An apology to the Stake Primary leaders

20 September 2018

Dear Sister Thomas and Others,

I am writing to ask your forgiveness.

My feelings got carried away in my earlier email and, after some sleepless hours last night, I realize, in essence, I had “publicly” (i.e. those who were copied on this email chain) scolded our Stake Primary President, for which I deeply regret. There is no justification for such action on my part as I am reminded in D&C 121:41-42.

The contention that I allowed or even created will dampen the Spirit in our conference more than any of the concerns that I expressed toward the music and preparation of the music for our general session. We dearly need the Spirit at stake conference and that begins with me. Will you please forgive me for being so insensitive and know how grateful I am for the many efforts by you and your wonderful Stake Primary leaders to please this  sometimes-hard-to-please stake president and to bless the children and their parents in our upcoming stake conference?

With sincere gratitude for your patience with me,

President Lewis

In response to the Stake Primary President about a children's choir in stake conference

19 September 2018

Sister (Stake Primary President),

Thank you very much for being flexible. I’m sorry it took me so long to give direction as to the theme of the meeting.

Actually, the theme for the general session, at which the children will sing, is Temple and Family History. The two songs “Families Can Be Together Forever” and “I Love to See the Temple” are both written from the child’s perspective and I had a deep desire for the parents of the stake to hear their children sing those messages to them.

The song “The Family Is of God” is also a beautiful tune with a powerful message from the child’s perspective. 

We really don’t have room in the program for three numbers by the choir, so if you feel strongly about wanting to sing “The Family is of God,” then we’ll have that as the special number after the stake business and we’ll ask Brother Jones to have the congregation sing “Families Can Be Together Forever” as our stand-up intermediate hymn. “I Love to See the Temple” by the choir will be the closing song.

Another option is to have the children sing “The Family is of God” right after the organ prelude and right before the start of the meeting as a way of quieting the congregation and preparing us for the meeting.

May I express again my concern that we don’t have very many rehearsals with a children’s choir? We have been reminded by the Brethren that when we schedule a child, we schedule a family. We want the choir to sound good, but these are songs the children are very familiar with and the quality (spirit) of their performance will not come because of multiple rehearsals, but because Heaven will be with them. And that comes from obedience.

Please, will you schedule only two more rehearsals with the children (plus one brief rehearsal right before the start of the general session on Sunday morning)?

Thank you for organizing this Primary choir. It will be a true blessing to our stake at conference.

Gratefully,

President Lewis

Mount Hood Stake's 2018 Self-Reliance Initiative and Direction Going Forward

18 September 2018

Bishops and Stake Leaders,

Thank you very much for your support of the Self-Reliance Initiative introduced in your ward or branch last Sunday.

The response has been wonderful as you can see by the report below from President Hansen and Brother Damion Rich, our stake Self-Reliance Specialist. We give a special thanks to them and to all on the Stake Self-Reliance Committee (including Bishop Hulet and Nancy Jones, of the Stake Relief Society presidency).

We realize there will be some attrition as busy lives crowd in, but please know how strongly we feel this emphasis will bring strength—especially spiritual strength—into the lives of the members of your ward or branch. 

You’ll remember President Nelson’s declaration in April Conference: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost…I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity…” 

To this end, we feel the Self-Reliance Initiative is one of the most effective tools available to us that can have a measurable impact on the spiritual  lives of those in our stake. 

Your participation, monitoring and encouragement is greatly appreciated.

We welcome your counsel on what more we can do to give emphasis to this effort as we encourage all members to participate in a Self-Reliance group in the coming months.

Gratefully,

President Lewis

Message in support of Oregon Portland Mission's new policy about missionary dinner appointments

Dear Mount Hood Stake Members,

You have likely heard that dinner appointments will no longer be scheduled with the full-time missionaries on Mondays through Fridays.

While we will miss this blessing of feeding the missionaries on weekdays, we support very much this new direction from the Oregon Portland Mission leadership for two reasons:

1. Missionaries will now be able to make more contacts during the time (between 5:00 and 7:00 pm) when more people are at home;

2. Missionaries will be able to visit more members' homes during the evening hours to deliver a brief, faith-building message rather than spend an entire hour over dinner in only one home.

When will the missionaries eat dinner? They will prepare their own meal each day at 4:00 pm. We hope all of us will invite the missionaries to visit our homes during the evening hours and receive a brief message from them. Then we can send them home with a casserole or another dish that they can prepare easily the next afternoon or freeze for later.

By the way, the missionaries are available for lunch, but only for 30 minutes.

May we all appreciate that this sacrifice by these wonderful young elders and sisters is a way for them to express their faith in the Lord that He will help them find even more people to teach.

The missionaries are also asking the ward or branch council to schedule a fast for missionary work in each ward or branch. We strongly support this opportunity.

Please join with us in this worthy effort to help our friends and neighbors reap the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives.

With love and gratitude for your faithfulness,

The Stake Presidency

Announcing that the Pioneer Branch will overlap with the Walters Hill Ward in 2019

19 September 2018

Brethren,

As you’re aware, there was some discussion as to the Pioneer Branch’s preferred start time in 2019 and with which ward they would share a meeting block?

After discussing at length a variety of proposals, it’s been decided that the best alternative is for the Pioneer Branch to remain at 9:00 am and to match up with whichever ward is scheduled for that time slot.

In other words, in 2019 the Pioneer Branch will continue to meet in the Relief Society room for sacrament meeting and overlap with the Walters Hill Ward Primary, YMYW and youth Sunday School classes during the 2nd and 3rd hours. The Pioneer Branch will continue to hold their own Spanish gospel doctrine and gospel principles classes. We appreciate very much the Walters Hill Ward auxiliaries accepting the addition of new members. If the change were happening right now, there is the potential of adding 9 Primary children, 4 YW and 2 YM (not all are fully active, but attending occasionally).

As we get closer to the end of 2018, the Pioneer Branch Presidency will please coordinate with the Walters Hill Ward bishopric and ward council on the actual numbers and the names of each young person who will be going into the WH auxiliary organizations.

Thank you so much to all of you for your willingness to accommodate the Pioneer Branch as it continues to grow under the very able direction of President Ibarra and Brother Garrison.

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency