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Show 0 urc I lisirory:I.QU s tes imomes AMERICAN FORK, 1.1TAtt "I have really changed a lot over the past 17 days. In a way, I am afraid to go home because my friends will expect me to be the same as I was when I left and rin not." "Before, I didn't think about the Church. It was just there. Now I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and I know that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that Joseph Smith was a prophet" Spoken with tears sliding silently down the young peoples' cheeks, these were but two of 84 testimonies borne by II- - and teenagers and a dozen leaders as they concluded a comprehensive study of the history of semiParticipants were fourth-yea- r nary graduates and a few third-yea- r students, The study was sponsored by the combined American Fork Utah, American Fork Utah North and Alpine Utah stakes with the American Fork senior seminary teachers directing the activity. "Now 1 know how and what 1 have to do in this life," said Debra Wetzel. "The trip of the pioneers was hard for them, thia trip haa heat hard fur us, We have had to have faith in many instances, and we have grown through it." - The trip was hard for the modern group as they camped out all but four nights, and it rained on them nearly every night the Church. The study had taken them "more than 6,000 miles from Utah to Sharon, Vt, and back," said Robert Eliason, of the director. They cover. t; pioneer trek along the Mormon trail. 7-ri- Again the rain followed the trek and stopped only an hour and half before the group's arrival mouth time ke tilew the road to become passahtt tar , , Some before them had commented, '1 hope your group isn't diseppeinted. ' , tempered for you." The spirit of the grove was felt about them as they came to the clearing where benches and a pulpit are located. The meeting lasted about five hours, but no one noticed the time or even the spirit was so strong..; fidgeted ' And the elements were stayed. That lives were changed was evident by the spirit felt at Adam-ondi-Ahma- n. Disappointment never came. ondi-Ahma- -- ELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND Heidi McKay has been hailed as one of the most promising young opera singers in New Zealand, but the active Church member and mother of four firmly points out that she is a wife and mother first and a singer second.. Sister McKay, who was American-bor- n and raised, has lived in New Zealand for eight years, ever since r marriage to New Zealander : McKay, a Wellington businessman. ei i Their four children John, 7; Elise, 5; David, 4; and lain Jr., 2 were all born in Wellington. Sister McKay made her New Zealand debut in March in the New !taland Opera Company's production of Traviata," as Annina, Violetta's maid. Her concert and recital engagements have been snowballing ever since. ',1::,.;::::..::;:ii,-,::-..:::::- ,,.,''-'-'llf.' - :,..,' '..':::;,' ,,1 i ': .:', t, i 4 , ,., , ,, - ': ''''t :'. '.,..,:,. ) ,...,,,,-- .,',2, '' : ' ': .1' )1, ,.:..:,,,s,,..,:, i A '..!,..,:;,..,:;i::.. 7 !?::...,,,,, ,N. , , ,,,,i.::.::::,::::: :','.:::.' ' ",..,..:,..,:,,i..,:,,:,g,,, ,- ,...,:,, , - r- , ,,,..:i ,r;J:. , , - , ,:, ,.. ; ',,,.,.,;!, ,.:,. I American-bor- n Heidi McKay is New Zealand opera singer. Seattle, then entered Brigham Young University at age begin formal music training. While there she met her husband, then a recent convert to the Church, who had stopped at BYU on his way home from a trip to Europe, to take some music classes. "We sat together in music class for one semester but never dated." Sister McKay related. He returned to New Zealand and we corresponded for 18 months before he returned to the States and proposed. He then returned to New Zealand for another nine moths and came back to the StItt4 four days before our weddirg.' Following their marriage in the Salt Lka remple, the Mc Kays came to New Zealand in September 1966. Sister 17-t- o - Where There's History, There Are Morrrions! By DAVID PALMER Church Nti4is Correspond McKay, then ?Al, had just received her bachelors of music degree from Bit1.1. ,;.-- :-:, r But, as a busy young mother, Sister McKay attractive, auburn-haire- d doesn't have much time to practice, so she sings as she does her housework. "I find I ant able to practice while I'm doing my work," she said. "Sometimes the children sing with me, or we sing conversations instead of talking." She added, "Being a good mother is having time to devote to each child. I believe this is very important. If I can do this. I can continue to sing." The many articles in New Zealand newspapers which have praised Sister McKay's lyrical voice and dedication, always quote her as saying, "I am first and foremost a homemaker. I love to cook and sew, decorate and am active in our church." One of her favorite sayings is that of Pres. David O. McKay.. - "No other success compensates for failure in the home." Sister McKay, who was born in San Francisco, Calif., studied piano for 10 years in her family's home town 'of .,,,,,, ''''''''",-;;.,:;',--:'- ".. ' .i,,,',.' n, , rst W - Rather, as they knelt 34 in the circle and offered prayer in a valley of Adair the Spirit el the leeld was there and all expressed we that they had felt it. "We walked where Adam walked. We saw where a prophet died. The shadows of our forefathers went before tis, said Nathan Adams, one of the teachers. "Our lives will never be the same because of the knowledge we have guided and the experiesave we have sharect," Sings While Homemaking '00....,..07.:.,Stà..r.:.-1..s.:...Mtsth...(:- - It oily a Reid." As the buses pulled up to the Joseph Smith Sr. home adjacent to the Sacred Grove,' George S. Reid, who was In chartie eame out and sAift, "to ikhond kith yeur meeting, the elements will be The group pulled into a campground Saturday night at Canadaigua. N.Y. ' to a bitter wind and a wet camp. 0)1 Sunday, fast and testimony meeting - was to be held at the Sacred Grove and a visit was scheduled to Rill Curnorah. The rain began and centinued throughout the night, but a special prayer was held by the group. Additive-a- l prayers, were held in the "family" : tents. 1. Sister McKay taught piano privately at Scots College during her first three years in Wellington, but quit teaching as soon as her family began to expand. Encouraged by her husband and friends in the New Zealand Opera Company, Sister McKay began to study singing again, after the birth of her third child. This led to her first private recital in New Zealand. Shortly afterward, her fourth child was born. Brother McKay, who has been involved in promoting musicians in New Zealand for many years, "is a great help to me in my career," said Sister 1 McKay. , s"With Iain's own love of music and his organizing ability, he is right behind me all the way," she added. "He helps me with the housework and the children so I can practice, but nothing goes undone." After she had studied further, eminent German voice teacher Prof. Walther Grtmer of the Guildhall Sehool, London, heard Sister McKay sing and invited her to travel to London for more study. Last year, Sister McKay was privileged to study for 34 months in London with Madame Vera Rozsa, who is recognized as one of the world's greatest voice teachers "Maaame Rozsa and I became very close," Sister McKay related. ''Each time I was invited to their home (she is Mrs. Ralph Nordell in private life) they always wanted to talk about the Church, and never musicl' Kadama Roz$ Invited Sister McKay to return to London In 191 for further study. "When I left London, I gave Madame Rozsa a Book of Mormon with my testimony written In it. She cried?' said Sister McKay. : ' WEEK NAPERVILLE, ILL When community interest turns to history and heritage, what is one of the first things that happens? You're right; here come Mormons. Members of the Naperville Illinois Stake turned out in numbers far greater than their proportion in the community when Naperville got together for "Joe Naper Days" recently. event was centered The three-da-y around an historical settlement created in a central park by moving old homes from the area and restoring them. Spiced with street dances, free admittance to the museum, the state history mobile, games and other entertainment, the event attracted considerable interest, in spite of poor weather. The prime Saturday attraction was demonstration of a dozen different pioneer skills, under the direction of the Relief Society. People were fascinated by two Primary-age girls doing crewel embroid- ery. Soap-makin- and g butter-makin- g were also popular extuleits. Many questions were asked at the food storage display where a great variety of bottled foods was exhibited. The old style and new electric types of wheat grinders were shown, together w;th a pan of rising bread dough prepared from whole wheat flour. There were also exhibits of the final products of the handicrafts, including quilts, clothing and artisite works. A focal point of the celetratke Alf a the Americana Musicale, whia tempted to recreate eatestniestatel the 1800s. The numbers chase to lead the program, because they beat fit the theme, were performed by the Morat't Bicentennial Youth Chorus. 4 t I 44 '1 4 ENDING JULY 19, 1975 CHURCH 3 4 ,o 'a 4 |