Welcoming Our Guests
Cumorah Academy loves welcoming guests. During the semesters, we have received many special visitors, including Elder Gerard, Second Counselor of the Europe Central Area (you can read more by clicking here). Each guest brings a unique perspective about their time spent on campus, even if it’s just for an evening.
Our campus was built to create a healthy atmosphere where all who enter can experience the beauty of a Christ-centered education. On April 23rd, Cumorah Academy welcomed two special guests: Alberto Puertas and Johel Valdivia. These guests, both from Peru, enjoyed a delightful evening with our students, the Academic Director, and Patrick Sedivy, the founder of Cumorah Academy.
Before continuing, let’s get to know more about our friends.
Meeting Alberto and Johel
Johel Valdivia is the Managing Director of Welfare and Self-Reliance Services for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a position he has held since 2019. Reflecting on his visit to the Cumorah Academy campus in the Czech Republic, he noted how different it was from his expectations. “I’ve interacted with people in class and asked students about Cumorah. What I have seen is that students are growing their testimonies here to become strong followers of Jesus Christ,” says Johel. He was also impressed with the skills students are developing. “Students are learning and improving their soft skills – public speaking, leadership, and other abilities to help them get better jobs and become better leaders,” he remarked joyfully.
Alberto Puertas is an Academic and Career Counselor at Brigham Young University (BYU). He holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling and Guidance from BYU. The campus environment and the real-time classroom experience drew Alberto and Johel to visit. “Cumorah has been a surprising, amazing, invigorating, and unique experience for me,” says Alberto. “I am happily impressed with the quality of the youth and the people in general here. Everyone is so kind, friendly, and open.” Alberto and Johel got a taste of what it is like to be a Cumorah Academy student. Each day, in each class, students enter a new world full of discoveries. They develop new skills and uncover hidden talents. In a world that often tries to convince them they cannot accomplish anything, Cumorah Academy is changing this reality.
“Where Are You Headed?”
Depending on the context, the question above might have many meanings and could confuse anyone. That was how Alberto felt when a friend from college asked him this while he was on his way to the library. At first, he didn’t quite understand the question and responded, “I’m good, and you?” A few hours later, he asked his friend what he really meant. After some reflection, he understood the significance of the question. Questions are a valuable tool to evaluate our current situation.
Initially, “Where are you headed?” might seem like a geographical question – where is one going? However, it is much more than that. It relates to the decisions one makes and their consequences. Alberto shared this personal experience with our students and invited them to ask themselves this question. Naturally, we’ll constantly ask this question throughout our lives. But Cumorah Academy is a unique place and opportunity to find the answer. Alberto and Johel left a lasting impression on all our students and staff members. Their presence will be remembered forever.
Written by Fernando L. Ferreira Jr.
Photos by Camila Caraveo
Supervision by Kamila Uberto Fullmer.
For more stories on campus, visit our Blog Page.
