Mormons helping in storm ravaged areas

Clinton, Arkansas
The Log Cabin Democrat reports Latter-day Saints are helping storm victims.
Unusual winter thunderstorms and tornadoes took lives and caused much damage early in February, especially in the Clinton area. Individuals from the Conway First Ward, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, took their own chainsaws and tools on Feb. 9 to assist whoever they could with clean up.
Then on Feb. 16, a more organized crew of about 30 people from the Conway First and Second ward, along with members from Quitman and Russellville, were assigned to clear fallen trees from a local residence. This Saturday, the goal is to have 100 volunteers to assist.

Faaa, Tahiti
Mormons from Tahiti were released from a meeting to go assist after a fire broke out.

Accra, Ghana
Twenty-eight young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently visited two orphanages in the Accra area to donate food and gifts to the children. LDS Charities provided the goods delivered to the orphanages.

LDS Youth, United States of America
One illustration is how seriously many high school-age Latter-day Saints approach education. Many Mormon youth are not only staying in school; they are also taking extra classes...

Researchers interviewed more than three thousand 13-to 18-year-olds across the United States and discovered that a high percentage of Latter-day Saint youth have no or few doubts about their religious beliefs and feel they understand those beliefs, and that Latter-day Saint youth are less likely than other teens to use drugs and alcohol and are more likely to abstain from premarital sexual relationships.

John Bartowski, who helped with the research, said that Latter-day Saint teens have their own problems, but they’re more knowledgeable about and more committed to their faith and have more positive social outcomes associated with their faith, as compared with their counterparts across the country.

The results of the study have caused many to wonder what it is about Latter-day Saint culture and doctrine that helps parents shape dependable, educated and well-adjusted young people. Part of the answer goes back to the emphasis on learning and an important rite of passage for most 14– to 18-year-old Latter-day Saints: graduating from what Church members call seminary.