Solvang resident Elijah Swolgaard,18, will be serving a mission for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Chile Vina del Mar Mission in the South American country of Chile. 

Swolgaard moved to the Santa Ynez Valley from Bainbridge Island, Wash., when he was 3 years old. 

His parents are Scott and Elizabeth Swolgaard, a physical therapist with New Motion PT. There are five boys in the family, with Elijah being the oldest. His grandparents are Bill and Alice Beifuss, also of Solvang.

Elijah’s parents both served missions for the church in their youth. His mother served in the Manilla (Philippines) Mission and his father in the San Salvador Mission in El Salvador.

Swolgaard attended the SYV Presbyterian Preschool, Los Olivos Elementary School and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. At SYHS, he played volleyball and ran cross country and belonged to Conservatives on Campus and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He also enjoys surfing. 

To financially support his mission, Swolgaard works as a handyman. He likes to work outside with his hands and learn new things.

Swolgaard says he loves his family and when he’s not working, he loves to be with them. He calls himself a “homebody” and says that when he’s home with his family he always has a best friend.

Swolgaard left for the Mission Training Center in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 10 and will be there for six weeks. While there, he will learn Spanish and how to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in Chile. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is represented by missionaries in 160 countries. Young men, young women and seniors go all over the world to share the Gospel of Christ with those who are interested in learning about the Savior and his mission here on the earth. They not only teach the Gospel, but they live it as well in that up to 20 hours of each week they are involved in service, of all kinds, in their communities

When asked why he wanted to serve a mission, Swolgaard said that the Lord has helped him in his life so much that he wants to bring others to that knowledge and happiness. He wants everyone to have the knowledge and light of the Savior. 

Swolgaard’s bishop, Jonathan Paulson, shared that “Elijah has a very strong testimony of Jesus Christ. Elijah is a shining example to everyone who comes in contact with him. It has been a pleasure for me to be his Bishop for the past five years. “ 

Swolgaard has looked forward to serving this mission his whole life and has a personal testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. He is excited to share that knowledge with the people of Vina del Mar. 

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold its annual Christmas quilting event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec 1, in the church Cultural Hall at 2627 Janin Way in Solvang.

Anyone wishing to participate is welcome. No sewing skills are necessary.

The quilts will be donated to various shelters in Santa Barbara County. Sponsorship of a quilt is $30 if you wish to donate but it is not required if you wish to help. Any and all help for as long as you can help is happily appreciated.

This quilting day activity began in 1991 and has become an annual tradition and has helped to give cheerful, warm quilts to more than 700 people.

It is always a rewarding day filled with fun, food and friendship.

For more information, call Kriss Agin at (805) 688-3381.

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Abbi Haws returned in August after serving an 18-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New Hampshire Manchester Mission, which includes the states of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Abbi is the daughter of Peter and Gretchen Haws.  She grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley and attended Solvang Elementary School and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.

She has four siblings, three of whom have also served missions for the Mormon Church in Brazil, Russia and Finland. The other is planning to go in the near future.

Abbi said she decided to go on a mission because she was trying to decide what to do with her life, and she had a prompting to go now.

While in New England Abbi served in three different areas.

She began in Bedford, N.H., then went to Winthrop, Maine; then to Montpelier, Vt.; and finished back in Bedford.  While serving in these areas she did about 10 hour a week of community service.

Her projects included working at a therapy horse ranch, cleaning stalls and walking the horses.  There was also trash pickup, splitting wood and helping at a local Color Fest marathon and at a mini farm at the local fair.

When not doing service projects she and her companion would share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of New England.

Abbi smiled affectionately when she talked about how much she enjoyed and loved the people there, and said that even if sometimes they had kind of a “hard shell” they were “soft and wonderful” on the inside.

One of her most meaningful experiences was sharing the principle of tithing with a single mother who had serious financial difficulties and lived in an improvised neighborhood. Making ends meet was difficult and there was no money to spare.

The principle involves giving back to God one-tenth of your increase with the promise that the Lord will bless you and help with your needs. The woman decided to go by faith and paid her tithing, knowing she would not have enough to feed her family at the end of the month.   At the end of that month her employer unexpectedly gave her $200 and she was able to then take care of her family.  Abbi considered it a testimony to all of them that the Lord keeps His promises.

Abbi has returned to BYU Idaho, where she was attending school before she left for her mission.  She is studying sociology and hopes to become a counselor for addiction recovery.

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