Five Wonderful Seniors Graduate from Seminary

Graduates from L to R:  Even Webb, Alysa Webb, Matt Cooper (superimposed over teacher Teresa Sroufe,) Sierra Stewart, and Lindsay Robison

    Sister Teresa Sroufe is an amazing seminary teacher and loves her calling as a teacher for the older students in our stake.  "I love working with the kids, and listening to their testimonies grow," Teresa said. "I loved learning from their great insight. How they put the scriptures to work in their lives is amazing."
  During the year seminary students read the entire Book of Mormon. One of their favorite chapters was 3rd Nephi.  It is also Teresa's favorite. "It is so true and brings the light of Christ easily into your life to empower your testimony."  She said it has strengthened her and had great application in her life.
   At our request, Teresa made a comment about each of the graduating students from our ward.

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EVAN WEBB:  Observing him in fall 2017 when his greatest concern was where he was going to play baseball, to now where his priority is serving his Savior, has been a great joy.  The transformation has been wonderful to witness and to feel his joy and enthusiasm!

ALYSA WEBB: She will take the world by storm and share her love of the Gospel wherever she goes!  It has been and will be amazing to see her reach out to those she sees that need prayers, and help in any way.

LINDSAY ROBISON:  I have learned from her through her sensitivity to receiving answers for herself through study, prayer and feeling the Holy Ghost in her life.  She is amazing!  She will touch many lives with her talents and capabilities.

SIERRA STEWART: This young woman has turned to the Savior and the scriptures to overcome major challenges in her life.  She is watched over, led and protected in very special ways because she makes amazing choices.  Her "sphere of influence" is blessed to have her in it.

MATT COOPER:  When you finally get the words to come out, he can teach all those around him of the scriptures, and the Holy Ghost being active participants in our lives through his experiences he shared.  He will be another amazing missionary in the near future.

Austin Kidd & Kaitlyn Taylor Marry in Sacramento Temple

   Austin Kidd and Kaitlyn Taylor have known each other and been friends for a long time. Now they are in love and married! Saturday, June 2 was the big day as they were sealed in the Sacramento Temple. That evening a ring ceremony and dinner were held at Mark and Vicki Kidd's home in Acampo.
    Austin and Kaitlyn aren't new to us. They are on the header of this blog!  Austin baptized Kaitlyn  in the Mokelumne River in 2010.
   Their plans are to live in Austin's grandmother's home and help care for her.  Edie Van Noy suffered a stroke several years ago and needs help with ordinary living.  Austin and Kaitlyn also want to finish their degrees at BYU-Idaho, and will do part of their classes on the Internet. We are proud of them for choosing to be married in the temple and wish them well in all their future endeavors.

Austin and Kaitlyn pose at the Sacramento Temple the day of their wedding.

Recent Convert Jen Tovar Welcomed to Ward

   Jennifer (Jen) Tovar had been taught by the Sister missionaries, who were transferred before they had finished teaching her. The Sister missionaries had been great and Jen really felt the spirit during their lessons. Then Elders Yazzie and Manley took over and with help of Curtis and Wendy Weight continued to teach her.  When she was ready she was baptized and confirmed by Brother Weight.
   Sister Weight said Jen's baptism service was beautiful and very spiritual. A special and beautifully touching song "Lord, I Would Follow Thee" was sung by Evan Webb and Elder Manley.
   Jen works as a dental office manager in Manteca and loves music. Her favorites are hymns and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  We are delighted to have her in the Mokelumne River Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and welcome her with open arms.

L to R:  Elder Yazzie, Curtis Weight, Wendy Weight, Jen Tovar, and Elder Manley

Youth Have Amazing Temple Trip

   Over 30 Young Men and Young Women and their leaders enjoyed a Saturday evening trip to the Sacramento temple to do baptisms for ancestors who have passed away.  Some of the names they did were ones that they had researched themselves. Others came from ward members who had names that needed the baptismal ordinance.
   Several of the Young Men who are Priests performed all the baptisms.  It is only recently that youth have been permitted to do this, and it was a special experience for them. Girls can also help in the temple by recording ordinances and helping with baptismal clothes.
    This is the first time the temple trip has been made in the evening and it seemed to be an better hour for most of the youth, as well as the leaders.  It was a very successful evening.  Bishop Holden and Counselor Joseph Stringer accompanied the group to the temple.

 Mokelumne River Ward youth and their leaders, Saturday, June 9, 2018 

Joseph Stringer Called as Second Counselor in Bishopric

L to R:  First Counselor Tyler Burton, Bishop Eric Holden, Second Counselor Joseph Stringer

    When the Church recently combined the Elder's and High Priest's quorums, the leaders of those groups were released and a new presidency was formed.  The Elder's Quorum President is Don Daley who has been serving as the second counselor in the bishopric.  Joseph Stringer has been called to take his place and serve in the bishopric. 

   Brother Stringer said this about his new calling:  I feel very humbled and honored to serve the Mokelumne River Ward members because the nature of this calling in its true form is "service." Since I’ve been called I’ve met a lot of members that I haven't been introduced to before and these have been great experiences for me.  I love this new calling as it allows me to be there for members whenever they ask.  My goals for the ward are simple.  I would like to echo the Prophet Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to "stay on the covenant path," for as we do, all will be well with each individual.  Our Ward is truly blessed by its members who are dedicated and magnify their callings each day.   

Achievement Girls Learn About Gardening

Picking Strawberries

     A yearly tradition for Achievement Day girls is to visit the Kerr farm and have a "working" tour of the garden. Their first stop was the strawberry patch were Brother Kerr taught them which strawberries to pick and how to pick them.

More Lessons to Learn

  Next the girls picked (and ate) from the blackberry patch, tried some green peas, pulled onions, dug up potatoes (the most exciting event of the day,) picked cherries, and fed the cows.

Strawberry Shortcake and Swimming

  Dottie Bernhoft (not pictured) was there to help, and washed the strawberries while the girls were checking out the rest of the garden. Then using paper plates for cutting boards, they sliced the berries and served up strawberry shortcake.  Even more happiness happened in the swimming pool.  Everyone had a great time, and went home with a bag of garden goodies.  Ginny Shull is the Achievement Day leader and says it is the best calling in the Church.

Group Photo Under the Cherry Tree

FHC Honors Dedicated Computer Specialist

Tom Robison

At home in the Family History Center

    Tom is a non-member who has been working hard for many years in an ongoing job to keep the Lodi Family History Center's PCs up and running--as well as updated.  He served a weekly shift in the center, in addition to all the hours needed to keep the computers going.  He has worked to help clean up and organize the FHC.  At one point he donated a whole new set of computers. Since then he has worked TWICE to change out to newer computers from Salt Lake.  In addition, he hooked up two scanners and did training for staff and patrons on how to scan. Tom has played a vital role in making the FHC what it is today.

   Led by Cathy Leonard, several Mokelumne River Ward members worked together to honor him at a delicious gourmet dinner.   After the dinner Cathy expressed thanks from all the attendees, followed by President Joseph Anderson also thanking Tom and giving a history of the Lodi Center. He was presented with a 16x20 print of his portrait (see first picture) taken by Ann Kerr during a photo shoot several weeks before the event.  Following the dinner everyone took a tour of the FHC which has just recently been newly carpeted and rearranged.  It looks beautiful.  Cathy says it has the feel of a temple, and is the beginning of the work performed there.