SOUTH STAKE
OCTOBER 2024
Stake Presidency Message
By President Nate Adams
The late Jon Huntsman Sr. said: “Life is not a game of Solitaire; people depend on one another. When one does well, others are lifted. When one stumbles, others also are impacted. There are no one-man teams—either by definition or natural law. Success is a cooperative effort; it’s dependent upon those who stand beside you.”
In the church of Jesus Christ the first covenants we are associated with tether us not only to God but to each other. Vowing at baptism to mourn, to comfort, and to bear burdens with each other (Mosiah 18:8,9). Within these tethering bonds, we are effectively removed from life’s game of solitaire and called up into the game of familial and congregational solidarity. A full-contact sport!
Now don’t get me wrong, moments of private worship are critically important, but ultimately insufficient to bring us to “the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). A stature and fullness that John describes with 3 profound words: God is love! (1 John:8) Love is the nucleus of His character, the substance, and essence of His being! It is a love that Moroni called charity and said if we don’t have it we are nothing (Moroni 7:46). It is a love that Christ taught that upon it hangs all the laws and prophets. (Matt 22:40). It is a love devoid of all self-interest, it is a mindset of absolute meekness, it is the capacity to endure all things. (Moroni 7:45) This love isn’t a moment of emotion, it is the very character and nature of Christ!
And how does an omniscient and omni-loving god school us His children in this type of love? He fastens us together in families and geographic communities of faith. Why? Because the development of this type of love cannot occur in isolation, it requires people! We are each other’s “clinical material” (NA Maxwell), and proximity to people is the enzymatic process we require to develop this character of love. These constant interactions with each other produce some of the most meaningful and joyful relationships of our lives. And to be real, they can also produce some of the most challenging and distressing relationships of our lives.
As Adam Miller said: “Charity is a willingness to have our lives made difficult by people we did not have to help, objects we did not have to save, thoughts we did not have to think.”
Being perfected in Christ requires proximity to Him, and the way to greater proximity to Him is with each other. We cannot become like Christ without each other, and we cannot survive each other without Christ. The cross of Calvary that bore the body of our savior Jesus Christ in the final moments of His atoning sacrifice also bears the symbolic path for our perfection in Him. Our horizontal tethering to each other, and our vertical tethering to Him is the only way to become like our heavenly parents and obtain eternal life.
Upcoming Events |
October
5-6 | General Conference: Learn more at Events.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
24 | Stake Leadership Meeting: 7:00 pm at the Stake Center.
27 | Worldwide Event for Youth | Celebration of Light: In this “Celebration of Light” broadcast, Elder Ulisses Soares and the Young Women and Young Men General Presidents teach youth worldwide about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. 6–7:00 pm. Watch live or on demand here.
November
1 | Let Him Ask Devotional: The Cottonwood Heights Brighton Stake has invited our stake to share an evening with Jared Halverson,“Unshaken“ podcast and BYU professor, as part of their Listen - Love - Learn Devotional Series. 7–8:00 pm at 2895 E. Creek Road | Cottonwood Heights, UT 84093. Ages 18+, casual attire. If you have questions for Brother Halverson, please email them to ListenLoveLearn.BrightonStake@gmail.com by Wed., October 16th. Watch live or replay here.
3 | Stake Baptisms: 3:00 pm at the Stake Center.
3 | Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults: Elder David A. Bednar and his wife, Sister Susan R. Bednar will deliver a special message to young adults around the world. 6–7:00 pm. Watch live or on demand here.
9 | Luz de Las Naciones: The Church hosts this broadcast of the annual celebration of Latin American culture. Find additional information here.
16 | Church Music Festival from Temple Square: This annual concert highlights Church music and introduces new music resources available to members, particularly those with music callings. 6–7:00 pm. Watch live or on demand here.
December
8 | Stake Baptisms: 3:00 pm at the Stake Center.
8 | First Presidency‘s Christmas Devotional: This worldwide broadcast celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ with inspirational messages from the Lord’s chosen servants and with music by The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. 6–7:00 pm. Watch live or on demand here.
Weekly + Monthly Ongoing Activities
YSA Sunday School Class: Taught by Daren Watts the 1st and 3rd Sundays 11:00 am – 12:00 pm in the Milo Way Building.
Endowed for Life | Mission & Temple Prep: Taught each Sunday from 3–4:00 pm in the Stake Center Relief Society Room.
HIS MINISTRY GAVE US THE PERFECT EXAMPLE
Jesus’s example is one of pure love. He showed us how to love God by striving to do His will above all else. He compassionately healed the sick and disabled, fed the hungry, raised the dead, cared for the poor, welcomed the social outcasts, and ministered to all who faithfully sought Him out.
You can have faith that the Savior extends that same love and compassion to you.
As Christians, we strive to be like Jesus and to reflect His love.
WE CHOOSE TO HAVE FAITH IN HIM AND FOLLOW HIM
True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world. They are undaunted, devoted, and courageous.
– Russell M. Nelson