2021 Christmas Chalk Walk

Our 8th annual Christmas Chalk Walk took place last weekend, Dec 10-12th. Thank you to everyone who came out! The Chalk Walk was a drive-thru format like last year, with chalk art up on easels for easy viewing and a special section of art showcasing the nativity.

On Thursday evening our first ever "Preview Night" was held. The rain throughout the day kept us on our toes, but eventually cleared before the evening's festivities began. Yummy cinnamon rolls were served as visitors walked around a sampling of artwork and watched a few artists at work. Live music was provided by talented signers and pianists throughout the night including the Wettengel family, Shaun Beckerman, Camille Lawrence, Jenell Wilson, Blaine Burch, Brooke Lattin, Lydia Kimball, Madeline Deter, and Laura Hafele.

On Friday morning a Merry Music Makers class was held for toddler aged children and their parents. After singing Christmas songs and dancing, the children hopped on their bikes and scooters and paraded through the chalk art. Thank you to Nikki Lloyd and Jenell Wilson for their help organizing and leading the class.

Friday through Sunday the drive-thru was held each evening, with cars starting to line up at 5pm. QR codes were handed to each car so they could watch videos while they waited, showcasing a few of this year's artists and learning how people were planning to light the world this holiday season. Sunday night was the most popular night, with a line of cars down the block for most of the evening. The cars moved quickly along, enjoying the festive lights and the music provided by our Chalk Walk DJ Bruce Chang.

Donations of non-perishable food were collected from cars at the end of the drive-thru. Laguna Food Pantry, located in Laguna Canyon, serves patrons in our community each morning from 8-10:30am. The pantry was thrilled to receive two full carloads of food which will be put to use quickly throughout this busy Christmas season.

We would like to thank the Chalk Walk team who work tirelessly to organize and execute this event each year. Special thanks to Juliett Chesley, Walt Hick, Leo del Rosario, and Kourtney Harrison for their countless hours of hard work; and to all our volunteers who helped put together easels, hang lights, direct traffic, and gather donations. And last but not least, thank you to our artists, who make this inspiring event possible! Each year we look forward to seeing what you create, and you never disappoint!

See this year’s winning pieces of artwork here.

Andrea Radke-Moss on Persecutions in Missouri

Our eighth Living Faith discussion centers around Joseph Smith and the turbulent times leading up to Liberty Jail. We learned so much from BYU-Idaho Professor Andrea Radke-Moss, especially about the women’s experiences in Missouri. We appreciate her willingness to speak to us about the important lessons learned during this difficult time in our Church's history.

The Living Faith discussion series was created to enrich your Come, Follow Me study of the Doctrine & Covenants and church history. We wanted these discussions to be a bit more informal than a typical fireside, and to end with some questions and answers. We echo the words of the “Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” that “those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

If you missed previous discussions you can find links on our website: http://www.lnstake.org/living-faith

Community News on Good News Laguna

Good News Laguna, a new community page on Instagram and Facebook, seeks to shine light on the good things happening around us. The page will cover acts of kindness, community events, local charities, ways to volunteer, and other good things happening in Laguna Beach and surrounding areas including Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Dana Point, and Aliso Viejo.

If you have good news to share, please email: news@goodnewslaguna.org

We love seeing this Little Library at the Shea Center! Little Free Libraries are built by community members, and provide free books for anyone who wants them. This library was built by Girl Scout Troop 6463 of Aliso Viejo and is located right outsi
Save the date for Saturday, September 17th for the OC Service Fair, sponsored by Just Serve and Good News Laguna. Let’s honor the memory of 9/11 by serving together in our community. Did you know 9/11 has been designated as a National Day of
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Have you made it to the Pageant of the Masters yet this summer? This truly unique Laguna tradition began back in 1933, and is only possible because of the hundreds of volunteers who work each summer bringing these living pictures to life. We asked
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The Graham family suffered the tragic loss of their 10-year-old daughter Addie in 2019. She was a beacon of light, full of positivity and kindness, and attended elementary school in Aliso Viejo. In the aftermath of such a tragic loss, her family ha
Ah, summer! We love having the kids out of school, unlimited beach days, pool time, and vacations. But you know what makes summer extra memorable? Summer Service Bingo! We’ve made it easy to find ways to serve your family, neighborhood, and a
These kids recently held a lemonade stand on a hot day in Laguna Niguel, selling fresh squeezed lemonade for $1 a cup. An Orange Country sheriff pulled up to the stand. The kids were worried at first, wondering if they were doing anything wrong or i

Karl Ricks Anderson on the Kirtland Years

If you missed our Living Faith discussion with Karl Ricks Anderson on Sunday, you can watch the video or listen to the podcast below.

What can we learn from the early Saints in Kirtland? Brother Anderson said, “I look at men and women who literally gave everything in sacrifice. As I look at what they did … the only way that succeeded is because of the Savior. Building the Kirtland temple? What an impossibility! A small group of people with no means, no money, no workers, nothing. … It wasn’t the people who built the Church, it was the Lord. .. It was the Lord’s work then and the same today.”

Girls Camp at Catalina

What an amazing time our young women had at Girls Camp August 4-7 on Catalina island!

The theme this year was “Chart Your Course”, reminding the girls to make a plan for their lives and to adjust their sails as needed.

Highlights included camp news, ward skits, daily devotionals, kayaking, personal study time, ward testimony meetings, hiking, time with the bishops, and sewing blankets for babies in Peru.

Thank you to our wonderful leaders who work so hard to make camp awesome, for the YCL’s (Youth Camp Leaders) who made it so fun for everyone, and for our bishops and stake presidency who are good sports as usual.

Trek 2021

Our teenagers spent July 12-14 on Trek, where they walked in the shoes of their pioneer ancestors for a few days. The pioneers sacrificed so much and lost loved ones along the way for our sakes and our religious freedom. We are forever indebted for their sacrifices.

The theme for this year’s Trek was “All is Well”. Despite the turmoil of these chaotic times, when we anchor ourselves to Christ, all is well.

The youth pulled handcarts in 100 degree weather and lived in families with other youth and a Ma and Pa. They camped in tents each night and packed their handcarts each morning. Highlights included the women’s pull, reenactments of pioneer stories, family testimony meetings, a square dance held outdoors under the stars, the makeshift pool, and one thing the pioneers didn’t have: a giant slip and slide and some ice cold gatorade.

We are so grateful for the leaders and Ma’s and Pa’s that helped plan and guide this Trek. Testimonies grew and bonds were strengthened for all who attended. We would love to hear what you or your kids thought of their experience!

Here's to the Dads

We are so grateful for fathers! The ones who are always there; cheering us on, helping us remember what's important, teaching us how to serve, and leading by example. And a special thank you to the bishops and stake presidency who give so much of their time to our ward and stake family. Happy Father's Day to the dads, uncles, grandpas, brothers, and friends who bless our lives every day. “As a Church, we believe in fathers. We believe in the ideal of the man who puts his family first." -Elder D. Todd Christofferson.

Young Men's Camp at EcoShire

Our first stake Young Men’s camp was a huge success, thanks to the Stake Young Men’s presidency and a large team of volunteers.

Held at EcoShire in Hemet, California, the three day camp (June 10-12) was packed with activities, classes, and fun from sun up to sun down. Activities included a giant 180 foot slip and slide, shooting range, hatchet throwing, building a toilet/shower for the camp, an insane obstacle course, ward vs ward tug of war competition, planting trees, Airsoft battles, and making eco bricks.

Mornings were spent at ‘Life Class’ lessons, taught by the bishops, teaching about things every young man ought to learn. Evenings were spent under the stars, enjoying skits created by each ward. (A special shout out to the Laguna Beach ward for their synchronized swimming routine.)

A great three days! Thank you to those who helped make it happen and for all the youth who made it a priority to be there.

The Blessings of a Senior Mission

There are so many options for a senior mission, whether you are able to serve in a foreign country, or need to stay closer to home. Several members of our stake shared their experiences serving senior missions and explained new opportunities for local service missions at a fireside Sunday, June 6th. One unique aspect of senior missionary service is the ability to tailor your mission to your own personal talents, experience, and interests. As President Evanson said, “If you have a desire to serve, then there is a mission for you. Financial, health, or any other barrier to serving can be overcome.”

Learn more about senior mission opportunities by visiting the Church website.

Guess that Graduate - Class of 2021

Guess that graduate! Congratulations to all our graduating seniors from the Laguna Niguel stake in the class of 2021 from Aliso Niguel High School, Laguna Beach High School, Dana Hills High School, and Laguna Hills High School. It seems like just yesterday, you were headed off to kindergarten.

The seniors celebrated seminary graduation on May 23, 2021. On top of their schoolwork and extracurricular activities, they have been attending early morning seminary at 5:30 or 6:30 in the morning where they study the scriptures before heading to school. We know your senior year has been different than what you expected, but we can't wait to see what amazing things you do in the future!

Here's to the Moms

It's been a year full of challenges and change, and much of the weight has fallen on the shoulders of moms. Whether you're homeschooling or leading family home evening, quarantining with toddlers or working from home; we take our hats off to the moms who hold our families together. You have so much on your plate, but somehow manage to make home everyone's favorite place to be. Happy Mother's Day to the unsung heroes of our families and to all who choose to nurture and love those in their orbit.