical." The songs were really great, and even the prelude music had a little bit of a swing to it. 

If you are working with youth, or have children in the YM/YW program, I would encourage you to have them attend an event where this DVD is shown, or to plan to show it at home on New Year's Eve.  I am thinking of showing it to my kids as well, even though they are only 7 and 10, because this would be very aspirational for them as they are into watching shows that feature teens (which we limit).   We'll be traveling on New Year's Eve but I think we can maybe work this in.  I think it will be interesting to see how the DVD turns out in comparison to our experience attending the event.  If you want to learn more about the DVD, go to www.lds.org.

I was sitting there thinking that we had nothing like that when I was at that age. When we had firesides, they were basically just like a mini general conference meeting for youth in the Tabernacle.  We were lucky to sing a stirring version of an old standby hymn (which I love don't get me wrong).  We had the corny Seminary filmstrips (Remember, "I'm free to choose, to win or lose, no matter who, comes and tries to turn my head around----"), and there were a few LDS musical artists, but I got the feeling that the Church really didn't want us listening to those (mostly they were really cheesy anyway). But the music industry has really come a long way in working with LDS Artists in the past 20 years, and there is really some good and fun music out there now. 

Do you have any favorite LDS Musicians? Here are a few that I really like:

Mindy Gledhill

Jenny Oaks Baker

Michael Dowdle

Dean Kaelin  

(Incidentally, Bro. Kaelin was actually a seminary teacher at East when I was there, and he is amazingly talented as a musician. He was not MY seminary teacher, but I used to attend his class from time to time with friends.   I will always remember his musical devotionals when he would play blindfolded, with mittens on, backwards, with his back turned to the piano, even with his feet I believe. He is probably best known as a voice coach to American Idol star David Archuleta.  I would not be suprised to learn that Bro. Kaelin was involved in the production of this DVD.)

Happy Friday dear readers.  And by the way GO UTES!!!!