Creating YouTube videos and traveling to some might merely be a hobby, noted Cherie Moore, a senior from Provo, Utah majoring in peacebuilding. She explained her passions drive her to overcome challenges and help discover her career goals.
“We are all on this earth to gain experience and knowledge. I like learning about people and what makes them who they are and a lot of that depends on culture and where they are from.”
Paul Wilson, an assistant professor for BYUH Willes Center, said he had Moore in a social entrepreneurship class, and he found Moore was different from most students.
“I've watched Cherie quietly make a difference in other people's lives. I think students need to realize that they don't need to be seen to be visible. Nor do they need to be loud to be heard. It's the consistent small acts of moving towards a positive change that matters. Cherie does this on a daily basis, and I look forward to seeing what her future holds for her.”
Moore said her desire to learn about different cultures started because of her older sister. It led her to transfer from BYU–Hawaii to a school in Utah with an exchange project so she could go to South Korea. After eight months in Korea, Moore re-applied and came back to BYUH.
Desiree Burnham, Moore’s sister, said it is a compliment to know her sister was inspired to travel and create videos because of her example.
“[My sister] is such a wonderful, genuine person who only values good things in this world. Christ is at the center of everything she does, and knowing that someone like me inspires her makes me want to be even better.”
While in South Korea, Moore said she found passion in creating Youtube videos on a channel she and her sister started. Her videos highlighted her experiences in Korea.
“I wanted to inspire people with my Youtube channel that their dreams aren’t crazy and they can [become] reality because my dream had been to go to Korea.”
She added after getting comments from people saying the loved her positive outlook on life, her “vlogs,” or video blogs, transformed.
“I would say that my vlogs are a like an equation of college life plus positivity, plus travel, plus going for your dreams, plus finding the beauty in daily life.”
Today, Moore’s channel, Flaming MVkeys, has over 15,000 subscribers and her “Day in the Life of a Korea Exchange Student” video has 331,000 views.
“I think my channel was successful because I was passionate about it. I think people were attracted to me because I loved connecting with people from all over the world through YouTube.”
Despite the adventures and success on YouTube, Moore said she had troubling times.
“Four members of my family have left the Church in this past year. I was so mad at first. I didn’t expect it all because I was at school for 10 months. Then in less than a week after I came home, they told me they were leaving (the Church). I had no preparation and didn’t see any changes in them because I was here in school.”
After the news of her parents and siblings leaving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Moore admitted she questioned God.
“When my family announced they were removing their records from the Church, I turned to Heavenly Father and said, ‘You didn’t prepare me for this at all.’”
But Moore said God told her she was prepared for this trial. She looked back on the year and realized a trial she had in the past prepared her for this new test of faith.
“It was one of the hardest trials in my life, and I kept turning to God. My testimony grew, and I became stronger in the Church. I went to the temple weekly and was connecting with Heavenly Father regularly.
“It was still difficult having my family leave the Church knowing they would not see my sealing in the temple, and knowing my dad couldn’t give me a priesthood blessing anymore was hard. But my personal testimony was able to stay strong because of what I experienced before. That gave me peace.”
From the experiences of traveling and trials, Moore said she realized the path she wants to take in life.
“I have always had a passion for helping people and traveling. I am trying to put those passions together. I want to create a nonprofit in multiple countries that are poor or developing. With vlogs and with my channel, I can film everything I am doing to inspire others to want to help people.”
According to Burham, Moore inspires her to advocate for the voiceless, and “to serve without thinking what would be in it for me.”
“I see Cherie changing the world. She is constantly making casual conversations about problems in the world and her ideas on how to help and make a difference. I see her starting her own Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and putting her whole heart into serving people.”
Wilson said he is most impressed by Moore’s dedication and compassion. “With Cherie's compassion for life, I think she'll make a significant impact on anyone she meets and anything she does. In the time I've known her, I've seen her desire to serve others and change the world. Regardless, if this is on the micro-level of her family or the macro-level of a global community, Cherie will leave an imprint of good upon their heart.
“Cherie has a quiet and unassuming demeanor. Yet, she cares deeply about the path in life she is on. She doesn't take her learning passively and wants to get the most out of it. As she and I have spent time discussing her future, it's obvious she wants to make it her present. Cherie has been open with me about some of the fears she has. However, she doesn't let those fears dictate her dreams.”
Writer: Noah Shoaf