Bishop Finlinson's Ward Blog

Two upcoming Events

2010-02-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

Two things coming in March to get excited for:

March 20th is not only our Stake Temple Trip, but it is also designated as a Relief Society Temple Trip (which means there will be bonus buses to the temple). On top of that we have 8 people from our ward preparing to go through the temple on that day for their own endowment. Let's crowd out the temple that day. Make plans now to attend.

March 21st is "Invite a friend to Church" day. Let's crowd out the church that day. We are preparing for a good turnout and some very good spiritual meetings on that day. So everyone be on your best behavior (ie no more false fire alarms during sacrament meeting please).

Haiti Earthquake Rescue Effort

2010-01-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

We are all saddened by the earthquake that has devastated Haiti. Many are wondering how they can help. The various stakes in South Florida are organizing a food and clothing drive to help victims:

Haiti Rescue Effort Non-perishable Food and Clothing Drive

Needed: Clothing, non-perishable food, diapers and formula. Also if we can include non-chemical medical supplies, band-aids, gauzes, etc...

Time: Sunday January 17 from 1:00 to 6:00pm

Location: North Miami Beach / Miami Shores chapel

2601 NE 163rd Street, N. Miami

Please bring whatever items you can to donate. We will also need volunteers to help sort donations and box them up. We will be filling a 40 ft (2800 cu. ft.) container that will be shipped out to Haiti on Tuesday. More containers will be available to meet the supply.

Additionally you can make monetary donations on your tithing slip under the Humanitarian category. The Church has already organized many relief supplies, medical supplies and food which it is currently sending to Haiti. Read about the Church's Humanitarian response here.

Ward Christmas Party

2009-12-19T04:42:00.000-08:00

If you like Turkey, Ham & Potatoes; if you like Christmas lights and poinsettias; if you like Christmas music performances and live nativities; if you like yummy desserts; and if you like socializing with friends; then you would have loved this year's Ward Christmas Party (WCP). And if you were there, then you probably did enjoy it (based on my non-scientific poll of the smiles I saw on your faces.) My my most Christmasy winter hat goes off to our activities committee and their recruits for putting together one of the best parties in recent Miami Shores Ward history!

Evening of Excellence

2009-11-12T18:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Blondine & Mimi in completing their Personal Progress and receiving their Young Women's Medallions. Wear 'em proud.

Halloween Trunk or Treat Activity

2009-10-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

How I read the Book of Mormon in 40 days

2009-10-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

When our Stake President gave us a Book of Mormon Challenge during Stake Conference in August I decided it was something I really needed to do. When we talk about being diligent in our reading of the scriptures we often talk about the need to establish scripture study as a habit. That is the first step. The second step is to ensure that the "habit" doesn't turn into a "rut". For the last several years I've struggled with my own personal scripture study like probably 99% of members out there. When I have been consistent in my scripture study it has been one chapter a day, chronological order, until it is done. Repeat. So the Book of Mormon Challenge presented a way to change things up a little.

As I looked at the schedule it appeared that on average I would need to read about 3 chapters a day to finish it before the end of the year. That was a few more than I was used to. Plus I started about 2 weeks late because I wanted to first finish up what I was currently studying before I picked up the Challenge. So I had some catching up to do.

For the last several years I have turned almost exclusively from printed books to audio books for my recreational reading. With my busy schedule I've found that listening to audio books while driving, walking, exercising, cleaning, etc is a good way to take care of two things at once. I hadn't really considered doing the same for the scriptures until this Book of Mormon Challenge came up. I decided I would tackle the challenge with a combination of reading directly from the Book of Mormon and having KSL-TV News Anchor Bruce Lindsay read it to me on my iPhone (You can download the audio version of all the standard works from LDS.org).

When I saw how quickly I was getting through chapters and books that during other readings of this Book had bogged me down indefinitely, I was encouraged. The inertia of reading kept me going quickly from chapter to chapter and book to book. I was filling every spare moment throughout each day with the word of God. It many ways it was flying by so quickly that the words and concepts became a bit of a blur. Never the less, going so quickly though the Book of Mormon got me out of my scriptural "rut" and though it didn't give me time to ponder and consider powerful individual phrases, it did allow me to ponder and consider larger themes that spread the breadth and width of the book.

I've never read the Book of Mormon in such a quick clip - and I could have gotten through it even quicker if it wasn't for Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol which distracted my reading of the Book of Mormon slightly (curse you Dan Brown and your "page-turning", "can't put this book down" formula). The challenge worked though. I was inspired. My days were filled with the Spirit that reading the scriptures brings. And it has left me wanting more . . . I'm currently a quarter of the way through the Doctrine and Covenants.

Stake International Talent & Food Festival

2009-10-08T19:35:00.001-07:00

Ft. Lauderdale Temple!

2009-10-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

What a great way to start out a Conference Weekend - the promise of a Temple right here in South Florida. I had to work this morning so I missed the announcement by President Monson. I instead found out by answering the phone and hearing Sharon crying on the other end. At first I was scared. Then she managed to get it out. . . "Ft. Lauderdale's getting a temple. . ." I sat there in my office overwhelmed with the spirit. Twenty minutes later I was still feeling it.

A temple feels like acknowledgment from the LORD that the work is progressing, that the worthiness and diligence of the members in this area is increasing, that our efforts are being rewarded, that our prayers have been heard and answered.

Now that the promise has been given, we have much to do to prepare. . .

Book of Mormon Challenge

2009-09-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

In Stake Conference last week President Benzion issued a challenge to start that day reading the Book of Mormon with the goal of finishing the entire book by December 31st. Here is a proposed schedule to follow to make sure you are on track (you can either use a magnifying glass to read it, or just click on it for a larger chart):

If you are following along at home you should be finished with 1st Nephi about now. If you haven't started yet then don't worry, it is not too late. Just add an extra chapter in each day and in a few weeks you'll be right back on track. Set the goal and do it! If for nothing else do it just to prove to yourself that you can. Plus, that part of your brain that stores all the information related to spirituality will be happy (as will your spirit for that matter). Plus I hear that Pres. Benzion is going to give treats to everyone that finishes it. As for me, I hope it is an Almond Joy - that is my favorite candy bar right now.

New Schedule

2009-08-29T04:27:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder - tomorrow we begin our new schedule.

Sunday Meeting Schedule:
Priesthood & Relief Society - 10:20 - 11:05am
Sunday School - 11:15 - 12noon
Sacrament - 12:10 - 1:20pm

As we will be overlapping with the North Miami Beach ward to combine youth and primary classes, most of our classrooms will also be changing (it will feel like the first day of school - wandering around trying to find your classes). Don't worry though after a week or two we'll all get used to the new schedule, the new classrooms, and the lack of elbow room.

American Sign Language Classes

2009-08-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

Want to learn something new and impress all your friends? The American Sign Language (ASL) missionaries are currently teaching ASL classes Thursdays at 7:00 at the church. A great activity to invite your friends to!

Miami Shores Ward Fun Facts

2009-07-25T04:42:00.000-07:00

Summertime in the Miami Shores Ward always brings a new influx of members - some starting school or a new internship, others in town to sell alarm systems or pest control, and yet others who are just looking for some place a little more humid than where they previously lived. Because a lot of incoming members manage to find my blog before they even get here - I'm number 2 on Google for the search term "Miami Shores Ward" (mark my word Brother Yancy I will top your number 1 listing if it is the last thing I do!) - I thought I would provide you with a few fun facts about our ward. . .

Number of members in our ward:
725

Average sacrament meeting attendance:
175

Total population of people living in our ward:
My best guess is around 600,000 +

Average daily winter temperature:
67 degrees

Average daily summer temperature:
depends on what you have you air conditioning set to

Year our ward was created:
1990

Universities within our ward boundaries:
Barry University
Johnson & Wales
Florida International University
St. Thomas
University of Miami (Jackson)
Miami International University

Drive time from the furthest corner of our ward (South Beach) to the church:
30 minutes

Miles of beach in our ward:
14

Supported Languages:
English
Haitian Creole
American Sign Language

Number of missionaries serving in our ward:
6

Convert Baptisms year to date:
15

Famous "non-members" that live in our ward:
Julio Iglesias
Gloria Estefan
Hulk Hogan
Matt Damon
Whitney Houston
Rosie O'Donnell
Enrique Iglesias
Anna Kournikova
Shakira
Trick Daddy
(if your name is not on this list and you feel it should be, then send me an email and I'll get you on. . . I'm talking to you Oprah).

Ward Memorial Day Breakfast

2009-05-25T19:06:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the Activities Committee and all who helped make this morning's breakfast a "Memorialable" one.

Fathers & Sons Campout

2009-05-10T04:35:00.001-07:00

Young Women's Camp

2009-04-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

Last week our Young Women had the chance to rough it at Markham Park for a few days at the Stake Young Women's camp. They endured three nights of sleeping on the hard ground, wind chill temperatures that dropped down into the forties, the incessant firecracker sounds of the near-by gun range sounding from early morning well into the evening, the taste and smell of bug spray, singing "Boom Chick a Boom", their own cooking, and night after night of woo-ing at something called the Spirit Stick (imagine the combined voices of 90 teenage girls: "WOOOOOOOOO!"). And for all the hardships of camp they all had a fun time and left a little better for having had the experience.

I had the chance to go up and be with them on their final night for a dinner of Chicken Dumplings and a testimony meeting. It was my first time going to a girls camp and it was fun to be a part of. We have great Young Women in the Miami Shores Ward!

. . .

I said. . . We have great Young Women in the Miami Shores Ward!

Go ahead, join in:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

A little Church History

2009-04-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

On February 4th 1846 - the same time that the Saints of Nauvoo were crossing the Mississippi on their journey west - a group of 238 Latter Day Saints boarded a large trading shipping in New York Harbor and set out on a journey around the tip of South America to their destination in Yerba Buena (later named San Fransisco), California.

They arrived at their destination a full year before the Nauvoo Saints - led by Brigham Young would reach the Salt Lake Valley. In the spring of 1847 Sam Brannan who lead the Saints in California rode east with a small company to meet the pioneers crossing the plains & Rocky Mountains. They finally reached Brigham Young's advance exploratory company near the Green River in Wyoming. The purpose of his trip was to convince Brigham Young to settling in Coastal California with its warm climate and abundant farming. Brother Brannan left disappointed though when Brigham Young declared that the Salt Lake Valley was "the place".

It is kind of interesting to speculate what would have happened had San Francisco become the headquarters for the Mormon Church. I, for one, am glad that Brigham Young stuck to his guns and established the Church in Salt Lake. Because if General Conference was on Pacific time all of us here on the east coast wouldn't get out of the Saturday evening Priesthood Session until 11 pm! Thank you Brother Brigham.

Reflections of Christ

2009-03-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

For one week (March 22-28) the Fountainbleau chapel will be hosting a fine art photography exhibit focused on Jesus Christ. This is a great missionary tool and will be an extremely spritual exhibit.

Click on the image to better see date & time information

Here is a sneak peek of the work:

Here is the exhibit website if you'd like to learn more: http://www.reflectionsmg.com/

Multi-Stake Youth Fireside & Dance

2009-02-28T04:56:00.000-08:00

Ward Picnic & Bocce Game

2009-01-31T16:01:00.001-08:00

BP

2009-01-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

Once you become a Bishop there are all sorts of things you find out about the Church and how it operates that you never knew before. One example of this is found in the mail I receive from Church Headquarters in Salt Lake. It is usually addressed to "Bishop Richard Finlinson" but every once in a while it comes addressed to "BP Richard Finlinson". Did any of you realize this? I never knew there was an abbreviation for "Bishop". I mean I've heard of the condensed "Bish" but never the abbreviation "BP". You would think in a religious culture such as ours that embraces acronyms & abbreviations that this would have caught on. So next time you see me at church and want to say hi but just don't have time to say the whole "Hey Bishop Finlinson" go ahead and toss in the "BP".

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Before there can be eternal progression there needs be annual progression

The turn of the year is always a good time for personal reflection - seeing where you have come and where you are planning/hoping/wishing to go. It was good to meet with many of you during tithing settlement to review how your year had gone and what things you are hoping to accomplish in the coming year.

2008 brought a number of changes to the Miami Shores Ward. Bishop Marriott was released to serve in the Stake Presidency. Bishop Beck was released as the Branch President of the Singles Branch and called to fill Bishop Marriott's place. And then because of a job change he had to move to California for a time and in August I was called to be the Bishop. Our ward has always been a place where people and families come and go and we had a number of members move out of the ward: the Haddons, Glori Dorismon, the LaMonicas, the Pereiras, the Nelsons, Laura DeMattia, the Whites, the Richardsons and many others. We lost the Southerlands to the singles branch and the Swartzlanders to a boundry change. We also had many people move into our ward (including a whole slew of Podiatry students and their families: The Lewises, Averetts, Fawsons, Andersens, and Won Choi) and a few non-podiatry related members: the Di Pietros and the Isoms among others. We had new Primary, Young Men, Young Women & Elders Quorum presidencies called and organized. We got news that our small little building (that at times appears to be bursting at the seams) will be expanded. We had baptisms and families sealed together, we had members that were reactivated and men that received the priesthood. The work of the LORD is eternal and it is a great blessing to be a part of it and see the gospel in action in our wonderful ward!

Makes me excited to see what 2009 will bring.

WCP (Ward Christmas Party)

2008-12-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

I think if you are really wanting a product or event to be something impressive & "Wow" then it should really have a code name associated with it, at least while in the planning stages. That way it really builds up the anticipation factor - not to mention you can talk about it freely with out any surprises getting out. Here's an example of how, say the Activities Committee, could apply this principle: the Ward Christmas Party could simply be the WCP - at least until it becomes a more frequently used acronym in the church - then you would have to change it to something like "Project Mistletoe" or "Fiesta Noel" (mixing the Spanish & French is a good way to throw people off). I think you could have one member of the activities committee dedicated to coming up with code names for upcoming activities and disseminating mis-information to throw people off. . . I think I would like that calling.

Speaking of the WCP, we had our WCP last night. The theme was a "Ward Christmas Party" Christmas. Which I think we pulled off very well.

On a separate note: The beginning of a new year marks the change in our meeting time from 9:00am to 12 noon. A lot of people have their opinions about which time slot is ideal for maximum spiritual enlightenment. I say as long as your meetings are before midnight then you are OK (because as my mom always told me the Holy Ghost goes to bed at midnight).

TIthing Settlement

2008-11-15T15:55:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we are kicking off tithing settlement in our ward. That end of year ritual where we make an account to the Bishop and the Lord of whether or not we are contributing an honest tithe to his church. As a Bishop, it is my responsibility to meet with each member of the ward so they can declare their status as full tithe payers, part tithe payers, or non tithe payers.

From the Church website:

One of the blessings of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the privilege of paying tithing. This privilege is a double blessing. By paying tithing, Church members show their gratitude to God for their blessings and their resolve to trust in the Lord rather than in material things. They also help further the work of the Lord in the earth, blessing others of God’s children with the opportunity to learn of Him and to grow in the gospel.

Through the prophet Malachi, the Lord declared:

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

Special Musical Multi-Stake Fireside with Lily Rubio

2008-10-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I'm not completely up on my Christian/LDS pop musicians but Lily Rubio does have her own website where you can download ringtones and wallpapers etc, and she has over 1,600 Myspace friends, so she must be pretty good. It would be a great event to invite your friends to (whether they are Myspace friends or just the good old regular king of friends).

Get Your "Conference" On

2008-10-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Utah, General Conference was always something we could just turn on our television and watch on the local television station. Watching conference in your own home, sitting on the couch in your pajamas made this "church" experience a uniquely "family" experience. My first time watching conference at a church building was when I was serving my mission in Spain. At the time there was only one chapel in the entire mission equipped with a satellite dish to receive the broadcast, so members from all over Madrid and its outlying areas would gather to watch conference - with a picnic style lunch taking place between sessions. This was much more of a community event than the familiar gathering in the living room around the TV.

I wouldn't say one way is better than the other, but we were glad a few years back when we got satellite TV and could finally gather with our family in our living room and let the prophets and apostles and leaders of our church speak to us directly inside our home.

Over the years Conference has brought with it certain family traditions: Banana Splits after priesthood session, homemade vanilla pudding with a dollop of raspberry jam for breakfast on Sunday morning, etc. Developing traditions around conference I think helps emphasis and reinforce the importance of it for our family.

What conference traditions do you have?

(napping doesn't count).

Sharing the Gospel online

2008-09-27T04:57:00.000-07:00

Every so often I have the opportunity to share with work associates or people from the neighborhood a little of what the Mormons believe. This is a great opportunity to help explain some of our basic beliefs and what distinguishes us from other Christian churches. When enough interest is there I will try to followup by offering them a Book of Mormon or inviting them to church. But more often than not their questions are ones of more trivial interest. They'll ask the question though you know they aren't "actively seeking the truth". Often the conversation ends there and quickly moves on to the latest TV show or news story without us having the opportunity to see if they are interested in learning more.

Well here is an easy idea for following up to a gospel conversation - send them an email like this:

I enjoyed the conversation with you earlier today about my church and beliefs. If you wanted to know a little more you can visit a great site on the topic: www.mormon.org. Thanks!

Simple and non-obtrusive. And because there are so many misconceptions and anti-mormon literature all over the internet it gives them a "safe" place to learn more about the church if they really are interested in learning more.

The church has recently revamped the entire mormon.org site and it is really well done.

Fasting For Haiti

2008-09-23T19:55:00.002-07:00

Time after time this summer we have heard collective sighs of relief here in South Florida for every Hurricane that has passed us by. But one place that many members of our ward have close ties to hasn't fared so well: Haiti. The Church has already responded by sending two cargo planes filled with food and supplies (read the full story at the LDS Newsroom).

There is more though that needs to be done. Our Stake is having a special fast this next Sunday for those in Haiti and other island nations who have been effected by these storms. In correlation with this fast we are asking members of the ward to donate generously to the Church Humanitarian fund on your tithing slips. The Relief Society is also collecting food, clothing & supplies to deliver to those in need. We had a large pile of supplies in the foyer this last Sunday and are continuing the drive this next Sunday as well.

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

Blacks in the Scriptures

2008-09-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Should be an interesting topic . . .

Relief Society Enrichment Book Club

2008-09-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

For all you female book worms out there in the ward - the Relief Society Enrichment Book Club is coming up on Tuesday October 7th. The book of the month is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I haven't read it myself but Sharon seemed to enjoy it - I just hope it doesn't glamorize or condone book thievery or thievery in general. . . There isn't a movie to this one, so if you don't end up reading the book but still want to participate I suggest reading the summary on wikipedia (the "cliffs notes" of the 21 century!) That will at least help you pass the pop quiz.

Bishop's Youth Discussion

2008-09-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening at 7pm we will be having our first Bishop's Youth Discussion at my home. The topic for the night will be "good thoughts bad thoughts". It is a good topic for everyone not just the youth. The idea is that we don't just "fall" into sin or happen upon spirituality but both ends of the spectrum are a direct result of the kind of thinking that goes on in our heads. Control the thoughts and the outcome of our character and circumstance will follow. We'll be using as part of our discussion the book by James Allen: As a Man Thinketh. If you haven't read this little book you should give it a try sometime (it is a tiny yet powerful book).
You can read the complete text online. Here's a quick teaser excerpt. . .

As the progressive and evolving being, man is where he is that he may learn that he may grow; and as he learns the spiritual lesson which any circumstance contains for him, it passes away and gives place to other circumstances.

Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions. But when he realizes that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

Missionaries

2008-09-07T20:11:00.001-07:00

We are fortunate to have 8 full time missionaries serving in our ward right now. But in the not too distant future we might not be so fortunate. Because of an overall shift in the disbursement of full-time missionaries around the world the number of missionaries in the Ft. Lauderdale mission will be dropping over the next several months which means the number of missionaries serving in our ward (even though it is the best ward in the mission) could be reduced.

So take advantage of these missionaries while we have them. Go out on exchanges with them. Invite them into your homes along with non-members and less active members for dinner or a family home evening. Go out of your way to meet the investigators they bring to church. Go to the baptisms. etc. etc. etc. If we aren't working them then there are probably other wards out there that will.

Prepare

2008-09-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

". . . if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." Doctrine & Covenants 38:30

Fear is a legitimate emotion when you are watching the weather reports show a major hurricane coming very very close to you. Being prepared for a hurricane can help quell some of that fear. We have a number of members of our ward who have just moved to the area and a few who have moved here in the last few years and haven't experienced first hand one of these storms.

The LDS site Providentliving.org has some good suggestions for what the church suggests we do as families to prepared for an emergency or disaster.

Here is Miami Dade's Hurricane Guide.

I would encourage everyone this weekend to review their preparations for weathering the storm and the aftermath (After Wilma many members of ward had to rough it for a month without electricity in their homes).

For those new to Hurricanes here is a post I wrote back in 2004 with some helpful definitions of common Hurricane terms:

Hurricanes come with their own peculiar words that you really never hear any other time except when one is coming in your general direction. Here's a short vocabulary list:

Hunker Down: (Sometimes erroneously stated as "bunker down"). The act of hunkering. Staying inside your home and not going outside. This often involves watching hours and hours of local news and/or the Weather Channel. Can usually cause Cabin Fever.
Cabin Fever: Wishing you could get out of your cramped condo and go stay in a mountain cabin far away from Florida for a while.
Feeder Bands: The swirling bands of clouds, winds & storm activity that start out around the edge of the hurricane & spin inwards toward the center of the hurricane (thus feeding the hurricane.) Hearing about this can cause hunger for those who are hunkering down requiring much needed hurricane snacks.
Hurricane Snacks: These can include cheese & crackers, popcorn, chips, grapes & fried bologna sandwiches (now a hurricane tradition). Hurricane snacks should not include your food storage items or millibars.
Millibar: Not a type of candy bar or power bar. Unit of measure for atmospheric pressure. Hurricane Jeanne's current pressure is 951 millibars (mb). The lower the pressure the stronger the hurricane is.
Hurricane Traditions: You know you have been through too many hurricanes when you start developing family traditions around them. So far we only have two hurricane traditions (besides boarding up our home), they are fried bologna sandwiches and our favorite card game Nertz. Hurricane Traditions can help wave off Hurricane Fatigue.
Hurricane Fatigue: The general feeling in the community that: "Will these things ever STOP!!??"

Movie Night

2008-08-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

On Monday September 1st at 6pm at the church the missionaries are hosting a ward family home evening movie night. The movie will be "The Other Side of Heaven" Here is your sneak peak:

So if you like the acting of Anne Hathaway, the music of Toad the Wet Sprocket (which I don't think is mission approved by the way), the island nation of Tonga, and/or real life stories about missionary work then you should definitely plan to be there.

Stake Conference Take Aways

2008-08-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

As I go in to any meeting or class I am trying to focus on at least one thing, one concept or principal, one thought, one goal - something that I can take away from that meeting that will be of some direct benefit. And a lot of times it doesn't even have to be something that one of the speakers or teachers said. As Elder Bednar so effectively taught in one of our stake conference sessions a few years ago, the notes we take during a class or meeting shouldn't be a dictation of what the speaker is saying but rather they should be a record of what the spirit is teaching us during that time.

That is why laying the foundation for a spiritual meeting or class is so much more important than what is actually said during the meeting - the spirit is the greatest teacher.

The same thing can be applied to scripture study. If I approach my scripture study looking for at least one concept or thought to take away from it then it focuses my attention and creates a more thoughtful reading. When I couple it with prayer and begin to have a spiritual experience while reading the scriptures then not only can the scriptures begin to teach me but the spirit as well.

So with that introduction I wanted to jot down two take aways from our Stake Conference.

The first is from the the Priesthood Leadership session which had a theme of "Making the Home a Refuge from the world". The thought that I took away and wrote down in my notebook is that to be effective leaders and servants in God's Kingdom we must first lay a foundation of righteousness in our own homes. This applies both to my own circumstances (my calling in the church and my home life) but also to my responsibility to teach & train the leadership in the ward - in other words to train an individual to be a leader in the church first begins with training that same person to be a spiritual leader in his or her own home.

The other take away is closely related. It was from the Temple President's message on Sunday about comparing our own homes with the Temple: Making sure we are careful to not let any unclean thing into our homes, to speak softly, to keep a clean, landscaped and orderly home, etc. Again, the best way to prepare someone to go or return to the temple is to prepare their homes to more closely resemble the house of the Lord.

Stake Conference

2008-08-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular opinion Stake Conference is not a "week off" from Church. When else do we get to go to church with the whole stake (or at least the one other English speaking ward in the stake).

Here is the Stake Conference schedule:

Saturday Aug 16 -
4-6pm Priesthood Leadership Session
7-9pm Adult Session

Sunday Aug 17 -
10am-12noon General Session (English & Creole)

The stake center is located at
8201 NW 186 St
Miami, Florida 33015

Sacrament Meeting Attendance

2008-08-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

I'll have to check with my new ward clerk to verify what our sacrament meeting attendance was yesterday - but attendance seemed suspiciously low. . . I hope that is not a response to the new Bishopric. . . probably it was just people taking last minute vacations. That's what I'll keep telling myself.

Of course there are a number of people also moving out of our ward. How can I explain this? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Happy Bishop Day

2008-08-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

For the last year or so I've had the opportunity to serve as a counselor to two great Bishops: Bishop Marriott for 8 months, and then Bishop Beck for the short 6 months that he served in this calling before he had to move to California. I will always be grateful for both of their examples and for the instruction and training that they gave me. It will prove invaluable to me as I now have been called to serve in this same daunting and overwhelming calling in the Church.

Today in Sacrament meeting the ward sustained me, and then later the Stake President ordained me the Bishop of the Miami Shores Ward. In both these instances I felt the rush of the Holy Spirit - confirming in my mind and soul the divine reality of this calling. I have never felt so strongly the true value of a sustaining vote. Knowing that this call is not only sanctioned by God but also sustained and supported by those whom I have been asked to serve has comforted me greatly and calmed my nerves.

I was reading this past week about the life of Edward Partridge who, for those of you familiar with church history will know, was the first Bishop called in this dispensation. Edward Partridge was in his mid-thirties when he joined the church, just a few years older than I am now. He was called to be a Bishop for the entire church just a few months after he joined the church. I'm sure he felt a tad overwhelmed as well. Edward Partridge is described by the LORD himself as having a pure heart and being a man without guile like Nathaniel of old. A pretty good compliment especially when you consider the source. Bishop Partridge was required to leave behind his business as a hatter (that's a profession you don't see around anymore) and was shunned by his parents, brothers & sisters. His position in the church required him to spend long periods of time away from his wife & children and he at times suffered greatly to serve the LORD and the church. On one occasion he was attacked by a mob and tarred and feathered - the preferred method of torture/public humiliation at the time. Something that Bishop Partridge once said is impressive to me: "If I must suffer for my religion, it is no more than others have done before me." I share a special kinship with Edward Partridge as I am a direct descendant of him. Serving as a Bishop in the Miami Shores ward will be difficult - I'm not sure how much "suffering" I will go through, but if I do have to "suffer" a little then I hope to keep in mind my great-great-great-great grandfather's words and know that it is no more than others have done before me.

Sharon has been very supportive - she is trying to get used to the idea of being the Bishop's wife. I guess that means I have to get used to being the Bishop's wife's husband. Kiara & Indigo were excited about me being Bishop - they wanted to throw me a party (but I think they'll find any excuse to have a party).

In case you can't read it the cookies say "Happy Bishop Day". You can also use this picture in the future to see how much I've aged since becoming bishop.