October Group Leadership Message

I love General Conference. I look forward to the inspiring words of the Lord’s anointed with great anticipation. Like many of you, our family tries to coordinate schedules that will allow us to watch together, to plan a special breakfast, to empty our DVR, prepare journals, treats and bingo cards in order to encourage participation and get the most from each speaker. But this year I am also remembering the great guidance and direction from the words of previous conferences. As I review and ponder the topics, titles, and quotes of the past conferences I have also been forced to ask myself “How have I allowed this guidance to change and really impact my life?”.

I know these words have provided inspiration and I remember the uplifting Spirit that accompanied them. But have I allowed this inspired guidance to really sink in and make a significant impact in my life? Does part of me look forward to the upcoming conference simply so I can put previous promptings, goals and stalled intentions back on a shelf to continue on in the status quo?

In Numbers 21:8 Moses was instructed to “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” Unfortunately, due to pride, misunderstanding, neglect, and lack of faith, many who were afflicted by the fiery serpents neglected this simple counsel and prevented themselves from being saved and died in the desert.

I hope that I will prepare myself better so the upcoming conference will find my ears open, my heart willing, my pride subdued, and my resolve strengthened. I know that the words spoken by the prophets and other church leaders are inspired and have been sent to have a significant impact in improving our lives and I pray that we may all have the courage, strength, and resolve to make that happen and to draw closer to our loving Heavenly Father.

So Great a Cause Celebration

This coming Saturday, August 13, the stake will be having the “So Great A Cause” celebration. The stake presidency has encouraged and invited each of us to export our great capacity by sharing talents, testimony and service throughout the world. Each member of the stake is invited to participate in this event that afternoon and evening in celebration of “Building the Kingdom of God” by individuals, families and wards in the stake. 

Each of us has had some influence in spreading the good news of the gospel in some form or another. Many have served in humanitarian service projects locally and abroad, others have served missions sharing the gospel, still others have served in the military and been examples to those not of our faith. Some have shared their testimonies on websites like Mormon.org, facebook, or on blogs.

Setting a goal for exporting our blessings to others throughout the world can and should be an ongoing change of heart leading us to bless the lives of others. We can perform kind acts of service where people will feel our love and concern for them. We can share experiences that have strengthened our testimonies and led us to feel closer to our Savior. We can assist someone who is serving a mission. As our stake presidency has encouraged, we should “prayerfully consider” and then, as prompted by the Spirit, act upon those promptings and “contribute to ‘Building the Kingdom of God’” and bless those we are inspired to help. As discussed in last Sunday’s meeting, there are many ways we can follow this council and each of us will be blessed as we put forth our efforts.

The upcoming celebration will be a celebration to be remembered. A time capsule will be placed and sealed, then opened at the 50^th anniversary of the creation of the stake. There will be activities for all ages including activities and games, talent shows, testimony building displays and events, dinner and treats, and will culminate with a production that will inspire and uplift each person attending. We hope each family will make time to attend this celebration and accept the challenge to export the great capacity you have been blessed with.

Combating Pornography

In April 2010 General Conference Address entitled "Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul" Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke how the father of lies and lust will do anything he can to counterfeit true love and to profane and desecrate true love wherever and whenever he encounters it.

The following video from Mormon Messages on Mormon.org highlights his powerful message.

Additional help for combating pornography can be found online at CombatingPornography.org.

"May the joy of our fidelity to the highest and best within us be ours as we keep our love and our marriages, our society and our souls, as pure as they were meant to be."

July's Message

My family just returned from a short trip down to St. George. In our preparations for the trip, I had asked a few people what things we should do and see. I got some advice and more than one questioned my sanity in going to Southern Utah in the summer. Though the temperature, at times, exceeded the 100 degree mark, the opportunity to visit St. George was a great one. There was one word that crossed my mind a number of times during our trip down south—perspective. In the car, I wore a pair of sunglasses that tinted the landscape a more lively shade of its original color. Previously, I had never paid much attention to the scenery. This trip provided me with a realization of the beautiful mountains, valleys, and farmland in southern Utah.

In St. George, we visited the St. George Tabernacle. As we made our way up the steps to the front door, I remembered that a distant relative of mine, Miles Romney, may have been involved with the building of the Tabernacle. As we entered the doors, there was a circular stairwell that went up to the second floor. I grabbed a brochure on one of the tables and started to scan the inside and my memory was confirmed. Not only had Miles Romney helped build the Tabernacle, he was actually the supervisor of the Tabernacle construction project. In fact, he called the circular staircases in the Tabernacle his crowning achievement. Seeing the work of my ancestor, helped me more fully realize the impact that my ancestors have on my life today.

Sometimes it just takes a little change in perspective to make us fully appreciate the blessings we have in our lives. The sunglasses helped me see the landscape in a different way. The visit to the Tabernacle helped me better appreciate the actions of our ancestors and the love they had for those that would follow. I’m grateful for the small opportunities our Father in Heaven gives to help us gain a better understanding of his blessings.

2011 Priesthood Spring Service Project

In June, 2011 members of the Willow Wood Ward Elder's Quorum and High Priest's Group combined to provide support and labor on a number of projects in the Centerville area. Two dozen volunteers put off working in their own yards and gave up their Saturday morning to help with several projects in the neighborhood including painting, mowing, weeding, trash removal, fence repair, pruning, and sprinkler repairs. (More Pictures Available)

Community service, sacrifice, and caring for others provide great opportunities to draw nearer our Savior and serve as important examples for all those around us. Thank you all for your sacrifice and your service!

"...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
          - Matthew 25:40

Why a Blog for a High Priest Group?

In a talk entitled "Sharing the Gospel" from October General Conference in 2001, Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles quoted from the Book of Mark stating "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He then mentioned the church's new website mormon.org and said that "the value and use of this new resource will emerge with experience."

The internet has become an increasingly important tool for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and for strengthening testimonies. In subsequent years, members of the LDS church have been encouraged by church leaders to share their testimonies online and to use the internet to share the gospel with others.

This blog is an attempt to to help other, like-minded latter-day saints use new technology to communicate their love of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to share their testimonies with the world.

Church leaders have warned on many occasions that the internet can also "allow evil influences to cross the threshold of your homes. These dangerous traps are only a mouse click away." In an April 2008 Conference talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled "A Matter of a Few Degrees" President Uchtdorf mentions how a few degrees in error in setting a course in a commercial airline flight can result in a dramatic (and dangerous) difference over the course of a long flight.

It is hoped that the information and testimonies posted in this blog may provide the inspiration, motivation, and direction needed for someone to change their life for the better. That the stories, comments, thoughts, and links shared here may provide a rescuing gleam across the wave in an otherwise dark, tempest-tossed setting for individuals who may be struggling and in need of rescue.