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

Message from the Bishopric

Dear Banbury Ward,

Beloved ward members, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about President Nelson’s address from the April 2023 General Conference titled “Peacemakers Needed”. I feel like this topic is possibly often repeated in these ward newsletters and in talks, but I know there is a reason for that. Our world, more than ever, needs true peacemakers. We live in an incredibly busy time with intense division, comparison, and of course, contention. With so much going on, how can I really be a peacemaker? What does it actually mean to be a peacemaker like Jesus Christ?

Peacemaking is an active choice, not a passive one. Peacemaking requires us not to just step back from conflict, but to make a charitable choice. President Nelson said, “Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” I wanted to refer to the story of Jesus during his last week in mortality as he was being betrayed by his disciple Judas. In this story, as Jesus was being put into the hands of Roman guards, his apostle Simon Peter drew his sword and smote off the ear of one of the high priest’s servant. This could have been an intense moment where Jesus decided to fight back or this could have been a moment for Jesus to retreat, stand back and watch the fight begin. But instead, Jesus did something that I find remarkable. He gently touched the ear of this servant and healed him. Jesus made the active decision to heal. He chose to do something to instill peace. And maybe Jesus was still betrayed, and obviously that was a rather extreme situation, but I think it gives us just a glimmer of what it means to actively choose to be a peacemaker. To choose the higher and holier path.

Right after he appeared to the Nephites, Jesus discussed the importance of baptism and reminded the people that there should be no more disputations about His doctrine among them. In 3 Nephi 11:29, he states, “For verily, verily I say unto you that the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.” I’ve had a share of conflicts in my life and for one in particular this month, I chose to love instead of to be upset. I chose to share light versus be right. I chose meekness over pride. I do not share this to boast, but to share that the peace and humility I felt from acting differently in this way brought about a special extended family experience where we all felt happiness together. One of my cousins told me, “I know that what just happened was the Holy Ghost testifying that love conquers all. Your brother felt the Spirit” We can make choices to be more charitable. These choices require some sacrifice on our end and may even take some extra courage, but I know that as we strive to make peaceable decisions, it will become increasingly easier for us to build bridges of understanding and to follow the promptings that lead us to be more loving and kinder.

Peace-making requires self-mastery. In Matthew 5:39 we read, “But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Jesus offered this counsel in his beautiful Sermon on the Mount but what does this counsel really mean? If you were right-handed, and you were to strike someone with your right hand on their right cheek, you would be hitting them with a back-handed slap. During Christ’s time in the holy lands, a back-handed slap suggested inferiority. Unfortunately, this was the way many would treat their servants or slaves. To smite someone on their right cheek meant to show your dominance over them. This being said, if you were to face your enemy straight on and turn your left cheek toward them, they would no longer be able to use their dominant back hand; they would now either have to hit you with the front of their palm or their non-dominant left hand. . . both of which were considered taboo and unclean in ancient times. In other words, turning your left cheek would mean your enemy could no longer treat you as “inferior” or “beneath” them in any way. When Christ teaches us to turn the other cheek, He isn’t asking us to simply not fight back or to be weak. Instead, He’s inviting us to take a higher and holier route.

Turning our other cheek means learning to master the natural man within us and instead, letting the spirit take the lead. Rather than letting our anger or humiliation get the best of our words and actions, we can learn to allow the spirit to remain in control. He is encouraging us to master our impulses and to find ways to see one another as real equals. This could look like so many things in our day-to-day lives. Maybe we are in an argument with a friend or family member and instead of lashing out in anger, we choose to take a breath and exclaim “Help me understand why you feel that way”. Maybe you feel disrespected or have seen unkindness at work and you choose to be the one to lift up and act courteously toward those you work with. Or maybe you have decided to find ways to make your social media positive rather than adding to the contentious debates and posts of others. I don’t know what this looks like for you specifically, but I think this scripture and this principle are a good reminder that we all have things we could improve and work on within ourselves to become better peacemakers. Maybe your path to peacemaking includes seeking more patience, praying to see others as God sees them, avoiding gossip or unkind judgments of others, or choosing to speak kindly of others more. It could be a multitude of things, but I know that as we seek to avoid contention through this kind of self-mastery, we can help minimize the anger and “pithy barbs” (as President Nelson calls them) that continue to ail our world. Letting the spirit lead will make it easier as we seek to follow the prompts that lead to greater peace in our lives.

After saying all of this, I am sending a big bear hug to any that need one! We are so blessed to be together in this terrific ward!

Love,

Bro. Ron Thomas

• May is Family History & Fill the Temple Month! - Throughout the month of May our youth have the goal to be in the temple.  We invite everyone to join in, especially on Saturday May 30 for a ward temple day.  Schedule your appointment now.  We'd like everyone to find a name using Ordinances Ready using the Family Search website.  Then bring that family name to the temple, or if you can't attend, share it with someone else.  In addition, you could upload a memory to Family Search or share a memory with your children/grandchildren.  Primary children - We invite you to learn an ancestor's name and a family history story you can share during the ice cream linger longer.  The Bishopric and others want to hear from you!

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

• May 19 - Relief Society Activity - Paint and Sip - 7:00pm in the RS room. Come enjoy an evening painting mini watercolor landscapes and enjoying sparkling soda creations.

• May 24 - Regional Single Adult (36+) Fireside - 7:00pm at the Meridian Idaho West Stake Center - 1985 N Black Cat Rd.

• Now through May 28 - Stake Humanitarian DONATIONS - We will be collecting hygiene items to make kits for the homeless and developing countries at the Stake Humanitarian Workday on May 28th.  We are seeking the following new items: 

  1. • Toothbrushes

     • Combs or brushes

     • Washcloths

     • Hand towels

     • Nail clippers

     • Tweezers (not plastic).

     • 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 - Stake Humanitarian Workday - 10:00am-1:00pm at the Stake Center. Everyone is welcome! Bring the whole family! Donations being accepted for this workday are listed above.

• May 28-31 - Boise-Nampa YSA Conference (18-25) - Contact the bishopric for details.

• May 31 - Ice Cream Linger Longer - Meet directly after second hour (weather permitting). Join us outside the kitchen for ice cream, socializing, and sharing family history stories.

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

  1. • Girls: 10:00am - 12:00pm

     • Boys: 1:00pm - 3:00pm

• June 26 - The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square - Watch Party - Friday June 26 at Scentsy Commons (2901 E. Pine Ave., Meridian).  Activities: 5:00-6:30 p.m., Concert 7:00-9:00 p.m. See flyer below.

• 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/