LDS Teen Jordy Collins – Rising Surfer Star

LDS Teen Jordy Collins – Rising Surfer Star

Jordy Collins SurfingSeventeen-year-old Jordy Collins (born 19 December 1998) from Carlsbad, California, is a talented competitive surfer currently sponsored by Hurley, the clothing company. He is moving up the ranks in the local San Diego contest scenes, becoming one of the country’s rising young surfers. Some of his past sponsors include Famous Surf, Futures, Borst Surfboards, Surfrider, and Bony Acai.

To say that surfing is a major part of Jordy’s life is an understatement. He surfs three-four times a day except Sundays. Jordy is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and understands that Sundays is a time for attending Church meetings and spending time with family. In a 3 July 2016 interview with Deseret News, he said, “I usually don’t surf on Sunday, so I get questions. You explain and then they say, oh, OK, that’s cool.”

Surfing is his full-time job, and his work conditions are simply unimaginable. First, to get to “work” each day, he has to walk two entire blocks to get to the beach. Then he has to endure not only the heat from the sun but the water as well. But that isn’t all. His “job” also requires him to travel to competitions in Hawaii, Brazil, Mexico, Barbados, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina. And, every year he moves to Hawaii for a few weeks to train. Being homeschooled, he can work at his “job” full-time.

Seven months ago in an interview with stabmag.com, he was asked what three things he would take to a deserted island and he replied, “boards, friends, and family. Maybe a girlfriend – do I get the fourth thing?” When asked what he hoped to be doing ten years from now, he commented, “I just hope I’m surfing. Whether it be on the tour, or free surfing, I just want to surf.” He stated that the biggest influence on his surfing is John “John” Florence, a professional surfer from Hawaii who is known as “one of the most dominant Pipe surfers of his era” and for his tube riding and aerial abilities. And he also mentioned that he is the most afraid of big waves and the possibility of drowning in them.

According to the 3 July Deseret News article, “Last year he was one of 10 surfers — and the lone American — selected from around the world to compete on a Brazilian island for the title of King of the Groms (in surfer parlance, a young surfer). Sponsored by Quiksilver, it’s part surf competition, part photo session. In the end, Collins was named the winner.”

Jordy and Darren CollinsJordy has numerous accolades to his credit. At 2016 National Scholastic Surfing Association regional championships – a culmination of 10 qualifying competitions on the West Coast – he was the winner of the junior (19 and under) championship and placed third in the open men’s competition. His father, Daren, was the winner of the super senior division, marking the first time that a father and son had won trophies. In the Surfing America series, which uses a Grand-Prix type scoring system based on the results of six competitions, Jordy won the overall 2016 Series championship. And, at the Volcom’s global championships in June, he placed fourth in the junior competition. His ultimate goal is to qualify for the World Surfing League and make surfing a career. He also has hopes of making it to the 2020 Olympics as well.

Jordy learned how to surf as young as two-years-old when he would ride on the end of his father’s surfboard. He has three siblings – Justin, a returned missionary currently attending BYU, Joshua who is serving a mission in the Czech Republic, and Jill, who lives at home. All of them grew up learning how to surf. His father, a 51-year-old sales executive, who still surfs several times a week and competes in local surf events, commented, “The family that surfs together stays together.” Jordy recalls, “As long as I can remember my dad would take me out surfing.”

Deseret News further reports, “By 4, he was boogie boarding and surfing in the white water close to shore. At 7, he began paddling out alone to catch the waves. He started competing in local surf events at 9 and then two years later began competing in regional events up and down the coast.” He has surfed waves in the 25- to 30-foot range, but also has a keen interest in Big-wave surfing (riding waves that top 20 feet and are as big as 70 feet) as well.

Jordy believes his values have given him perspective and helped him deal with the pressure of the sport. As for flying off to spend weeks with other surfers whose values and morals differ from his, he comments, “My parents trust me. They know what I’m about. They know that I’m strong in the gospel and that I have values.”

Three Mormon Moms Create Beautiful Music Together

Three Mormon Moms Create Beautiful Music Together

Whitney Permann, Brooke Stone, and Soni Muller are three musically-talented moms who love to share their faith and testimony through the gift of music. They are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon” Church by the media and others) and have had music as a part of their lives since a very early age. Together they create the beautiful melodic sounds of the group known as Mercy River.

They have been a part of the music scene for a few years, and to date they have three successful recordings on Deseret Book record label Shadow Mountain Records to their credit, “Mercy River” (May 2008), “Beautiful Dawn” (March 2010), and “Higher” (February 2012). Even though they love singing and making music, family is a big part of each of their lives – in fact, the most important part of their lives – and among them, they have 13 children.

Mercy River (more…)

Alex Sharpe Places Higher Priority on Family than Career

Alex Sharpe Places Higher Priority on Family than Career

Alex Sharpe’s whole life has been full of music and performing. Sharpe kicked off her career playing the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in a production in Dublin, Ireland, where she grew up. From there her musical theater career blossomed. She was eventually asked to play Eponine in Les Miserables with the Cameron Mackintosh Company in England.

Sharpe’s love of music, however, doesn’t come from musical theater or Broadway, but rather from hymns. Sharpe’s mother was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church) when Sharpe was just a baby. So she grew up singing for services in Church and learning lovely, spiritual hymns. Throughout her sparkling music career, Sharpe has never forgotten where she first found her love of music–in worshipping Jesus Christ.

alexsharpe-celticwoman-mormonmom (more…)

Sandra Turley Inspires Beyond Broadway

Sandra Turley Inspires Beyond Broadway

Sandra Turley has literally performed on Broadway. Cast as Cosette in Les Miserables, Sandra was part of the original closing broadcast ensemble, and that experience set her on a course for the rest of her life. Sandra is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church), and uses her God-given talent to uplift and inspire others.

sandra_turley_mormon_headshot (more…)

New Music Sensation – Hudson Lights

New Music Sensation – Hudson Lights

A new, fresh sound has arrived on the music scene. The music group consists of four vocal artists from the Rocky Mountains – McKay Crockett (Sandy Utah), Keith Evans (originally of San Francisco, California), Joseph Moore (Littleton, Colorado), and Ross Welch (Cody, Wyoming) – who are collectively known as Hudson Lights. Together they create “a fresh fusion of contemporary pop and jazz like you’ve never heard before.” [1] Their self-titled CD “Hudson Lights” containing 11 songs debuted in November 2013 and features “classic covers of legends like Frank Sinatra and The Beatles along with two original songs.” [1] Their single “Good to Me” was released on iTunes in September.

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Imagine Dragons – Band from Utah

Imagine Dragons – Band from Utah

When a person hears the words “Imagine Dragons,” what might be the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps they think of a mythological tale of a knight in shining armor defending a beautiful maiden in distress, or an entire village, from fire-breathing, man-eating dragons. That might be the case in a fairy tale adventure, but what about in reality?

Imagine Dragons MormonsImagine Dragons is an alternative rock band that may at times claim Las Vegas, Nevada, to be their home; however, their real beginnings are in Utah. Guitarist Wayne “Wing” Sermon was born in American Fork, Utah, and lead singer Dan Reynolds attended Brigham Young University. Both are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon” Church by the media and others). The other members of the band are Ben McKee (bass) and Daniel Platzman (drummer). (more…)

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