Bishopric message

Brothers and Sisters of the Parley’s 3rd Ward,

We take comfort in being surrounded by wonderful neighbors that care for each other especially in times of need. We are truly blessed to live in the Parley’s 3rd Ward and enjoy our associations one with another.

Our dear Stake Presidency continues to prayerfully consider the right time for us to return to our church meetings. We are grateful for their care for not only our spiritual well-being, but also our physical health. As we know many wards outside Parley’s Stake have resumed having their in-person Sunday sacrament meetings, especially those wards outside of Salt Lake City proper. Our Stake Presidency regularly reaches out to our sister leaders, bishops, high councilmen and others across the Stake to get their feedback and guidance regarding how our members feel about the timing of a return to Church. Our Stake’s own Single Adult Ward has held Sacrament Meetings over the last couple months with great success. At this time, no timeline for family wards returning to church has been determined by the Stake, but there is optimism that those that feel comfortable attending church in person will get that opportunity to do so in the upcoming weeks or months. We will continue to provide updates as time goes on. Thanks for your patience and commitment to your home centered church.

It has been since March that our primary aged children, young men, young women and young adults have been able to gather and socialize like they did in the past. And despite our best efforts with our in-home church, periodic class and quorum Zoom meetings, and an occasional socially distanced activity, some of our youth feel disconnected and distant from their peers. And with the current fall school situation, it appears that these challenges will continue for another period of time. Like you, we are really concerned with our youth and their ability to feel fulfilled and connected in their current life situations.

Early this year our children established goals as part of the Church’s new program to help them understand their purpose and potential and to help them with their own personal development. The program was established to help them grow in important areas of their life, including: spiritual, social, physical and intellectual. We are grateful to parents for supporting your youth with their goals during these last few months. Our youth leaders have been amazing in providing resources to families, but are limited because of their inability to provide critical face to face interaction as a result of our current distancing restrictions. We are all in uncharted waters.

We would like to invite you to an optional Parent Zoom Meeting on Sunday, August 30 from 9:00am to 10:00am. The Young Women’s President, Primary President and Bishopric feel that we could all benefit from learning from each other as we navigate current challenges for parents and families. The intent of the meeting is to hear from parents about their own family’s successes and failures over the last months with in-home church and their children’s well being and development. I am sure we have all felt the joy that comes with the intimate spiritual experiences of home church and we have certainly felt defeat as the best laid plans implode before our very eyes. There is absolutely no pressure to participate in the meeting. The format will be less formal than typical. We hope that by scheduling the meeting at 9:00am, we are less likely to interrupt your families typical Sunday schedules. We will communicate more about the meeting and send a Zoom invite as we get closer to August 30th. Please be thinking of things you would be comfortable sharing with others and questions that you may have for other parents.

This week we are pleased to have a message recorded by Sister Annie Lewis. Annie is a full time missionary and will be serving in the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission. We are so proud of Annie and all our Parley’s 3rd Ward missionaries who are serving the Lord so diligently.

Thank you for all you do to bless the lives of others. Remember, regardless of any uncertainty in our lives, we are in the Lord’s hands. He loves us and will not leave us alone. We testify of these truths.

Sincerely,

The Bishopric