As I listened to conference this afternoon I was impressed by my own need for a personal and family “check-up”.  Elder Tai of the Seventy spoke about a recent visit to the doctor’s office where he was asked to make some changes in his eating and exercise habits to improve his health.  He then posed a question about what kind of changes we might need to make in our own lives if we were to undergo a “spiritual examination.”  This type of personal reflection was further emphasized by Elder Stevenson’s talk at the end of the session when he discussed the closure of the Salt Lake Temple for renovation and…

As we are ending week 3 of home church, home schooling, social distancing and our state’s ‘stay home, stay safe’ directive we were so grateful for the opportunity to pause and listen to the words of living prophets and church leaders during General Conference today.  We hope that you have also been enjoying it and are looking forward to participating in a special solemn assembly during the Sunday morning session.  As mentioned, if you do not have a white handkerchief at home, there is no need to go out and purchase one.  We have been instructed to simply wave our hand for the Hosana shout. We love and appreciate each…

In preparation for General Conference next Sunday, I would encourage each of you to take a few moments to ponder the miracle of The Restoration.  Brian Lloyd shared a great link with our priests last week for a BYU Devotional by Elder Gary Stevenson called “The Ongoing Restoration“.  The actual talk starts about 9 minutes into the video and presents great insight into the prophet Joseph Smith and some of the other key figures involved in bringing forth the Book of Mormon.  It is amazing to think how young the prophet and others were at that time and that with limited education and means the Lord was able to use…

We want to express our love and appreciation for each one of you.  These are unprecedented times and the strain of homeschooling, telecommuting and social isolation can be challenging to say the least.  We are thankful for those who are finding creative ways to reach out to others through phone calls, texting, video chats and other small acts of service.   Here are 3 items of importance for this week: 1.  Temporary suspension of sacrament services – In light of the Governor’s Directive and Mayor Mendenhall’s Order, the area presidency has indicated that we cannot have members take the Sacrament to the homes of other members. Accordingly, the Stake Presidency has decided to…

What a time we are living in. I was comforted by the prophet’s message of hope that he shared yesterday. President Nelson stated: “Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, know us, love us and are watching over us. Of that, we can be certain…these unique challenges will pass in due time. I remain optimistic for the future. I know the great and marvelous blessings that God has in store for those who love Him and serve Him. I see evidence of His hand in this holy work in so many ways. So, during these uncertain times, be comforted by this promise from the Savior, He said, “I the…

Thank you so much for your care and concern for one another.  It was truly inspiring to hear the ministering reports from our Elders Quorum and Relief Society leaders today in our virtual ward council!  In an effort to continue to minister to you all during these uncertain times we will be sending out a weekly letter that will hopefully lift your spirits and help you feel of our Savior’s love for you.  We will also include any announcements or relevant new information we receive from our church leaders.  Here are a few items for this week: Sacrament – As you are aware, the stake elected not to offer the…