fun story

OK-This isn’t a current one-but still a good story and plenty of motivation to keep your emergency kits and food storage up to date.

 

We’ve been visiting all the stake presidents in the area (we’re about half way through), getting to know them and discussing various issues within their stakes. We met with one stake that shared this story (97% activity 100% home teaching!). About 3 years ago as the summer began, the stake president felt impressed that he should encourage all the members of the stake to store their emergency water supply in the form of water bottles instead of the big 55 gallon drum. The target date for completing purchases was the end of August.

Days later Katrina hit and many of the refugees were sent to the big stadium here in Mesa. The stake president realized this was why he was inspired to have the ward members store their water in the form of water bottles. He made arrangements with the governor to transport the water and have missionaries deliver it among the displaced families staying at the stadium and serve as clergy support. That Sunday he asked ward members to bring in their water supply. By Sunday evening his garage was over flowing-but the next morning they transported 3 semi trucks full of water bottles from the members in the area.

As the missionaries attended the state’s clergy preparation meeting, the governor asked all clergy to stand. All the missionaries stood up along with the other ministers there to help. Flustered, he asked everyone to sit back down, then just asked those who were certified, trained clergy to stand. Again, the missionaries stood up. (If the numbers are the same, there were over 160 of them.) Not feeling that the missionaries understood what he was asking, he was becoming agitated until a top aide leaned over and assured him that they were certified and trained and would do just fine. Then, as the missionaries entered the stadium to help pass out supplies and offer support, one clergy from another faith noticed how the people responded. Everywhere he went with the missionaries, people called out, “Elders, we’re so glad to see you, come over here.” Even if they weren’t of the LDS faith, they recognized the missionaries. It made me realize just what a visual icon those 2 young men in suits and white shirts are. And they are fantastic. They work so hard and stay so dedicated. Their testimonies and faith in Jesus Christ are so vibrant. We find people just want to be around them to feel that spirit.

Hope you are well. We have a big week ahead. I’ll write more another day.

 

Sister Bassett

 

Stakes-Stake is a term used to define a collection of 6-10 wards, or congregations, in a specific area. In Antelope, the area of the stake consists of congregations in Antelope, Rio Linda, North Highlands and a small section of Citrus Heights. There are 3 church buildings in our Antelope stake and 7 congregations. There are several stakes in Sacramento. The ones bordering our stake include Roseville, Citrus Heights, North Sacramento…Here in Arizona, our mission has 25 stakes. (There are 3 other missions in Arizona, but I don’t know how many stakes there are in those missions.)

stake presidents-The stake president leads the stake along with the help of two counselors, a council of 12, and members who assist in running the other programs of the church (the youth and children’s groups, Sunday school, Woman’s organization…) Mark had that assignment before we left and Pat Greene (Lisa Greene’s husband) has that position now. Like other callings (assignments) in the church, it is all done on a voluntary, non-paid basis, and is done in addition to a person’s full time profession.

emergency water supply-members of the church are encouraged to be self-reliant and prepared. As part of that preparation, we try to have current 72 hours kits, a year supply of food, clothing, fuel….  We store enough water for 14 days per member of the family. How that is accomplished depends on the family and their circumstances, so it was unusual for the stake president to ask members to specifically store it in the form of water bottles.