Comments on Elder Holland's Apostolic Blessing Given at a Leadership Meeting in Lake Oswego

Email sent April 30, 2015 to two families, who inquired about the Apostolic Blessing that was given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland to members of each of the nine stakes via their stake president in attendance at the Special Priesthood Leadership Training conducted on April 25 in Lakes Oswego.

Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Apostolic blessings except they are simply a blessing given by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Fortunately, these brethren often bless audiences wherever they go so it’s not rare, but WONDERFUL to receive when personally in an audience. Someone later asked Elder Holland if he gives Apostolic Blessings. He responded in effect: Yes, as often as appropriate. I don’t know whether the other Brethren do or not, but I do often.

(Ironically, an Apostolic Blessing is also the term given for when the Pope gives a blessing on a group of people. I believe he gives such a blessing from the balcony every week in St Peters Square in the Vatican.)

Elder Holland’s Apostolic Blessing was given at the end of the training that was given by him and two other General Authorities with stake presidencies, bishops, ward mission leaders and elders quorum presidents last Saturday in Lake Oswego.

He blessed us (as leaders) and extended the blessing to the members of each of our stakes (there were 9 stakes represented). That’s why I mentioned it in stake conference because I wanted our members to know they had received a blessing via the priesthood leaders in the meeting. 

As you may have heard him say, Elder Holland repeated in his training that we are members of the "Church of Happy Endings," a nice way to remind everyone that Satan will not win, our victory is assured, so we need to hang in there. 

This wonderful spirit of optimism is further bolstered by the spirit of his blessing in which he blessed us with healing of relationships and a spiritual healing of our posterity to the tenth generation. He blessed us that the gospel will go deep into our hearts and through our covenants we will see the Lord’s hand in our lives to sustain us through these difficult times.

As for the spiritual healing of our posterity, he clarified, “They will have to repent like everyone else,” (suggesting this blessing cannot override agency),  but the power of our making and keeping covenants will reach out to our posterity down to the 10th generation and bring them back.

In response to the opposition registered during the sustainings at the April 2015 General Conference

Stake leaders and bishops…

While Vivienne and I were personally in the session last Saturday in General Conference when opposition was registered during the sustaining of the First Presidency, I assume all of you were witnesses of it, too, via TV.

As you know, this is very rare, but certainly not without precedent (see http://ldsliving.com/story/78523-dissenting-votes-at-conference-everything-you-need-to-know).

If members of our stake ask you about the incident, I encourage you to share with them the very timely talk given by Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, just six months ago in the October 2014 General Conference: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/sustaining-the-prophets?lang=eng

In his message he states:

"When we sustain prophets and other leaders, we invoke the law of common consent, for the Lord said, 'it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church.' (D&C 42:11)

"This gives us, as members of the Lord's Church, confidence and faith as we strive to keep the scriptural injunction to heed the Lord's voice as it comes through the voice of His servants the prophets. All leaders in the Lord's Church are called by proper authority. No prophet or any other leader in this Church, for that matter, has ever called himself or herself.

"No prophet has ever been elected. The Lord made that clear when He said, 'Ye have chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.' You and I do not 'vote' on Church leaders at any level. We do, though, have the privilege of sustaining them."

May we appreciate the blessing of living in a day of Prophets on the earth and the privilege it is to sustain them in the same way we make covenants.

President Lewis

Elements of a Full-Time Missionary Release Interview

Guidelines shared with my counselors when assigned to release a full-time missionary:

• Open with a kneeling prayer (usually ask them to pray…in whatever language they’re most familiar)
• What area did your mission cover?
• Where did you serve? (how many wards/branches)
• What was the Church (members) like where you served?
• Did you get along with your companions? What did you learn from them?
• What kind of relationship did you have with your mission president?
• How did your mission influence your family back home?
• What was a high point of your mission?
• How did your mission affect your testimony?
• How are you different personally because of your mission?
• What are some things you plan to do on a daily or weekly basis for the rest of your life because of what you learned on your mission?
• Make sure they came home with a temple recommend that should expire in 3 months
• Conduct a worthiness interview, especially pornography and/or inappropriate fraternizing with other missionaries
• Visit about future plans (did he/she write anyone on a mission? school plans? if staying home, plan to attend YSA or family ward?)
• Offer counsel, if inclined
• Schedule to report in the next PEC, if available

After all the questions…

• Please bear your testimony one more time as a full-time missionary
• I then respond by bearing my testimony
• Then I ask him/her to remove their missionary name tag and thank them profusely for their service
• Close with a kneeling prayer (an opportunity to seek the Lord’s blessing on the missionary for the rest of his/her life)

Missionary Setting Apart February 2015

Scott & Cathy Hansen were called to serve in the Philippines Tacloban Mission, entering the Provo MTC on February 2, for 18 months.

Implementing 'another way' to increase missionary success in our stake

                                                                               15 January 2015                                               

Dear Bishops,

Thank you for attending Elder Ballard’s training last weekend and our special meeting on January 8 when we discussed how to turn the keys to move forward the Lord’s work in our stake.

You are all mighty men, called of God specifically in this day and time, to unlock the door of revelation and powers of Heaven on behalf of the members of your ward.

As a stake presidency, we feel that the Lord has planted in our hearts the vision to add two new units (wards or branches) in our stake before the end of 2016. We believe strongly He will bring it about, if we will do our part through (1) convert baptisms, (2) reactivation of less-actives, and
(3) retention of current members by strengthening testimonies.

We also feel strongly to encourage you to consider the following two matters:

WARD MISSIONARIES: As we review the monthly mission report (prepared by the ZLs), we continue to have deep concerns about the commitment level of the ward missionaries. Few are attending weekly coordination meetings and even fewer, it seems, are making themselves available in the evenings to work side-by-side with the full-time missionaries.

Will you please identify and address the commitment level of your ward missionaries by helping them to re-commit to their calling…or, if necessary, consider calling new ward missionaries?

WARD MISSIONARY FAMILIES: You may remember that Elder Risenmay, our Area Seventy, taught us that if we are not having success we should not become discouraged, but learn from the prophet Alma and consider approaching the work “by another way” (Alma 8:18).

You will recall we were taught “another way” in a presentation by Elder Daniel Johnson, of the First Quorum of Seventy, last November. We were introduced to the concept of calling Ward Missionary Families.

Here’s how it can happen:

·   The bishopric prayerfully considers 5 to 10…or more…families in the ward (including the families of the stake leaders, bishopric and ward council members, even empty-nest couples and singles) to be called as Ward Missionary Families.

·   The bishopric personally visits each home, briefly teaches the doctrine of the Work of Salvation, and then calls the family or individual to serve as a Ward Missionary Family. You may want to make it for a specified time, such as six months or a year. This does not replace their current stake or ward callings.

·   If the family accepts, the bishopric explains the expectation: to schedule a time in which the full-time missionaries will meet with them for 10-15 minutes at the same time each week and to allow the missionaries to pray with them and help them with their commitment to share the gospel — as Elder Ballard taught us — by regularly taking three actions: 1) set a goal or date, 2) pray daily to know who to approach, and 3) regularly invite others to learn more. 

·   Hold the Ward Mission Leader or his assistant accountable to receive a report from the full-time missionaries each week on the progress of each family. A report is then made weekly to the bishopric.

As these families respond to the commitment to 1) set a date, 2) pray, and 3) invite, miracles will begin to happen in their lives and in their home. Eventually the excitement for the work will spread like a brush fire throughout the ward as other members observe the excitement and love these Ward Missionary Families are experiencing.

Will you please give serious consideration to implementing
this “other way” in your ward?

The key to this approach will be in the commitment level of the leaders and the expectation of accountability. Specifically:

·   The full-time missionaries must be committed and organized so they never fail to keep the established follow-up appointment each week.

·   The Ward Mission Leader (or his assistant) must be committed to hold the full-time missionaries accountable on the progress of each weekly follow-up appointment and be ready to send ward missionaries to fill in, should the full-time missionaries have a conflict.

·   The bishopric must be committed to expect and, if necessary, request a weekly report from the WML on each Ward Missionary Family’s progress.

Brethren, as we take bold and ambitious steps to move the work forward, let us also follow the patterns of success that are being taught to us by our leaders. There are few things we can do that will have more impact in our stake than having 30 to 60 committed families regularly 1) setting a date, 2) kneeling in prayer, pleading for the Lord’s assistance in meeting their goals, and 3) then exercising faith by inviting others to “come and see” the majesty of the Lord’s Plan of Happiness.

We love you and thank you for your faithfulness. We are especially grateful that each of you has a deep desire to turn the keys of missionary work in your ward to bring forth the blessings and miracles of Heaven in this part of His vineyard.

Turning the keys to missionary work in our stake

The following is the outline for a training presentation to bishops on January 8, 2015:

Need for hastening in our stake – half as many baptisms, twice as many missionaries

                  - Other indicators: less actives, sacrament meeting attendance

D&C 100 – Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in Perry, NY, concerned about families

                                     3 – Effectual (or efficacious) door promised

                                    5 – 8 – Promise of thoughts, words, Spirit to testify

How do we open an “effectual door”? How open locked door? (turn keys)

How do we turn priesthood keys?

                  - D&C 121:36 – why are “rights of the priesthood inseparably connected
                                    with the powers of heaven”? (same as power in priesthood)

                  - D&C 97:8-9 – keep covenants, sacrifice

                  - How do we sacrifice? (move out of comfort zone) – get ward council to act

                  - Turning keys is more than having faith, but exercising faith

                 

Elder Ballard:

                  - “Conversion is in response to an action taken.”

                  - “Ward Council is a wholistic approach, everyone is involved; help ward

                       council members to understand they are loyal to the council first and

                       represent their organization second.”

Video: What elements do we see?

                   - How do we arrive at bold and ambitious goals? (ward council)

                   - Council members lead out; be the focus families - ACT

                   - Use Ward Mission Process taught by Elder Perry

Video: What order do the elements happen?

                   - What are characteristics of dynamic WML? Ward missionaries?

                   - How do we paint a vision for the members? HOW ASK THEM TO ACT?

Apostolic Promise: “Exercise faith, obligate the Lord to work for you (let him worry – Elder Richards), set a date to have someone to teach in 60 days or so and miracles will happen.”

------------------------------------

OUR BOLD AND AMBITIOUS GOAL: 
2 New Units before end of 2016

Ephesians 1:10 – Come into one (both sides of the veil)

                  D&C 128:15 – Both living and the dead, all coming together

D&C 105 Zion’s Camp (200 men walked 1,000+ miles to Missouri, “failed” because)

                  4 – Not united and had failed to remember the poor

                  12 – Lord prepared a way for t hem

                  14 – Lord fights our battles

                  31 – Must become sanctified

D&C 39:20-21 – Why want converts? (so they can look and know Him)

D&C 58:9-11 – Don’t get discouraged, this is the day when the lame will come in

Sharing a testimony about love and its source

On January 4, 2015, my mother, Myreel Smith Lewis, was in hospice and not expected to live. She is 94 years of age. We fasted today for her to be released sooner than later (on New Year's Day the doctor said she would live about two weeks and then choke to death from congestive heart failure). We shared a tender time on a Google Chat with our children this evening and later I sent our children details of the events leading up to where we are this evening. Grandmother's passing is expected any time.

Then I shared with our children my experience in a testimony meeting today that I felt was related to the events unfolding at this moment:

Thank you to all of you for your kind and sincere sentiments. This is a tender time for all of us, a time the Lord unites us and strengthens our faith.

I was in the Powell Valley Ward testimony meeting today. There was a baby blessing…a miracle baby for a couple, who for years couldn’t have children. Also the bishop’s father-in-law had passed away just yesterday. Both events prompted one of his daughters to bear her testimony about eternal families and how much she loved her grandfather.

There was a lot of love expressed in everyone’s testimonies. Because I preside and have the prerogative of closing every meeting, I opted to take the last 1 minute of the meeting to bear my testimony and thank everyone for the love they shared verbally that day. I didn’t feel I should reference Grandma’s condition in my testimony, but I had the feeling to bear the following in testimony:

“The scriptures say, ‘God is love,’ which can cause some confusion as to His identify. I testify He is a personage with a body, but from Him emanates the love we feel and express to each other. This love is tangible and real. It is not something that we psyche ourselves up with. He blesses us with greater love at the birth and blessing of a baby and at the passing of a righteous grandparent. This love we feel at these times is yet another manifestation that bear testimony of our loving and living Heavenly Father. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

I don’t know why I remember this testimony; I usually don’t remember much of what I say. Maybe because it was short. But I wanted all of you to know how grateful I am for the love we share, how it is a powerful witness that God lives and loves us deeply. We are all in His tender care and you are all indelibly written on our hearts. 

In response to the warnings issued by Julie Rowe following her near-death experience

A response to an email from a member of our stake on Dec 22, 2014 asking my opinion about the works of Julie Rowe:

Thank you for your kindness in sharing this information and for your desire to bless and protect your family…and possibly to reach out to others and help them prepare, as well...for the coming tribulations that will surely beset the world.

While I don’t doubt this writer's experience, her testimony or even her motives, I simply remind you of a phrase often used by priesthood leaders: “Don’t get ahead of the Brethren.” There are many ways of doing just that, including: 1) feeling we, and others, need to fast every week, or 2) move our family to Missouri, or 3) stock up on more than just food, water and fuel. There are other books that have been written by well-meaning members, who have had similar near-death experiences. The late Lance Richardson’s very compelling book “The Message” is another example.

My counsel is that you take Julie Rowe’s work for what it is—a personal experience that has compelled her to want to do things differently in her life. But it is NOT revelation for the Church. That only comes through the Prophet. In the last days I’m confident there will be many well-many members who will proclaim revelation and that they feel compelled to serve as “another witness” to the truth. But we should act only on what comes from the Prophets, not from personal witnesses or experiences of others. Now, having said that, remember the Brethren expect us to make common sense decisions. We live in a cold part of the planet. It makes sense to have a 72-hour kit or other provisions that include protection against the elements. But that decision should be based on common sense and not because of information gleaned from her warnings.

Finally, while Julie Rowe's motives may be altruistic, remember she is still selling books…and probably, in time, DVDs or paid online content. 

I caution you against accepting her testimony any more than face value. She is not a prophetess. She is not the Lord’s mouthpiece. Despite what she may say, she was not given a “mission” to return to life or earth to warn anyone beyond her own family. The Lord simply does not work that way. We have been told repeatedly to stay with the Church, stay with the Brethren. And do not get ahead of them. Quoting scripture and Church leaders and bearing testimony of the Savior and His Plan is nice, but it only lends inappropriate credence to her claims that she is to warn everyone. That is not her place nor is it the Lord’s way of warning His people. He promises over and over He will lead us through the last days; preserve His covenant people. We trust in Him by keeping the commandments and by trusting His prophets…and not getting ahead of them.

To me, Julie Rowe is getting ahead of the Brethren. I would not follow her.

2015 Finances, Including Summer Camp Funding

Dear Bishops,

We are pleased to report that the summer camp funding plan, instituted in our stake in 2012, has successfully completed its first full-year. Thank you for helping parents appreciate the benefit of having to pay only $100 per child regardless of gender.

In short, we provided this year a summer camp experience for 215 young people in our stake. Here’s how the camps were funded without having to resort to fundraising:

                  $21,500 raised by families (215 summer camp attendees @ $100)

                  $11,800 the Church’s “extra” allocation for youth activities in our stake

                  $33,300 total revenue earmarked for summer camps

                  - 34,400 total cost of all summer camps in 2014

                  <$ 1,100> deficit  

The 2014 stake budget was adjusted to cover the deficit in summer camp funding. The stake also plans to cover the anticipated shortfall in 2015.

This means the family obligation for summer camps in 2015 will remain $100 per child, even though we anticipate a significant increase—from 215 to 265—in the number attending summer camps next year. Will you please notify families as soon as possible so they can anticipate this obligation by spring 2015 when you begin collecting fees?

Also we are pleased to announce that your ward budget allocation for 2015 will remain based on your sacrament meeting attendance.  It appears nearly every ward will have a substantial carry-over from 2014 into their 2015 budget, which raises two matters:

·   We continue to receive requests from ward Scout leaders asking to reinstate fundraising because of a lack of funds, they say, to adequately conduct their programs. We encourage you to be more transparent with leaders about your ward’s financial status and to establish reasonable, even generous, budgets, with all your organizations.

·   Earlier this year we asked each ward to pay $500 per year for the next six years to help fund the Stake Trek in 2019 (a $3,000 per ward obligation). Because we also expect a carry-over from the stake budget this year, we have decided to waive the $500 per ward payment for 2014 reducing the overall six-year obligation to $2,500 per ward. Because some wards expect a sizable carry-over this year, you are permitted to pre-pay in a lump sum as much as you want toward your ward’s $2,500 trek obligation.

Thank you again for using the Lord’s funds wisely in blessing the members of your ward.

The Stake Presidency

Ward Conference Plans for 2015

7 December 2014

TO: Bishoprics, Ward Councils and Stake Leaders

RE: 2015 Ward Conference Schedule and Format

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are honored to associate with you in this sacred work and thank you for your faithful service. We look forward to worshipping with you on the special occasion of your ward conference, as indicated above.

Please use the following guidelines in your planning, as referenced in Handbook 2, 18.2.5:

Theme

In consequence of the teaching received from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2014, we have chosen as the ward conference theme in 2015 “Strengthening Families by Bringing the Work of Salvation into the Home.” Our hope is that we will provide greater understanding and emphasis to the five elements of the Work of Salvation — (1) member missionary work, (2) convert retention,
(3) activation of less-active members, (4) temple and family history work, and (5) teaching the gospel in the Savior’s way. (See Handbook 2, Chapter 5, first paragraph)

Our desire is to help members remember we were foreordained to labor in the Lord’s vineyard in this day of hastening “for the salvation of the souls of men.” (D&C 138:56) As we do so in the home, we will find our burdens lifted, our testimonies strengthened and our families united.

The scriptures remind us that as we labor diligently in the Lord’s Work of Salvation that we, too, will “come to the knowledge of [our] Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that [we] may know how to come unto him and be saved.” (1 Nephi 15:14)

Sacrament Meeting

The stake president presides and a member of the bishopric conducts. The meeting is to be 70 minutes in length. During the business, a member of the stake presidency will present the general, stake and ward leaders for sustaining vote. Please review the sustaining list carefully for accuracy prior to sacrament meeting. The bishop will speak for about 15 minutes followed by a special musical number by the ward choir. President Lewis will then be the concluding speaker.

2^nd Hour: Sunday School and Primary

Sunday School: All classes will proceed as usual. Stake leaders are encouraged to attend the classes that correspond to the age group they serve.

Primary: The stake president and bishop, along with the full-time missionaries assigned to your ward, will visit the Primary at the beginning of the second hour. If possible, have both junior and senior Primaries meet together for President Lewis’ message to the children. If not possible, we ask that the senior Primary be invited to hold their opening exercises at the beginning of the second hour.

3^rd Hour: Special COMBINED Meeting (Junior Primary teachers to remain with their classes)

We are planning a unique presentation during a combined meeting for all ward members 8 years of age and older to be held in the cultural hall or chapel, whichever is available at that hour. Please ask families to sit together and arrange to have projection equipment to show a video. A member of the bishopric will conduct the meeting beginning with an opening hymn and prayer.

The meeting will then be turned over to Presidents Hansen and Christiansen to conduct a discussion on the key elements of the Work of Salvation and how to incorporate them in the home. We will then ask families, including couples, to break out into family units and hold a brief family council on how to implement the elements of the Work of Salvation in their home. Singles will be organized into small groups and stake leaders will serve as facilitators to discuss ways individuals can implement the Work of Salvation in their lives.

President Lewis will offer a closing testimony followed by the closing prayer. Please assign members beforehand to give the prayers.

home Visits

On a weekday evening, before or after your ward conference, please schedule with the stake executive secretary a time when five members of the Stake PEC (stake presidency and two high councilors) can pair off with the three members of the bishopric plus the high priest group leader and elders quorum president to visit ward families of your choosing. Please make appointments with the families, where possible.

TEMPLE SESSION

On a date before or after your ward conference, please invite all endowed members to attend a designated endowment session together (no chapel meeting). Please notify us of the date and time.

Additional Training Sessions

Stake auxiliary presidencies are asked to schedule and conduct personalized training with their ward counterparts within a few weeks before or after ward conference.

CONFERENCE REVIEW

Immediately following the conference, the stake presidency will conduct a one-hour conference review with the bishopric in the bishop’s office. The bishopric will be asked to report on: (1) your success in hastening the Work of Salvation in the ward; (2) your personal/family missionary goals; and (3) your ward’s 2015 goals. At that same time, or on another date of their choosing, the stake clerk and executive secretary will conduct individual training with their ward counterparts.

We very much look forward to meeting with your ward and we fervently pray the Lord will bless us with His Spirit that all may be “…edified and rejoice together.” (D&C 50:22)

Baptismal Service Guidelines for our stake issued in 2014

The Stake Presidency recommends the following guidelines for baptismal services conducted in our stake, as outlined in Handbook 2 and Preach My Gospel.

Recommended Elements of a Baptismal Service

·   Prelude music

·   Brief welcome by the priesthood leader conducting

·   Opening hymn

·   Opening prayer

·   Talks: One or two brief talks on gospel topics, such as baptism and the Holy Ghost; other appropriate topics may include the Restoration, the Godhead, the Atonement, principles and ordinances of the gospel, priesthood authority

·   Special musical number

·   Performance of baptismal ordinance

·   A reverence time while awaiting those involved in the ordinance; the time could be used effectively by: (1) having the full-time missionaries teach about the Restoration,
(2) bearing of testimonies; (3) inviting attendees to write their testimony or feelings on a 3x5 card to the new converts; (4) listening to music; (5) singing hymns, etc.

·   Brief testimony or remarks by converts, if desired (we encourage it – see D&C 20:37)

·   Optional: Closing remarks or testimony by the presiding authority or bishopric member

·   Closing hymn

·   Closing prayer

·   Postlude music

Additional Guidelines

·   Baptismal services should start on time and be simple, brief and spiritual.

·   The Ward Mission Leader (WML) organizes the service under the bishopric’s direction.

·   Candidates can be consulted, but do not have the final say about the program.

·   Ward and/or family members are encouraged to participate in the service.  

·   Full-time (FT) missionary involvement in the service or preparations should be minimal.

·   Consider assigning young men in the priests quorum to serve as witnesses.

·   The WML or bishopric member conducts the service, but is not required to speak or give a “welcome to the ward” message.

·   FT missionaries should encourage and prepare candidate(s) to share a testimony or feelings following the performance of the ordinance.

·   Set an expectation that home and visiting teachers, all ward missionaries and all ward council members (or their representative) attend all convert baptismal services and provide support, especially in a fellowshipping role.

·   Consider holding the service at a time conducive to fitting ward families’ busy schedules.

·   Create a culture in the ward that all members attend baptismal services.

·   Refreshments are allowed, but not required and should not detract from the ordinance.

·   Remind family and friends that photographs or video of the ordinance are not allowed.

·   The WML or assistant should fill the font, not the FT missionaries. It takes over an hour to fill the font and, for safety reasons, he should remain there until it’s full and later drained.

·   Ward leaders or members, not FT missionaries, should be responsible for other baptismal service preparations, such as printed programs, clean clothing, extra towels, etc.

Miracle of Softened Hearts Through Service

The following is an email sent to the Portland Public Affairs Directors, Gene and Arlene Platt, describing our stake's efforts to incorporate more service as part of the Hastening of the Lord's work. This was was written soon after our 3rd annual faith-based, community food drive.

The food drive came about in early 2012. I had just been installed as stake president and a committee was already working on a Day of Service project for September of that year. In the past, we had tried to partner with other churches, but apparently they hadn’t responded to our out-reach letters. The committee was struggling with a worthy project that would include other churches. They had come to the conclusion it was impossible to connect with the leaders of other faiths.

Finally, they came back with a food drive idea. And, because there was a concern that other churches would turn us down again, someone suggested we encourage members to go to their non-member neighbors. Admittedly, my first impression was that this isn’t much of a service project…you don’t even break a sweat! You just pick up sacks and drop them off and you’re done. Now what? But when I heard the idea of taking sacks to our neighbors, I was touched deeply in my heart. It was a stroke of genius and inspiration, whoever came up with the idea. 

I have always been concerned that, because of technology and busy lives, we were all losing contact with our neighbors. For years, we’ve (our family) gone around to our neighbors Christmas caroling and that has kept us tied to them, but there were few other opportunities to connect with them except an occasional wave while driving by. I loved the idea of inviting neighbors to join with us in a worthy, non-denominational cause that would help the less-fortunate and many churches in our community. Then, I thought, what a wonderful idea it would be if every Christian went to their neighbor. These are the last days. Difficult times are coming and when men’s hearts begin to fail, those in every neighborhood will want to know where are the believers, where are those with faith in God?

So I began setting up appointments with pastors throughout the east side (those who would give me an appointment; not all would). Fortunately, I had a number of pastor friends already in the Chamber of Commerce (I’ve been involved in two chambers of commerce for the past 5 years; something i was forced into when I was laid off from my job of 19 years and, because of my age, unable to find work at age 60 I went into a home-based business that requires networking). Those friendships helped me get into other doors and by our first food drive in 2012, we had a handful of churches, who consented to participate. Their participation was meager, but it was a start.

Last year we got more participation and the food drive committee, headed up by Patti Paxson, started meeting at the Greater Gresham Baptist Church. We also pulled off a dinner for 10 that included representatives from the Seventh Day Adventist and the founder of a church in Damascus. Subsequently, the Seventh Day Adventist set up a display at our Preparedness Fair in May of this year and our contact in Damascus has been a helpful ally. We have had he and his wife to our home for dinner; a delightful evening.

This year, we got a few more (still not very many, only 9 churches), but we’re learning a lot and the depth of commitment among the few other churches is beginning to take root. We brought in Joyce and Romeo Betita, as our Stake Service Specialists, to head up the food drive in our own stake (working through the priesthood quorums) so Patti could focus on the other churches. She has done an outstanding job in building relationships with the Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics and a variety of others. A month or so ago I spent two hours with Pastor Russ Baley, of the Sanctuary Church in Gresham, at his church and food pantry and from that visit came a deepening friendship so that he was willing to make the YouTube video with me. He has not told me personally, but Patti says he’s received some pushback from others (assuming other pastors) for doing the video. But he remains my friend. I hope to have he and his wife to our home for dinner one day soon.

Because a food drive really isn’t a lot of work on the members’ part, I asked that we not make it our Day of Service project this year, but encourage the wards to conduct their own projects. Then we held the stake (and community) food drive on Oct 11. We declared Monday, October 6, “Food Drive Family Night” (a terrific Patti Paxson idea) in which all members (and those of other faiths) were to deliver food sacks to their neighbors and notify them when they’d be back later in the week to pick up the sacks. Some of our members really got into it, taking as many as 10-15 sacks. It was a huge door-opener for our members, which we hope will lead to deeper friendships with non-LDS and eventually gospel sharing.

We have decided that in 2015 we really want to focus on our members (and all believers in the community) going to neighbors, to create a loaves and fishes miracle. So we’re going to make the food drive our Day of Service in 2015. For the roll-up-your sleeves service project, we are going to encourage our members to join in the East Hill Church’s Community Care Day, that they have been organizing (never inviting us) for all churches in Gresham for a number of years. They clean up and fix up parks and public schools in the area a couple of weeks before school starts (late August). They get hundreds of volunteers. 

This year I approached East Hill Church (a known antagonist of our missionaries) and asked if they would allow us to join with them in this worthy effort. They turned me down due to "doctrinal issues." However, the member of their church, who organizes the Community Care Day, called me later and asked if we’d still send volunteers, they were in desperate need. We immediately put out the word and explained to stake members that this church, which has not been kind to us over the pulpit, needs our help. Could we please come to the rescue? We sent the same word to President Craft, of the Gresham Stake, and he joined with us in asking his stake’s members to register for the projects, too. We have no way of knowing how many from our stakes showed up, but we know in some of the 20 or so locations where there were projects, LDS accounted for up to half the volunteers. All the full-time missionaries in our stake were involved. The organizer sought me out personally at the project where I was working, with two grandsons, to express her personal thanks. She told me that what looked like was going to be a dismal turnout resulted in the biggest number of volunteers ever (I think 500 in all). While our church got no recognition, those in supervisory positions were well aware of the LDS turnout and were extremely grateful. It was a true blessing for our members to have the opportunity of rolling up our sleeves and rubbing shoulders with those of other faiths.

So that’s our plan for next year, to join with the East Hill Church in late August (officially or unofficially) and make that our roll-up-our-sleeves Day of Service. Then we’ll have our Faith-Based, Community Food Drive on Sept 19, 2015 with a focus on taking sacks to our neighbors.