Banbury Ward of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Message from the Bishopric

Dear Banbury Ward,

In considering what to share in this message, the recollection came to my mind of a conversation I once had with a gentleman who had spent a fair amount of time incarcerated. During the conversation, I remarked to him that, despite the obvious drawbacks of being incarcerated, it must be a relief to be around other people who made similar mistakes because they would be more understanding of one’s own mistakes. With the weight of experience, he replied, "Usually, it is the opposite."

What is it about sinning that causes us to be less understanding of others?

In the scriptures, sinning is often compared to blindness. It is this blindness, I believe, that causes us to look inward and prevents us from truly seeing those around us. It is this blindness that reduces our empathy, our capacity to understand, and our ability to be unified one with another.

However, we are not meant to be blind.

In Luke 6:42, our Savior tells us to first cast the beam out of our own eye before helping our brother because “then shalt thou see clearly.”

In John 9:39, our Savior says that He is come into this world “that they which see not might see.”

Indeed, it is our Savior, because He never sinned, who sees most clearly. He truly sees us and He truly understands us. If we would see as He sees, then we must turn our eyes to Him. For “if [our] eye be single to [His] glory, [our] whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in [us]; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.” See D&C 88:67.

Brothers and Sisters, it is my hope that each of us continue turning to our Savior that we might increase in empathy, in understanding, and in unity, that we might be filled with light, love, and compassion, and that we might live joyfully one with another because we truly see.

Love,

Brother Swenson

• Youth Camps this year will be the week of June 22-27.

  • • Young Women's Camp - It will be at Hayfork campground near Idaho City (an hour away)

      • • Girls Camp: YCL's will leave Monday, June 22 to set up camp. The rest of the girls will come up Tuesday morning, June 23rd. Everyone will clean up camp and go home Thursday, June 25th.

    • Young Men's Camp – June 24-27th at Northwest Passage Campground - McCall & Garden Valley.  All Young Men - Deacons, Teachers, and Priests are invited.

• Sunday Youth Assignments

  1. • May Chair Set-Up - Priests.  Please come at 8:30 a.m. to help set up chairs.

     • May Greeters - Young Women 14-18 Class

• Seminary registration for the upcoming school year is now open. All youth entering grades 9-12 are invited to participate. Parents should register their student at myseminary.churchofjesuschrist.org and select Religious Release.

• May 2 - Primary Potluck - Saturday May 2nd at 5:00 p.m. at the Bishop's house

• May 8-9 - Stake Young Men & Fathers Campout - PinetopCampgroud, Idaho City (see flyer below)

• May 17 - Seminary Graduation - 7:00pm at the Stake Center

• Now through May 28 - Stake Humanitarian DONATIONS - We will be collecting Hygiene items to make kits for the homeless and developing countries a the Stake Humanitarian Workday on May 28th.  We are seeking donations for new items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, first aid items, chapstick, lotions, wet wipes, etc. We will place a container outside of the relief society door for the next few weeks to collect these things. Thank you for your generosity.

• May 28-31 - YSA Conference – More info to come

• June 5 - Stake Primary Activity - At the Stake Center

  1. • Girls: 10:00am - 12:00pm

     • Boys: 1:00pm - 3:00pm

• The Remember Him Area Initiative, which invites us all to focus on Becoming Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ, is featured on the Area website. All members are invited to:

  • • Share the Remember Him Video featured on the Area Website.

    • Invite families and individuals to visit the site and discuss the video message at home.

• Missionary Meals - We can invite the missionaries to dinner any day or night of the week; there is no longer the requirement to have a non-member present. Please reach out to our Ward Missionary Leader, Larry Nelson, if interested, and for further details and options. The missionaries will not be passing a calendar around, you will need to schedule directly with the missionaries. 

• Are you interested in being called as a Temple and Family History Worker with the assignment to work in the Family Search Center? Like a temple worker, this would be a weekly commitment, however each shift is only 2.5 hours. This is an extremely fulfilling calling and an opportunity for anyone to serve the Lord in a meaningful way.  Those who work at the center are witnesses to the miracles that happen there and the joy that the work brings into their lives.  Please reach out to a member of the bishopric if this is something you would like to discuss.

• "To allow for greater access to the words of the living prophets, printed copies of Church magazines are now available at no cost. These magazines include the Liahona, For the Strength of Youth, and Friend. This policy will eventually apply to every area of the Church.

  • • • Members can use their Church account to choose their preferred subscription(s) on a yearly basis at MagazineSubscriptions.ChurchofJesusChrist.org"

      • Please contact a member of the Bishopric, Relief Society Presidency, Elders Quorum Presidency, or your ministering sisters/brothers if you have any questions about this change or if you need assistance with subscribing for no-cost print magazines.

• For temple recommend interviews with the Bishopric and other meetings with the Bishop, please call or text David Swenson at (208) 447-8903.

• All temple recommend interviews with the Stake Presidency must be scheduled ahead of time. There are no walk-in appointments at this time.  For recommend renewal interviews, please visit https://calendly .com/minorth/temple to see available times and schedule an interview with the stake presidency.

Worldwide Church Events

The following link will take you to the church website with a list of all the upcoming and recent church events

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/events/