Youth Council Swearing In Ceremony

On Monday, January 5, the Hyrum City Youth Council officially kicked off the year with their Oath of Office Swearing-In Ceremony.  The youth were sworn in during the very same ceremony as the newly elected Hyrum City Mayor and City Council members, giving them a front-row seat to local government in action.

What made the evening especially meaningful was that the Youth Council members took the exact same Oath of Office as the mayor and city council—and yes, it’s the same oath taken by the President of the United States. These kids truly are the cream of the crop. They are bright, capable, and motivated, and they’ll be making a real impact in our community while having fun along the way.

This year, Colby joined the Youth Council, and he’s excited to meet new friends and get involved in the community. At first, he wasn’t completely sure about applying, but I encouraged him to give it a try. It’s a great opportunity for leadership, service, and experience—and let’s be honest, it looks great on future resumes too. I know this will be a positive and rewarding experience for him.

Emily has already had an incredible journey on the Youth Council. Last year she served as a Leadership Member, and this year she applied for—and was selected as—the Youth Mayor! In her new role, Emily will lead meetings and activities, support her fellow council members, and occasionally attend city council meetings to represent the Youth Council. It’s a big responsibility, but I have no doubt she will rise to the challenge. She has a strong group of friends on the council and is genuinely excited to serve. I know she will be an outstanding Youth Mayor.

As each youth received their Oath of Office certificate, they had the opportunity to shake hands with the new mayor, who spoke very highly of the Youth Council in his remarks. It was clear he values this group and sees the importance of youth involvement. I’m confident he will be a strong advocate for them.

I am also returning as a Youth Council Advisor this year. A few months ago, I considered stepping down, but it never felt quite right. I want this group to succeed, and staying involved allows me to support Emily in her role as Mayor while also being there for Colby as he navigates this new opportunity. Being present for my kids is my priority.

With 32 incredible youth, high expectations, and a strong team of advisors, I have high hopes for this year. I’m excited to work alongside this amazing group and see all the great things they will accomplish together.

Happy New Year: 2026!

Welcome, 2026! As we step into the new year, it’s a time to reflect, reset, and set fresh goals for the months ahead. After taking some time to sit down as a family and discuss our aspirations for the year, we’ve all come up with exciting plans and challenges to work on. Some are big and life-changing, while others are smaller and more personal—but all are meaningful in their own way.

Here’s a look at the goals we’ve set as we welcome 2026!

Brooklyn’s love for learning continues to grow, and with Kindergarten on the horizon this fall, we’re excited to see her blossom even more. Her goals are simple but so important: learn to read and learn to tie her shoes. We know she’ll be able to accomplish them with her enthusiasm and determination.

Charlotte has thoughtfully set goals in all four areas of the Children and Youth Program. Here’s a breakdown of what she’s focusing on this year:

Physical Goal: Run one mile continuously (a big challenge for her!).

Spiritual Goal: Memorize the 13 Articles of Faith (she’s excited to take on this challenge!).

Intellectual Goal: Become 100% fluent on her multiplication facts.

Social Goal: Teach her Activity Day group how to do diamond art (we’ll need to get approval from her leaders, but we think it would be a fun and creative activity!).

Charlotte’s patience and focus, especially with her diamond art projects, will no doubt help her achieve these goals!

Logan has also set goals in each of the four areas, and his are as impressive as ever:

Physical Goal: Improve his running mile time, which he plans to do by helping Charlotte with her running.

Spiritual Goal: Complete 100 temple baptisms by the end of the year and read the scriptures at least three times a week.

Intellectual Goal: Continue learning Spanish through Duolingo (he’s been loving it!).

Social Goal: Be a part of another play (he had a blast in the Little Mermaid musical last year and can’t wait for the next opportunity).

We’re so proud of Logan’s commitment to improving himself spiritually, physically, and intellectually.

Colby’s goals were a bit harder to pin down, but we managed to come up with a solid list:

Physical Goal: Make State in mountain biking and podium again.

Intellectual Goal: Learn to drive (once he gets his permit) and memorize more sheet music to expand his piano repertoire.

Spiritual Goal: Like the rest of the family, he wants to read the scriptures more often and keep up with the Come, Follow, Me lessons for church.

Social Goal: Lead his Teachers' Quorum well (he’s been called as the president this year), and also find a new club to join at school.

I know Colby will be a great leader, even though he’s still figuring out what that looks like. And I’m sure his mountain biking will continue to be a big focus this year!

Emily’s focus is on academics and faith. Emily is in a bit of a whirlwind right now, so her goals are a bit more focused. Her current priority is to pass Biology 1010 and maintain her 4.0 GPA. But there’s more on her mind as well.  She’s been considering getting her patriarchal blessing, which I think would be a wonderful idea. The recent change to the age for girls to serve missions has got her thinking, too, since she will turn 18 this year. I know that can be a lot to process, and I remember those feelings of being unsure about what comes next when I was her age.

For now, though, my goal for Emily is simple: take it one day at a time and enjoy being a teenager. Everything will come together as she continues to follow her heart.

Russell has some big goals this year, and we’re excited to support him:

Physical Goal: Run a half marathon, bench 300 lbs, and become more flexible with stretching exercises.

Spiritual Goal: Study the Old Testament weekly, attend the temple three times a month, and make scripture study a daily habit.

Intellectual Goal: Continue to hone his engineering skills at work, finish his diamond art project, and memorize something (he’s not sure what yet).

Social Goal: Have a regular date night twice a month.

I’m excited to see him continue to grow in all areas of life this year!

As for me, I’ve been reflecting on my goals for the year, and while they feel similar to past years, maybe that means I need to keep pushing myself. Here’s what I’m working on:

Spiritual Goal: Study the Old Testament and keep up with the Come, Follow, Me lessons. This will also help as I teach my primary class this year. I’m also aiming to continue to attend the temple once a week, which has been a fulfilling goal for me.

Physical Goal: I’m committed to continuing my exercise routine 5 times a week, whether it’s running, biking, swimming, or hiking. This year, I’ve also signed Charlotte and Logan up for Cross Country camp, and I’ll be volunteering there, which will keep me active!

Social Goal: I want to find balance in my life and focus on the things that matter most. I’ve been involved in the PTA/PTO and the Hyrum Youth Council, but I know I need to let go of some things in order to prioritize what really matters. Saying no is hard for me, but I think it’s necessary.

Ultimately, I want 2026 to be a year that’s fun and memorable for our family. As the kids get older, it feels like this might be one of the last years we have as a complete unit before more big changes come in 2027. I want to make the most of this time together.

Here’s to a wonderful 2026! May it be filled with growth, new opportunities, and cherished memories. Let’s make it a year we’ll all look back on with joy.