An appeal to bishops to encourage high school graduates to attend the Mount Hood YSA Branch

16 July 2017

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

We have been blessed by an especially large group of active LDS youth who graduated from high school this year. In fact, our records show that 31 LDS youth in our stake graduated and some 20 are active in the church. That’s the largest group of HS graduates in memory!

We appreciate your efforts to encourage these new YSA to attend the Mount Hood YSA Branch in our stake. President Westover says as many as 11 of the 20 have participated at some level, attending a sacrament meeting, a Family Home Evening or a branch activity.

They are:

Sidney Lindhorst, D

Nathan Dysart, E

Jacob Livermore, PV

Ammon Brown, SR

Katie Hokanson, SR

McKay Ivie, SR

Kelsey Perry, SR

Emmie Hansen, SR

Ezra Smith, SR

Sabrina Hokanson, TC

Porter Thomas, TC

That means nearly 50% have not responded to the out-reach efforts of the YSA Branch leadership.

We are concerned about that. We recognize that the YSA have a choice and for a variety of reasons…some of them very valid…have chosen not to attend the YSA Branch.

We have drafted the attached letter explaining how the branch is a “mission” of sorts, not just a place to “hang out" with those of their age. Our hope is that this letter will help everyone in our stake understand the reason the YSA branch was created and how very much all YSA are needed in our rescue efforts.

Will you please help communicate this to the YSA and their parents in your ward or branch? Even if they can only attend for a short time, please help the active YSA know how much they are needed to assist in the rescue of the hundreds of the less-active YSA in our stake.

Furthermore, the YSA are uniquely prepared for a life of service in the Church by receiving significant Church callings, something typically unavailable to them in a family ward or branch.

The attached letter is for you to share however you choose. We are not sending this directly to the active Young Single Adults or their parents in our stake, but are sending to you to share at your discretion. We hope that you will teach from this letter in helping all youth understand the need...their “calling,” if you will...when they become a Young Single Adult in our stake.

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency