Letter to First Presidency requesting an exception to the Handbook boundary rule

6 February 2017

Office of the First Presidency

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

47 East South Temple

Salt Lake City, UT 84150

Dear Brethren,

In accordance with Handbook 1, 13.6, I respectfully request authorization to permanently transfer (or in this case, retain) the membership records of Marlo and Marcee Dean to the Powell Valley Ward, of the Mount Hood Oregon Stake. Their member numbers are 000-2867-166A and 000-2867-1678 respectively.

The Deans have lived within the Damascus Ward boundaries for many years, but their records were moved to the Powell Valley Ward on 24 July 2011 by then-Stake President Richard Hansen. We do not know if President Hansen obtained First Presidency approval for the transfer.

President Hansen (now Elder Hansen, of the Seventy) obviously directed the record transfer because Marlo Dean, who once served as bishop of the Damascus Ward, apparently had come under considerable harassment, even persecution, related to a political controversy involving the newly created City of Damascus, Oregon. Brother Dean had been elected to the City Council during a highly charged period experienced by the new city government. The vitriol apparently spilled over into the Damascus Ward and the Deans became the target of other members’ discontent. According to Brother Dean, ward members left anonymous, threatening notes on his car in the church parking lot and, at his home, there were acts of vandalism to his car (nails in the tires).

I am attaching a few documents and pieces of evidence in support of the political controversy and attacks on the Deans (see 1-a, b, c, d), provided by Brother Dean.
We have no way of verifying the truthfulness of Brother Dean’s claims.

Subsequent to and in consequence of the political firestorm, Brother Dean declined to run for re-election around 2012 and by 2016 city residents voted to dissolve the city government altogether and go back under the umbrella of the county government.

Nonetheless, the pain and hurt feelings remained with the Deans. Brother Dean obsessed over the incident to the extent that he withdrew and became less-active in the Church. Sister Dean continued to serve faithfully in the Powell Valley Ward.

Last fall, I felt impressed to visit Brother Dean and subsequently call him to serve on the High Council—an “Amulek experience” as described and encouraged by President Uchtdorf in his October 2016 General Priesthood message.

Thankfully, after prayerful consideration, Brother Dean accepted the call and has served faithfully ever since on the Stake High Council.

Things were going so well that in December of last year, following the passing of Sister Dean’s elderly father (also a member of the Powell Valley Ward), I approached the Deans and explained that the stake presidency felt it was time—and “safe”—for them to return to the Damascus Ward, the ward of their residence.

Attached is a series of three communications that followed:

2 - Marlo Dean Letter 30 Dec 2016 – Brother Dean explains why his feelings are still raw and asks that their records not be transferred back to the Damascus Ward.

3 – Pres Lewis Response 2 Jan 2017 – President Lewis explains why the stake presidency believes there is ample evidence that the Deans could, and should, return to the Damascus Ward without fear of offense or reprisals.

4 – Marcee Dean Letter 28 Jan 2017 – Sister Dean responded by sharing, for the first time, her deep feelings why their concerns are still very real and to please allow them to remain in the Powell Valley Ward.

I must confess that Sister Dean’s letter was especially compelling, even causing me to reverse my personal feelings so that I now request an exception to 13.6 in Handbook 1 allowing the Deans to remain in the Powell Valley Ward. The Stake Presidency has discussed this extensively and concurs with this recommendation.

Thank you for giving this your consideration.

Sincerely,

Crismon S. Lewis

President, Mount Hood Oregon Stake

Unit No. 515795