Emily Mowat, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Abbotsford, British Columbia, was recently awarded the British Columbia Medal of Excellence and named the National Navy League Cadet of the Year.
This is a real honour for Emily, who is 12 years old and joined the Navy League Cadet Corps when she was only 9. She takes great pride in wearing her Navy League uniform and representing her corps at Remembrance Day parades and other activities.
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Emily, who belongs to the B.C. Mainland Division of the Navy League of Canada, said, “I love Canada and have been blessed to be able to travel coast to coast visiting family. Being involved with Cadets has helped me understand all of the effort and sacrifice that has gone into making Canada as free as it is.”
Emily shared how being a disciple of Jesus Christ has helped her during her time in the Navy League. “I try to always understand the words of our Saviour, but more importantly, I try to help others understand His words too,” Emily said. “With Cadets, it is very important that everyone in the corps understand what they need to do. Being a member of the Church has helped me be respectful, responsible and resourceful while helping others to be their best. There are … times [that] are extremely stressful, like before drill or first aid competitions, but I am comforted by the love I feel when I pray to Heavenly Father before these difficult times, and I receive strength to do what is needed.”
Emily has spent the past three years in the Navy League participating in various weekly activities, including leadership training, camping, citizenship projects, drill, physical fitness, swimming, first aid, communications and teamwork.
“Receiving these awards has helped me feel that I have achieved something worthwhile,” Emily said. “I feel accomplished because I was focused on a goal I had set for Cadets, and I succeeded in getting it. A favourite quote of mine is ‘You can’t fix new problems with old solutions.’ As I worked towards achieving my goals, there were many obstacles, but I remembered to use new solutions to try and solve them as much as possible. It still has not fully sunk in that I am the one cadet across Canada that holds this title for 2021.”
Emily’s parents, Shelley and Robert Mowat, share her enthusiasm about her award. Shelley said, “We are so proud of our daughter. This is something she has spent a lot of time on. As a parent you never know what your child will be passionate about. We are happy that Emily has found her passion and is being recognized for her hard work.”
Emily also participates in the Children and Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This program encourages children and youth to set goals focusing on their intellectual, physical, social and spiritual growth.
Jamie Vermeeren, president of the Abbotsford British Columbia Stake, commented, “We are so proud of Emily. She is a hardworking go-getter who sets aggressive goals and works hard to achieve them. She’s friendly, inclusive and is a great example of a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
As Bonnie H. Cordon, general president of the Church’s Young Women organization, has said, “The Savior is our example in all things. We study His life and mission and teachings because He is everything we aspire to become. But since each of us is unique, we each have attributes and skills that we need to develop to become like Him” (“Children and Youth: Starting Strong,” Ensign, January 2020).
Contributed by Amberlee Olson, Communication content creator for the Abbotsford British Columbia Stake