When I was young, it seemed that none of my peers wanted to admit to being good. It just wasn’t fashionable. I say, it’s time to change that. The future of our lives, our families, and our republic depends on it! Virtue is the true source of power, freedom, and happiness. Sages of the ages knew this. Our Founding Fathers knew this. Our prophets have always known this. It’s time to help our youth gain an unshakable conviction that virtue is fashionable. Montesquieu knew that the best government is a republic, not a democracy, and the best education for citizens in a republic is one that inculcates virtue.

I am so excited about this…please spread the word to those parents and youth who you think will appreciate these firesides and follow the requests.

You are invited to two special Virtue Firesides with exceptional presenters:

Dan Ralphs and John Hilton III.

June 13 Virtue in Education

What is Virtue and why was it sought and prized by sages through history? How can their passion to find and dream of a life lived according to
truth inspire us in our own quest to apply principles of virtue? You
have access to living water and a holy grail that has been sought
through all ages of time. What can you do to experience and maximize
the power of virtue in your education so you can experience a life
filled with the blessings wise men through the centuries could hardly
dare to imagine?

Dan is a native of Ukiah, California. He holds a Master’s Degree in Education from George Wythe University. A popular speaker and
presenter, Dan has provided educational, leadership, personal success
and political seminars to groups throughout the nation and world. He
most loves his work mentoring high-school age students at Lexingburg
and Williamsburg Academies. Dan and his wife Allison reside in Enoch,
Utah with their three children, Jay, Malia & Caleb. You can find
out more information about Williamsburg Academy at
https://wacademy.org.

July 11 The Virtue of the Word of God

You have been saved and reserved to come to the earth in this day and time and entrusted with essential and critical missions to combat the
enemy of everything good with power only available to the virtuous.
What can you do day by day to ensure you are wearing the armor of God
and accomplishing your unique mission? Come learn how to tap into
the seemingly small but supernally significant essential habits of
private religious behavior that will have “a more powerful
effect…than the sword, or anything else (Alma 31: 5)”!

John Hilton III is a religious educator with degrees from Brigham Young and Harvard Universities. John frequently speaks with Especially for
Youth, Education Week, and Time Out for Women and Girls. John and his
wife, Lani, have four children and live in Orem, Utah. His
publications include: DVD
Video
Isn’t
Being Good Good Enough? Raise the Bar, Increase Your Spiritual
Strength
Books:
Why?:
Powerful Answers and Reasons for Living LDS Standards, Please Pass
the Scriptures; I Lost My Phone Number, Can I Have Yours?: Pick Up
Lines That Don’t Work, Scriptural Advice That Does!; How Essential:
Skills for Living the Gospel; The Little Book of Book of Mormon
Evidences; CDs
I Can Do Hard Things; Dating and the Plan of Happiness: What Every
Teenager Should Know; The Dog Ate My Scriptures: Excuses, Agency and
Responsibility. For more from John, visit http://ldswhy.com,
http://johnhiltoniii.com.
John’s products are available through Deseret Book.

What you need to do to be able to participate in these life-changing, transformational presentations:

1) RSVP to mbsmithhome@yahoo.comwith names and ages of those attending (our priority is youth
seating: fireside is for invited guests only ages 12-19 with one
parent per carpool) 2) Bring a munchie, fruit or veggie tray, or
dessert to share 3) Bring scriptures and note-taking materials 4)
Wear modest church dress 5) Strength of Youth Standards behavior
expected 6) ARRIVE between 6:30 and 6:45 to take your seat. We will
START PROMPTLY at 7:00 pm. 7) You are invited to send questions about
virtue according to the dates listed to our presenters with “virtue
fireside” in the subject line: Dan Ralphs (dralphs@wacademy.org
now-6/ 10) and John Hilton III (johnhiltoniii@byu.edu
6/27-7/8) that they will consider in preparing their presentations.

These two amazing men are sharing their significant gifts out of love for you and commitment to their personal missions. Their passion, talent
and messages are beyond monetary value. At the same time, they are
fathers supporting their families. Please bring (or mail ahead to
Michele Smith at the address below) a donation to thank them and help
them out with their travel and time invested. We suggest $5.00 per
youth per speaker; whatever you can contribute will be appreciated.
Also, check out and consider investing in the exceptional products
they have created.

Firesides at the Home of the Smith Family: 4853 Mountain View Circle, Highland, UT 84003 (Take the Highland/Alpine Exit E off I-15, Travel East
towards American Fork Canyon on SR-92, Turn Right on Lone Peak
Parkway (4800 West), Take the First Right on Panorama Drive, and an
immediate left onto Mountain View Circle. 2d house on the left).