April 3, 2021
Dear 5th Ward Family
It’s with a humble and grateful heart that I pen this letter to you this week.
Lori and I have been incredibly blessed these past 7 days and it is largely as a result of your thoughts and kindness.
Someone again cleared our driveway following the snow storm. I felt I needed to leave for The Hat shortly after conference concluded on Sunday as the weather forecast was ominous. I left with a full tank of gas and supposedly a range of 750 km in my truck. The west wind somehow blew me all the way there and my fuel range didn’t change at all. At one point, I took my foot off the gas while travelling between Lethbridge and Coaldale with limited traffic and was able to coast along at 70 kph. It was a windy day even by Southern Alberta standards.
Anyway, that changed that night and my home security cameras showed drifts on the driveway and the car resting on it covered in a thick blanket of snow. On Tuesday, sometime, the snow on the driveway was gone. Thank you so much to whomever provided that fantastic service.
I arrived home Thursday afternoon to kind gifts of food and short visits from amazing people. We both want to thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. And Darin and Shauna, I want you to know your secret is safe with me.
I thought we had a wonderful Stake Conference last weekend. The messages were inspiring. A special shout out to Luke Creed, John Bridge and Tim and Jaden Widmer who all played special roles in the sessions. If I’ve missed anyone, and it wouldn’t surprise me if I have, please forgive me. In any event, I was proud of our 5th ward participation, and so grateful for the messages we heard from our leaders. I was especially touched by the messages from President Ferguson and Sister Stewart. It’s funny how the spirit works when listening to the heartfelt and humble words of those chosen to speak to us. Often it's not the brilliance of the delivery or even the subject matter itself that somehow reaches into our very souls and lets us realize that this is indeed the gospel of Jesus Christ and this is His Church here on the earth.
I’m grateful we were able to tune into the sessions via Zoom. I attended the leadership meeting in person on Saturday afternoon and I have to confess I almost had an anxiety attack being around so many people. So the Adult session and the general session were watched from home with Lori.
This weekend, we have the same opportunity to hear from prophets and general leaders as they address us on topics they have spent months pondering and preparing. Listen carefully to their words. Take notes as you listen. Regardless of your current situation, you will have at least one talk appear as though it was written for you and you alone. If you find yourself despondent or lonely, if there are problems in your home life, if you are going through a challenge of your faith, or if there is anything else that at this point in your life is giving you pause, listen for the talk that is written just for you. It may not be in the words themselves, it may just be the feeling you get that you are not alone, that the Spirit is your constant companion and that Christ knows and loves you and that you are not going through this life alone.
It is also, of course, Easter weekend. It is a time when we pay tribute to the sacrifice of our Saviour, when we remember and give thanks for His atoning sacrifice and glory in His resurrection on the 3rd day. It is something we celebrate every year, but like Christmas, for me it never loses its importance or impact. I am reminded of the words of Nephi, who as his life was coming to an end told us in 2 Nephi 25:
26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ...
29 ...the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy one of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in no wise be cast out.
He is the Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer; He is Jehovah, Alpha and Omega, The Great I Am. We glorify His name and worship Him. Through Him and His atoning sacrifice we can find meaning and peace in a telestial world while looking forward to an eternal existence in celestial glory. I know He lives.
Starting next Sunday, April 11, we will be returning to weekly Sacrament meetings. We will meet at 9:00 am each week until further notice. We still are operating under the Public Health restrictions of 107 people in the Temple Street Chapel. That means we will continue to broadcast our Sacrament Meeting via Zoom. We are getting new video equipment for the TSC to bolster our audio/video capability. So we will continue to Zoom our Sacrament meetings. All of the organization and quorum meetings will also be via Zoom. Please log into those meetings as often as you can. We have teachers who are doing their best to instruct us and even though we aren’t in person, there is still a sense of togetherness, even through technology.
On the 11th, we will have a testimony meeting and it will be a Fast Sunday. I’m looking forward to hearing your testimonies. I wish we could stay long enough to hear from everyone, however, we have another ward following us so we will still have to restrict our meeting to just one hour. If you do wish to bear your testimony, please think in advance about what you really want to say and try to keep it concise. I anticipate many of us will want to take advantage of the opportunity to bear testimony and by doing so lift up and bolster those who hear you. I wish there was a way to hear from the people who are joining the meeting via Zoom, but while it might be technologically possible, we haven’t been given the go-ahead on that.
I am so glad to be part of the Cardston 5th Ward. I know there are many of you who are going through difficult times. Reach out to one another. Together, we can get through this. Congratulations to Zechariah Evans who was ordained an Elder as he gets ready for his mission which is fast approaching.
Stay safe, stay healthy and social distance.
We love you all.
Bishop Brooks
