Sisters and Brothers —
Our first attempt at returning one-third of the ward back to sacrament was a success! It was great for me and the other members of the bishopric to see faces we haven’t been able to see for weeks.
The Spirit was strong as priesthood holders took their stewardship seriously, carefully preparing, blessing and passing the sacrament to members of our ward. It was wonderful to see the spirit of fellowship following the meeting outside of the building.
We look forward to having another one-third of the ward enjoy this again tomorrow. As a reminder, families and individuals whose last names between with H through P will be invited to attend an abbreviated sacrament service tomorrow at the church at our regular scheduled time of noon.
If you are sick, we ask that you stay home.
Again, masks are encouraged for all in attendance and will be worn by priesthood holders preparing, blessing and passing the sacrament.
For those who are unable to attend for any reason, please know that the sacrament is authorized for home administration by worthy priesthood holders of the appropriate priesthood office. If you need the sacrament brought to you, please reach out to your ministering brothers, the elders quorum presidency or a member of the bishopric.
We all look forward to a day when we are able to attend meetings as we’re used to. We also eagerly await being able to attend the temple again. In the meantime, there are plenty of ways to bring the spirit of the temple into your home and to feel the spirit of Elijah more fully.
Elder David A. Bednar, chairman of the Church’s Temple and Family History Executive Council, recently gave an interview to The Church News about how we can survive spiritually at a time when the temples are closed to regular attendance. He shared a few of his thoughts:
Honor covenants.
“Obviously, the Spirit is not available only in the House of the Lord,” says Elder Bednar. “If we are honoring the covenants, then we can have that same Spirit with us always.”
Observe patterns.
“There can be an equivalent spiritual power in our own homes, as we strive to remember the principles and patterns taught in the temple and live them,” Elder Bednar said.
Petition the Lord.
Elder Bednar recognizes that many of us prayer more fervently at difficult times in our lives. Often, we turn to the temple as the place for those prayers to be deeply felt.
“That is a powerful experience,” he said. “But the Lord is aware of our circumstances and our situations. And He will not give any less credence to an earnest sincere prayer offered in a family room or kneeling at the side of a bed for this period of time. He will look on us with great mercy and great compassion.”
Hold a temple recommend.
“The importance of having a temple recommend is not just an operational element of being a member of the Savior’s Restored Church,” he said. “We should always be worthy of and carry with us a valid temple recommend.”
Press forward.
“No unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing, and no pandemic will stop this work from progressing either,” Elder Bednar said. “In the midst of all of the challenges we face now dealing with this virus, the work goes forward.”
In the spirit of “pressing forward,” the temple and family history committee of our ward has issued a challenge for June. The challenge can be accepted by individuals and families alike. Participation reminds us of our commitment to gather Israel on both sides of the veil.
Family History Activity #1: Discover the Meaning of Your Name
Discover the meaning and origin of your surname. You can also view what countries your surname is most likely to be found in.
Visit https://www.familysearch.org/en/surname for a search bar to get you started.
Youth Activity Ideas:
- Remote Individual Activity
- In Person Activity with a Member of the Family History Committee
- Zoom Activity with a Member of the Family History Committee
Adult and Family Activities:
- Family Home Evening Activity
- Sunday Afternoon Activity
- Encourage your married children to participate with their own families
Please let me know of your experiences with the activity and I will try to share some in future messages. You can email me your favorite experiences.
Brothers and sisters, again know of my concern and love for each of you. This continues to be a trying time, but also one that brings renewed perspectives that can bless our lives forever.
Have a great week!
Bishop Bennett