With the vast expanse of social media technology, the ability to be included in many social circles simultaneously, and thus remaining in the know, as well as being known, has become extremely efficacious. Seth Godin, an American entrepreneur, author and public speaker has said, “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” Sandra Chami Kassis, a Lebanese author, stated, “We are the generation of Social Media, Our biggest Revolution is a Tweet of 141 Characters.” And Charles Leadbeater, a leading authority on innovation and creativity, has cautioned that “You are what you share.”

Using Social Media to Analyze “Ziggy” Ansah and the NFL Draft

Sports fans followed the recent NFL draft picks with great anticipation to see who would be added to the roster of their favorite teams. One of the people who captured the attention of the sports world was Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah who was selected fifth overall in the NFL draft. Ansah, who was born and raised in Ghana, is a BYU graduate and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others). He will be playing for the Detroit Lions.

In his May 15^th article for the Deseret News titled Dick Harmon: Utah Analytics Company Breaks Down BYU’s Ziggy Ansah and the NFL Draft, the author, Dick Harmon noted “In all aspects of media, especially sports, it has become a force of nature — breaking news, engaging fans and delivering people directly to everyone.” [1] He further noted that “there were more than 30,000 tweets on Twitter about Ziggy Ansah before and after Detroit drafted him. And, connections to those who tweeted about him represented a potential audience of 53 million.” [1]

Ansah, as it seems, became one of the prominent topics of discussion in the realm of social media during the NFL draft picks. Harmon, in his Deseret News article, points out that by carefully analyzing the social media activity surrounding Ansah and the NFL draft, it could easily be determined not only what types of things were being discussed when the Detroit Lions picked Ansah in the first round, but also who was making the comments and their locale. He also mentions:

Social media traffic about Ansah around the Detroit area was neutral or negative before the draft, but on draft day [it] turned positive. And the second-most interesting thing about Ansah on the Internet wasn’t his speed, size or his unique story of having never played football until a few years prior to the draft. It was his glasses.

That’s right, the lensless, black-rimmed glasses Ziggy wore on draft day drew so much attention around the world, they became one of the biggest features about him. And the attention led to free admission for Ansah to 3D IMAX movie theaters for one year. [1]

Gauging and Measuring Social Media Traffic

A startup business out of Sandy, Utah, called NUVI, is a real-time analytics platform for social media called “visual intelligence.” Visual intelligence is also called “visual processing” ability. It is the ability to generate, store, retrieve and transform visual images and sensations. It helps to make social conversations on the web “actionable” and “insightful.” According to Harmon’s Deseret News article, the data that is used in the analytics is retrieved from social media platforms to include: Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, YouTube, Delicious, Reddit, Flickr, Vimeo and more than 3 million RSS feeds.

One of the vice presidents of the company is former BYU linebacker and defensive captain Cameron Jensen. Jensen has stated,

[The analytics gathered by NUVI] can tell you that top draftees Eric Fisher (Kansas City) and Luke Joeckel (Jacksonville) may have been judged by NFL gurus to be similar at the top of the college heap, but Fisher is by far more popular, more well-known and has more positive vibes in cyberspace. And much of that is because Fisher tweets more on Twitter, has more followers and engages with them in a back-and-forth discussion. [1]

Conversely, Notre Dame Linebacker Manti Te’o’s negatives were high before, during and after the NFL draft. He had similar negatives as West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith. Both slipped down the ladder on draft day. [1]

The tools used by NUVI can break a subject down by topic, by source, by geography, by intensity and by time. Jensen said, “People are talking about your brand, whether you are listening or whether you care about it or not. They are talking about you and discussing you.” [1]

Additional Resource:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

After shocking the Aussie rugby world by leaving a promising career in Australia’s National Rugby League to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently called the “Mormon Church”), Lagi Setu is back in full force and more consistent than ever.

Setu became famously known as “that Mormon guy” who gave up his lucrative career with the Broncos as a second-rower to serve a two-year Mormon mission to Nottingham, England, in 2010.

Choosing to be a Missionary Rather Than a Footballer for Two Years

Why would anyone choose to serve a mission over pursuing a promising rugby career?

Latter-day Saints believe that young men (age 18-25) are called by God to sacrifice two years of their lives in Mormon missionary service. The daily life of a Mormon missionary focuses on sharing the teachings of Jesus Christ with local people in the geographical region where the missionary is assigned to serve during those two years. In addition to fulfilling a duty to God, a mission blesses the life of the missionary in many ways. Missionary service strengthens habits of hard work, discipline, interpersonal skills, and increased spiritual awareness.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also encourages young women to serve a mission for 18 months.  At 19 years old, I put my college studies on hold to serve a mission in Scotland. The skills I learned while working closely with other missionaries have been beneficial throughout my subsequent career. More importantly though was the opportunity to put faith into action and teach principals of the gospel of Jesus Christ to many who had not heard of the Savior or did not understand His teachings. My personal testimony of His divinity and mission grew as I shared Jesus Christ’s good news with others and consequently blessed my life with peace and purpose.

Effects of Setu’s Mormon Mission

Though many, including Setu himself, doubted if he would play rugby professionally again, he signed with the Melbourne Storm only 4 months after his return from England.

“Being away on the Mission I think taught me to focus more and that has helped me in my football this year,” Setu said. “At the Broncos I wasn’t consistent. I had good and bad games. Now I do the one per cent things. I understand why you need to be good in every game and play for the team.” 1

Setu’s goal now is to be known as a great, consistent player instead of just as “that Mormon guy.”

“Everyone does just think of me as that Mormon guy and that’s fine, I get it, but I would like [to] be thought of as someone who is playing good footy. I have [a] long way to go but I hope people start to focus on me as just an NRL player. I have a lot of goals in football I want to achieve. This is just the start.” 2

Meet More Mormon Athletes at Mormon.org.

Tyler Hansen, a hockey player for the British Columbia-based Kaloomps Blazers, has likely finished his career in sports. According to Kaloomps This Week, the 20-year-old player has confirmed his decision to leave hockey for a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church.

Hansen stated that he has “pretty much already made up my mind” to serve for the Church. He also acknowledged that “my chances of coming back” to hockey “are slim.” However, Hansen also said that his decision was “about what I think is best for me, realizing there’s more to life than hockey.”

Young men in The Church of Jesus Christ are eligible for Mormon missionary service at age 18. They leave their homes, families, and education behind to become representatives of the Church and spread their beliefs. Missionaries do not get to choose where they go, and the Church sends its missionaries all over the world. Members believe they will benefit in spiritual and other ways by sacrificing educational and athletic opportunities to spread the gospel.

Although Hansen is now 20, he is still eligible to serve for the Church. He told Kaloomps This Week, “I’ve kind of put it off for two years,” but that “there’s no guilt [from not having gone already].”

Hansen acknowledged that the Blazers’ final game of the season on Friday, April 26^th “could have been the last time I wore that Blazers jersey,” but also stated that he feels ready to go on an LDS mission. Hansen has been playing for the Blazers for four years since he was drafted by the team in 2008. In that time, he has played 254 regular-season games, “amassing seven goals, 64 points and 257 penalty minutes,” according to Kaloomps This Week. [1]

Mormon Athlete Nick Emery – Mission Before Basketball

For the past two years the Lone Peak Knights have worked hard to gain recognition as being not only the best high school basketball team in the state of Utah, but as many consider them, the best high school basketball team in the nation. At first glance, the young men who make up the team may not seem to be much of a basketball team at all, but once they are on the court, playing the game that they love, it becomes quite evident that they are very much a team to be reckoned with as they dominate the court with one goal in mind – to win the game.

The Lone Peak Knights have only lost three in-state games in the past three years. The last game which they lost to in-state opponents was on 10 February 2012, and this season they have won by an average of 28 points with victories over such top ranked teams as Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. To what do they credit such prodigious success? They are able to relish their triumphs because of hard work, perspiration, camaraderie, and a coach who is dedicated to honing the talents and skills of each of his individual players.

“There was one team we played that was literally laughing when we were warming up,” the senior center Eric Mika said with a chuckle. “And we beat them by 50.” [1]

“We know we’re different whenever we walk into a gym,” said coach Quincy Lewis, who has a 206-35 record over the past decade. “But our guys walk in there with a chip on their shoulder. We know we have something to prove because, honestly, the other teams don’t have a great deal of respect for us.” [1]

But there is something else that sets the Lone Peak Knights uniquely apart from most other teams. This team consists of young men who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (mistakenly referred to by the media and others as the Mormon Church.) And, what makes this team even more unique is that they are not afraid to discuss their faith openly. They attribute their faith as a huge part of the success that they have obtained, and the glue which bonds them together as a team. When they are on the road they will very often call the Bishop of the local LDS congregation to gain permission to use the small gym in the building for their practice sessions.

“A couple of summers ago, we were in Boston,” Mika said. “Someone was like: ‘Oh, you guys are all Mormon. How many moms do you have? You guys all brothers?’ We just laugh.” [1]

One of the most valuable players on the team is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Nick Emery. Nick is a senior and plays the position of point guard. He averages 19 points per game and is a three-time Utah state champion and two-time state high school player of the year. His older brother, Jackson Emery, who graduated from Lone Peak High School in 2005, was named the Deseret News Mr. Basketball recipient, and was a co-captain at Brigham Young University with Jimmer Fredette. Nick has also been blessed with the honor of being named the Deseret News 27th Mr. Basketball recipient.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to get this, and this was definitely the year to get it,” said Emery, who said seeing his brother’s Mr. Basketball banner hanging in the rafters at Lone Peak the past four years was a constant source of motivation. [2]

Nick was recruited by such colleges as UCLA, Kansas City and North Carolina. He made the decision to play for BYU on 30 August 2011. However, following a church wide announcement made during the opening session of the 182nd Semmiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ in October 2012 by President and Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, that eligible young men may now serve a full-time mission starting at the age of 18, Nick has decided to put his basketball career on hold for the next two years and answer the call to serve. He will enter the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah on 1 May 2013, and will leave to serve his mission in Frankfurt, Germany shortly thereafter. That would mean that he will not return home until May 2015, six months prior to the start of basketball season.

As he concludes his senior year at Lone peak and prepares to leave for his mission, he finishes his high school career as the eighth-leading scorer in state history with 1,953 points. He also set a new state record with 269 career 3-pointers. [2]

Nick averaged 18.5 points his freshman year and was named a 5A second-team all-stater. During his sophomore and junior seasons he was named 5A MVP by averaging 21.7 and 21.6 points respectively. This season he averaged 17.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.9 steals, but he did it all with a much more advanced basketball IQ. [2]

Nick strongly believes that by serving his mission first, he will return as a more mature player and he will be equipped with better leadership skills.

“Two years is a long time to mature and really figure out who I am,” said the 18-year-old Emery. “This is a big bonus. You can go straight out and get those two years done and then you have four straight years in college.” [3]

Joe Nilson, Emery’s Mormon Stake President in Alpine, Utah, said Nick wouldn’t have been scorned had he chosen to skip a mission and play college basketball, serving the church as a role model in a high-profile position.”Here’s a young man who is literally at the top of his game and he could go to a lot of different colleges to play ball,” Nilson said. “And he’s made the decision that he wants to be a missionary for the church. That says a lot about the young man.” [3]

“I feel like going on a mission I’ll get blessed more – not only in basketball but for life as well,” he [Nick] said. [3]

Additional Resource:

Lone Peak High School – Home of the Lone Peak Knights

Former BYU Cougar Mark Bellini – Book of Mormon Convert

Mark Joseph Bellini was born 19 January 1964 in San Leandro, California to parents Mike and Joy Bellini. He has a younger brother, Matt. He was an college football All-American player at Brigham Young University (BYU). He played wide receiver for the Cougars from 1982 through 1986. As a student at BYU he majored in Zoology.

Bellini has always been a sportsman. During his high school days he lettered twice in football, once in baseball, and once in basketball. He was an outstanding offensive back and defensive back, and was voted team MVP. He was also an all-conference running back and defensive back, and an all-county defensive back. He was named Italian athlete of the year in the San Leandro area.

He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 7th round (170th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played two full Seasons of NFL Football with the Indianapolis Colts, from 1987 to 1988, as a wide receiver.

Bellini is also a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly referred to as the Mormon Church), having been born and raised Catholic. He earned a Master’s degree from BYU in Environmental Engineering. He lives in Midway, Utah and is a biologist and environmental consultant. He is currently self-employed and works out of his home on environmental impact projects. He is married with six children (5 daughters and a son who has Down Syndrome ) ranging from age 25 to age 9.

He says that he had wanted to play football since he was a small boy. Despite being told that he was too small and not fast enough, he never lost sight of his goal, and in 1982 his hard work and perseverance paid off when as a freshman, he became a walk-on at BYU and earned a spot on the varsity. He was in fact, one of only a few freshman to walk-on and travel with the varsity, and the only freshman to make the trip to Georgia. His playing time with the varsity was cut short when he was injured in a jayvee game.

During the 1983 season he was red-shirted. In 1984 he was worked into the receiving rotation and started the latter part of the season. He became the receiver of the week against Tulsa (6 catches for 141 yards), Air Force and UTEP (4 catches, 50 yards, 1 touchdown). He caught three passes for 48 yards in the Holiday Bowl vs. Michigan, and his total of 35 catches was one of the highest ever by a sophomore. He was also an All-American wide receiver on the 1984 national champion team.

In 1985, during his junior year at BYU, Bellini was named second team United Press All-American, third team Associated Press All-American, and first team All-WAC selection. He finished 10th nationally in receiving with an average of 5.7 catches per game, and was third in WAC scoring (7.6) and receiving.  He missed the New Mexico and UTEP games because of a shoulder separation. He caught 5 passes for 87 yards vs. Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl, and had 9 catches for 179 yards and 3 touchdowns vs. Temple.

Bellini finished his career at BYU following the 1986 season with 146 receptions for 2,429 yards and 23 touchdowns, earning all kinds of individual honors and accolades in the process. (His little brother Matt Bellini followed in his footsteps to BYU to play football and later joined the LDS Church, as well.)

When he attended BYU he wasn’t a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon), but one of the classes that he was required to take for graduation was a Book of Mormon class. The class ended becoming one of his favorites and he developed a warm friendship with his teacher, John P. Fugal, who would later baptize him.

“When I went to BYU, I wasn’t a Mormon,” Bellini said. “But while taking a Book of Mormon class, I had a good feeling about the book. A few months later, my teacher baptized me, and I’m very happy for that decision.” [1]

“Although parts of me fought it, in my heart I just knew it was true. I couldn’t deny it,” Bellini said. “The Book of Mormon became the foundation of my testimony.” [2]

Barely a month after BYU won the 1984 college football national championship, on a frigid February morning, Cougar wide receiver Mark Bellini and his old religion professor, John P. Fugal, had a chance encounter on campus as Bellini was hustling to class. Their encounter, as it turned out, occurred near an enormous banner that read, “BYU National Champions.” They both stopped momentarily to admire the sign and then the following conversation took place:

“You guys must be very proud of what you were able to accomplish,” Fugal said.

“Oh yes,” Bellini replied, “definitely.”

Fugal then uttered words the football player would never forget.

“He looked me in the eye and said, ‘I know something that will make you feel higher than that. When you are ready, give me a call,’” Bellini recently related, his voice choking up. “He was talking about me joining the church. Three weeks later I asked him to baptize me.” [2]

The baptismal service took place on 16 March 1985. It was a low-key event attended by several of his team members. Fugal performed the baptism and Mike Young, a quarterback and close friend, confirmed Bellini a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Fugal said the service was both emotional and memorable.

The memories of his career as a Cougar are still meaningful, but more than 25 years later, Bellini is most grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the effect and impact that it has had on his life.

“The national championship was a highlight of my life. But such accomplishments are temporary and in time, no one remembers or cares,” Bellini said. “The gospel is truth, something that never fades.” [2]

“I’ve gone through periods where I’ve been close to the Spirit and others where I’ve been distant … I got to the point when I realized it wasn’t working for me on my own. I needed the blessings of God in my life,” Bellini said. “When you are engaged in seeking the Spirit and trying to follow the teachings of Christ, your life is truly blessed.”

“Live the teachings. It leads to happiness.” [2]

Additional Resources:

The Lord Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Request a free copy of The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

Mark Joseph Bellini – Mormon,org Profile

The Reason Mormon HS Basketball Icon Jabari Parker Chose Duke

Many Jabari Parker fans waited in great anticipation for the big announcement as to which school Jabari would be playing for in 2013. There were some who believed that Brigham Young University would be the school that he would choose, especially considering that he is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly referred to as the Mormon Church.) However, much to their surprise, of all the major universities that were vying for his outstanding athlectic prowess for their team, on Thursday afternoon, 20 December 2012, he announced in a nationally televised press conference held at Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, that he will be attending school at Duke University. His official decision brings to a three year recruiting process to an end.

There were fans that were disappointed with the decision that Jabari made, but it should come as no surprise to anyone that the top high school basketball player in the country would want to play for the top coach, Mike Krzyzewski, who is considered by many to be second only to the late John Wooden on the short list of all-time greatest college coaches. Krzyzewski also coaches the U.S. Olympic team, and Olympians LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have both said that if they had gone to college they would have gone to Duke University. That speaks a myriad of words in and of itself.

From a basketball standpoint, Jabari Parker and Mike Krzyzewski are a match made in hoops heaven. But their relationship already runs deeper than the hardwood. For starters, Krzyzewski understands and respects Jabari’s faith. Jabari will not be the first Mormon to play for Duke. More importantly, Krzyzewski has a philosophy and lifestyle that is ideally tailored to accommodate Jabari’s personal goals and priorities. [1]

Coah Krzyzewski is more than just a basketball coah. He has a genuine concern for all of his players and stresses the importance of academic excellence, holds each player to the highest standards, and helps to prepare them to be successful in life long after their baskeball playing days are over. With that type of profile, it can safely be said that Jabari is in good hands not only to achieve success in his basketball career, but in being prepared for life beyond the basketball court as well. Any of the schools that recruited him may have been a good fit for him, a few may have been better than the others, but it appears that Duke was the best choice.

“I decided I wanted to play for someone I admired, someone that could help me reach my basketball goals and my long-term goals,” Parker said. “I was looking for someone I could look up to, someone that could teach me the game, as well as what’s most important in life.” [2]

During his visit to the Parker home on 21 September 2012, it was something that Krzyzewski said at the end of his visit that impacted Parker the most. “Jabari, a good name is better than anything you can achieve in this life,” he told him. [2]

As the final days of making the decision of which school to play for drew near, Krzyzewski visited the Parker home once again on the evening of Tuesday, 18 December 2012. The last thing he said to Jabari was, “I believe in you, Jabari.” [2]

The decision on which school to attend was by no means an easy one for Jabari to make. He felt a strong connection to all five of his final schools and didn’t want to disappoint four of the coaches. After Krzyzewski left his house that Tuesday evening in December, Jabari and his brother, Christian, had a heart-to-heart talk. Christian then quoted a verse from Matthew 7:16: “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Jabari paused and felt at peace with his decision when Christian said, “Coach K can show you the fruit.” [2]

Additional Resources:

The Official Website of Coach Mike Kryzewski

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Mormon Families

Jimmer Fredette is the nickname of NBA player James Taft Fredette. Jimmer was born February 25, 1989 to Al and Kay Fredette. He is the youngest of three children and it was his mother who gave him his nickname. He began playing basketball before he even started kindergarten and was able to hit three-pointers by age five. He could play successfully against older players.

Jimmer’s father is Mormon, having converted at age eighteen. His mother is Catholic. Their children were permitted to choose their own religions and all followed in their father’s footsteps to become Mormons, a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jimmer Fredette became a Mormon at age ten, having attended all his life. He reports that he gained a more in-depth testimony of his faith as he became older.

In high school, Jimmer Fredette was named one of the top 75 shooting guards by ESPN. He set a large number of records and collected an impressive number of awards. Despite this, college coaches didn’t pay much attention to him and he received offers from only twelve schools.

He played for Mormon-owned Brigham Young University from 2007 to 2011, winning most important awards and in his senior year, after playing in a nationally televised game and scoring 43 points, the media finally discovered him. His nickname, Jimmer, became a verb, representing opposing players who were the victims of high scores against them. The president of the United States, Barack Obama, said of him, “Unbelievable. Best scorer obviously in the country. Great talent.”

During the 2011 draft, he was the tenth pick of the Milwaukee Bucks, but was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he now plays. Sales of his jersey dramatically increased profits for the team.

He married Whitney Wonnacott on June 1, 2012 in the Denver Temple, where Mormons are married not just for life, but for eternity.

Jimmer has said the gospel is more important to him than basketball and that God gave him a talent for sports which he then had a responsibility to develop. His coach at BYU noted that while he is fierce on the court, off the court he is humble and likable.

ASU’s Mormon Jordan Bachynski – A Definite Game Changer

Jordan Bachynski is fast becoming a household name in the Pac-12 conference and for very good reasons. He has become well known as the best shot-blocker in the Pac-12 and one of the best in the nation.

The 23 year old (6 September 1989), 7-foot-2, 250 pound, center for the Arizona State Sun Devils hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Research has found no Sun Devil taller in ASU basketball history. His specialty is defense, and in the 18 Pac-12 games in 2011 and 2012, he averaged 1.67 blocks per game. He blocked 30 shots in the 18 league games, and posted 26 blocks in the final 13 games of the season.

“Anytime you have a shot blocker like that, it’s not just the ones he gets, the opponent can’t help but start thinking about it a little bit,” ASU coach Herb Sendek said. “He’s also changing some other shots as well.” [1]

On 8 December 2012 in a game against Cal State-Northridge, he recorded ASU’s first-ever triple-double — a feat not achieved by former Sun Devil greats such as Fat Lever, Byron Scott and Joe Caldwell. Bachynski posted 13 points, 12 rebounds and a school-record 12 blocked shots to lead ASU to an 87-76 win at Wells Fargo Arena. [1]

Bachynski was originally a 2008 graduate, but he put two years on hold to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly referred to as the Mormon Church) in Miami, Florida. He returned from his mission in May 2010. Prior to leaving for his mission, he had committed to University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) but re- opened his recruitment as major schools such as the University of Connecticut, Brigham Young University (BYU), Oregon State, and San Diego kept tabs on this promising prospect. He gave a verbal commitment to play for Arizona State on Tuesday, 22 September 2009.

While serving his mission he had been given the opportunity to shoot baskets maybe once a week, but that was not his purpose. Austin Ainge and other Mormon friends advised him that it would take at least a year for him to regain the form that made him one of the top recruits in the nation in 2007, when UConn was among the suitors who came to Calgary, Alberta, to check on him. At the time he did not want to hear any of what his friends were telling him. He believed that he would be back in the gane in no time at all. However, in hindsight, it turns out that his friends were correct in their assesmernt. It has taken even more time than anticipated because he not only missed court time while on his mission, but he also missed out on his final high school season at Henderson (Nevada) Findlay Prep because of ankle surgery. The surgery involved removing a bone spur and a pinched ligament and repairing other ligaments, followed by four months of rehab before getting back on the court briefly for the All-Canada Classic. Between times he worked at Joey Tomato’s Kitchen.

“Just try not working out for three weeks,” said ASU coach Herb Sendek, explaining Bachynski’s gradual progression. “Then you try to come back and you are not in the same shape as you were. Now let’s go to three months. It puts in perspective what he went through. Three years without playing basketball, without training.

“We knew coming in there was going to be a pretty steep learning curve, but that doesn’t cure the impatience that we all seem to have as human beings. But the more experience he gets, the more things are coming together for him.” [2]

Bachynski has not allowed any minor setbacks to slow him down. When he arrived at Arizona State in the fall of 2010, he was raring to help a team that had made postseason appearances in each of the previous three seasons. But his body had other ideas.

“The muscles in my legs weren’t strong enough to maintain the whole time,” Bachynski said. “So I’d be good for the first five minutes, then feel my legs go to spaghetti. It was crazy. I tried to do too much too quickly coming off my mission, and I struggled with injuries because I was pushing it a little too hard. I pulled everything in my legs. Once I got to play, the whole first year was just spent sucking air. It was bad.

“I just kept pushing, and my body kept pushing back. Finally came to accord with it. ‘You know what, we might have to take this year to get back into it.’” [2]

Determined to continue to go full speed ahead and be the best at his game, it has all started coming together for him this season, his third at ASU. He is averaging 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots a game in 25 minutes of action and has set a school and Pac-12 record with nine blocked shots in a 65-56 victory over Colorado. He also leads the Pac-12 with a .656 field goal percentage.

“Defensively, he’s been a monster protecting the paint,” said Utah coach Larry Krystowiak, who coaches Jordan’s younger brother, Dallin. “He can clean up a lot of mistakes back there. It seems like he seems like he is playing with a little bit more swagger. Offensively, he’s a load as well. He is a legitimate post player. They have enough talent around him that he isn’t asked to do too much.

“He’s an example of kid who stuck with it. It is not always going to be easy.” [2]

Off the court, Bachynski leads an intriguing life. He is fluent in Spanish, is a huge soccer fan, and is an avid reader of Gandhi. His spare time consists of following the exploits of fellow Canadian Hooper Steve Nash of the Los Angeles Lakers and watching UFC bouts. He also enjoys eating baliadas (Honduran tortillas with cream, cheese, beef and beans).

His wife, Malia, whose encouragement he credits as the main source of his success, played volleyball at ASU where the two met. “She’s everything that I’ve ever wanted,” Jordan has said. He describes her as “as close to perfection as you can get,” believing that he would not be half the player that he is on the court without her. They were married on 13 May 2011.

“Whether it’s making sure I’m on time for games or making it so I can get to everything I need to, she does everything for me,” Jordan said. “She’s the boss. Whatever she says, goes.” [3]

“Any bit of motivation that I can give him or support, I want to put it out there,” Malia said. “He’s been taking advantage of it. He’s been coming in and shooting and watching film. He shoots every day on his own.” [3]

In regards to the turn around he has made in his game, Bachynski commented:

“When you have your legs under you, it is a lot easier to be aggressive,” Bachynski said.

“My goal is to play professionally, and I know if I want to do that, I have to work hard and I have to perform. I feel like the coaches have been patient with me, and I’ve been patient with myself, and it is starting to pay off. And I’m in the right program with the right guys around me. My teammates are incredible with their support.” [2]

Bachynski’s mother, Yolanda was also a solid Hooper. His younger brother Dallin ( (2009 PHASE 1 All Canada Select) played for Southern Utah in 2009-2010, went on an LDS mission in Croatia and will suit up for Utah. His sister Jessica is also a very good player and played at the 2010 Canada Basketball National Championships in Toronto.

Although Malia believes he should receive the credit for taking action, Jordan unselfishly gives credit to everyone around him for the turnaround he has made. Whether it is his coaches, his wife, his mission president, his family, or God, he doesn’t want to attribute all the success to himself.

Additional Resources:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Meet Mormon Missionaries

The Lord Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Read another article about a Mormon athlete – Mitch Smith – An Unlikely Mormon

A high percentage of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church“) are converts.  The Church of Jesus Christ has a remarkable missionary program.  By mid-2012 there were about 58,000 Mormon missionaries giving full-time service all over the world.  Typically, young men would depart for two years of Mormon missionary work at age 19, and young women would depart for eighteen months of missionary work at age 21.  However, in the October 2012 General Conference of the LDS Church, Prophet Thomas S. Monson announced that the qualifying age for young missionaries would be lowered to 18 for young men and 19 for young women.  With that announcement, applications for full-time Mormon missionary service soared by nearly 500%.

Most Mormon missionaries are not only youthful, but they are self-supporting in their service.  They devote themselves fully to their work in bringing souls to Christ, arising early in the morning for study and preparation and spending the day teaching and serving.  Missionaries are trained and commissioned to find those whom the Lord has prepared to receive the gospel.  Everything depends on the spiritual insights acquired independently by the investigator.  Missionaries will not baptize a person unless the person receives his or her own spiritual witness, after sincere prayer, through personal revelation, and unless the person fully repents and is prepared to keep God’s commandments.

People prepared to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ have generally had one or both of two types of experiences.  Some have begun to experience an almost painful yearning for truth and some of these have searched far and wide without finding it.  Others have come to their own conclusions about what true religion is, and they find that Mormonism teaches those truths they have partially come to on their own.  It is common for people prepared to receive the gospel to have experienced a miraculous insight, dream, or vision that causes them to recognize immediately that the Mormon missionaries are messengers from God.

Missionaries are moved around within their areas of service to keep investigators from joining the LDS Church because of their affection for the missionaries.  Missionaries will not baptize anyone unless that person is fully prepared.  Missionaries teach the precepts of the gospel of Jesus Christ using the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the teachings of ancient and modern prophets.  Investigators read and pray about what they read and what the missionaries have taught.  They must receive confirmation directly from God in order to qualify for baptism.  This is especially important regarding the Book of Mormon.  A spiritual witness that the book is true means that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the original Church of Jesus Christ has indeed been restored in modern times and has power and authority from God.

Repentance is necessary to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ.  At baptism we take upon ourselves the name of Christ and therefore witness of Him in our actions and character.  New converts promise to keep His commandments from then on, and they renew that covenant weekly, when they partake of the sacramental emblems in Sunday meeting.  The following standards must be kept:

• Keeping the Law of Chastity, which forbids any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between a man and a woman.
• Paying a full tithing (10% of one’s income) to the Church.  Paying tithing brings wonderful spiritual and temporal blessings and builds one’s testimony of the gospel.
• Living the “Word of Wisdom,” which means abstaining from the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, recreational drugs, and the abuse of prescription drugs.
• Attending church on Sundays and serving in “callings.” (The LDS Church has a lay clergy, so everyone serves in order to run the Church.)

There are many investigators of the LDS Church who love its precepts and receive a witness that it is true, but they cannot bring themselves to live according to the standards of the gospel, set by the Lord, or to commit to living according to God’s commandments into the future.  Some of these find that they are ready later on in life.

Other investigators will face any difficulty in order to honor their new-found witness.  They commit themselves fully to follow Christ in the face of family disapproval, loss of friends, and even loss of employment.  The Lord rewards those who are willing to make these sorts of sacrifices.  Over time, as family and friends observe the blessing membership in the Church is for the new convert, they soften, and they become more accepting.  The Lord and church leaders help with employment and other challenges that may arise.

I am a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I received confirmation of its truth directly from the Lord, and have never looked back.  It is the greatest blessing I have ever received, and I thank God for finding me every day in my prayers.  Keeping the required commandments have also proven to save me from many possible miseries in life.  They are protective and enable people to enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Additional Resources:

The Holy Bible in Mormonism

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Worship with Mormons

Not even one percent of the students at the Catholic Notre Dame University are Mormon, but one of those few is generating a great deal of attention. A senior linebacker named Manti Te’o is noted not just for his outstanding basketball skills, but also for his outstanding character in the face of fame’s temptations.

Manti Te’o has maintained an outstanding academic record despite the challenges of football. He is a National Scholar Athlete. He has a 3.2 GPA and will graduate in 2013 with a degree in graphic design. Although he had a solid opportunity to be drafted at the end of his junior year, he prayed and contemplated, and then decided to return to school to finish his senior year.

The day after Christmas, 2012, Manti Te’o learned he had been the victim of a hoax that was apparently carried about under the direction of a former high school classmate. This classmate and several others created an online persona named Lenny, complete with social media profiles and a picture stolen from a woman who did not know her picture was being used. They found a woman to portray Lenny and introduced her to Manti via internet and telephone. She claimed to have leukemia, a tactic likely devised to win his sympathy and to encourage him to stay in touch in order to help her through her trials. Over time, he became closer to her and a long-distance relationship developed. She told him that when she died, she did not want him to come to the funeral but instead wanted him to send flowers and then go out and play the best game ever in her honor. The perpetrators then timed the death to coincide with his grandmother’s death and an important game. As likely suspected, he played particularly well, wanting to honor their memories. When Manti received the telephone call revealing the hoax, he promptly alerted his coaches. They have hired a private investigative team to track down the cruel people who took advantage of a trusting young man’s compassion. They have uncovered at least one person and are now looking into whether or not laws or NCAA violations have occurred. The school is convinced, based on preliminary investigation, that Manti was a victim of a cruel and juvenile hoax. They have noted his deep integrity and his trusting nature. His athletic director sadly commented that Manti had now learned not to be as trusting of the world, and that, while valuable, is a sad thing for young people to learn.

Notre Dame’s athletic director, Jack Swarbrick, speculated on possible motives for the hoax:

”We had no idea of motive, and that was really significant to us. . . . Was somebody trying to create an NCAA violation at the core of this? Was there somebody trying to impact the outcome of football games by manipulating the emotions of a key player? Was there an extortion request coming? When you match the lack of sort of detail we lacked until we got some help investigating it with the risk involved, it was clear to me until we knew more we had to just to continue to work to try to gather the facts,” (See Story of Te’o’s Dead Girlfriend a Hoax.”)

When he lost the Heisman—predicted because he is a linebacker, but mourned by sportswriters who thought he should get it anyway—the press noted he smiled and promptly congratulated the winner. There was never any sign of anger. Sportswriters felt his leadership ability, which allowed him to motivate his team to be far better than predicted, should have entitled him to the award. However, he took away an unprecedented six other high level awards and then, after the ceremony tour, expressed relief at a week in which he only had to take finals and be a normal student, away from the glare of the media.

“Ever since I was young I understood the whole meaning of life isn’t how much money you accumulate, how much fame you experience, it’s how many lives you touch, how many faces you bring smiles to. I see myself back in Hawaii [after football] doing something in the community to improve the lives of young children. Everything I’ve done is to prepare myself to give back.”   (Chicago Sun-Times, August 29, 2011)

His locker contains an autographed football, but not one from an NFL player. It is from an eight-year-old boy who intercepted two passes and returned them for touchdowns, something Manti had not yet done in his college career. He told the child he was Manti’s hero and the boy, excited to be the hero of a college player, obtained a commemorative Notre Dame football and signed it to Manti. Manti touches it before each game.

Manti Te’o is proof that fame and bad behavior don’t have to go together. He puts his priorities in the right place and focuses on the greater good.