Our First Sacrament Meeting in Over Six Months

 

   We start off with this picture which was released by the Church early Sunday morning of our first Sacrament meeting.  It shows the setup three general authorities are using to communicate with members around the world.  They said that God has prepared us with the technology we need to be able to worship during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to grow in the gospel.                                 Technology was used to help facilitate our first live sacrament meeting, as well as broadcasting it via Zoom to those who felt it would be unsafe for them to attend.

      Due to the size of our ward, we were divided into two different meeting times.  This report is from the first meeting. Many things were considered to make sure the meeting would be safe. Our meeting was held in the outdoor pavilion at the stake center. Everyone who came was required to wear a mask.  As each person entered the area, he/she had their temperature taken to be sure they didn't have a fever.  They were then guided to a hand sanitation station.  Next two young women showed them to their seats. As shown in the bottom right picture, chairs were arranged for social distancing with one chair for an individual who came alone, two chairs for a couple, and other groups of chairs in varying sizes for families.

TECHNOLOGY AT WORK!!   Bruce Jonsson (top pictures) is the stake tech specialist and he had equipment there to handle the sound.  He played recorded opening music, and a sacrament hymn.  He made sure the sound  as working for the speakers' pulpit and the sacrament table.  Below, Bishop Holden checks out the video camera attached to his laptop so the meeting can be watched by those who are at home. 

   There was a good size group in attendance at the meeting, which involved the sacrament and just one speaker.  This was Evan Webb who is a returned missionary who served in Bolivia. He told about being transferred at the end of his mission to a place called "punishment area" by the missionaries.  They were struggling there and hadn't had a baptism for over a year. Brother Webb pointed out that we can find joy in  the struggles we're having.

    "Think of the things we're going through with the pandemic," he said.  In the mission he had structure, and when he returned home he needed to find structure again, based around Christ. He said the mission changed his life.  "Because of my mission, I know how to be happy." (Editor's note: The bishopric couldn't have made a better choice for our first speaker.  It was an excellent talk.)

THE SACRAMENT

        And what does this picture have to do with the sacrament?  Let me explain.  The five deacons passing the sacrament were just perfect--all dressed up in their white shirts and ties.  They did such a wonderful job.  I recognized them all as amazing young men because I had just taken this picture of the five of them several days before when they were doing this service project.  I was dying because I couldn't take their picture at the meeting, but we can't do photography during an ordinance. Use your imagination and watch them passing the sacrament for us.  (Ann Kerr, editor)