After much planning, the special youth fireside was held at the home of Brother Patrick Shen on Sunday evening, June 20, to discuss balancing education and career goals with spiritual development. Here is part of the invitation letter written by Brother Patrick Shen, which explains the purpose of this activity.
"We understand that year after year, generation after generation, demands placed upon your children are becoming increasingly more intense. College admissions standards are rising constantly because of greater competition. The pressure to excel is not limited to academic achievement. Instead, there is a strong emphasis on a balanced development of all aspect of an adolescent’s life – intellectual, physical and social. We never cease to be amazed by what our children have already accomplished in their young lives, and can only imagine the weight that has been placed on their young shoulders.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has always emphasized the importance of a well balanced development for our youths. Moreover, the Church recognizes a fourth area – spiritual, that will be vital to a young (or not so young) person’s overall development.
We would like to invite you and all parents of children between the ages of 12-18 to a special fireside and a light dinner this coming Sunday, June 20, 2010. This will be a great opportunity to exchange ideas with other parents and to hear from other young adults who have succeeded in finding the 'balance' our children strive to achieve."
And it was a great opportunity for 25 youth, parents, and leaders. After enjoying a light dinner, Brother Patrick Shen conducted the fireside and moderated a panel discussion in between two special videos (Elder Oaks' October 2007 General Conference talk on "Good, Better, Best," and a video showing how LDS doctors have volunteered to help perform free surgeries around the world). Those who participated in the panel discussion were Jess Theodore, Andrew & Tanisha Groberg, Tim Kuehne, and Da Zhao. They discussed how to set priorities in a balanced life, how to be successful in your career and still dedicate time to the church and spirituality, how to balance church with school and work, and the benefits of serving a mission while interrupting school. At the end, all enjoyed the ice cream dessert. For the 25 participants (and the over 10 small children), this fireside was a great forum for emphasizing balance and success. We thank Brother Shen and the youth leaders for planning this excellent activity.
