Dear 11th Ward Members,
I am sure most of you have seen the First Presidencies announcement of changes to our meeting schedule that will soon be implemented. The Stake President has asked all of the Bishop's in our Stake to assess how these new directives will impact each individual ward and the wards that meet in the same buildings. After we meet with the Stake President this week a plan will be created to implement the First Presidencies changes that will best serve the members of each ward. I don't know how soon these changes will take place, I would guess that it will be soon. As soon as the changes have been made, the information will be sent to all.
Change is inevitable! It is every bit as certain as death and taxes. When we agreed to support the Fathers plan in the pre-mortal world we agreed to lifetime of change. We changed from a being with only an immortal spirit to one that has a mortal shell surrounding it. We were born as infants and the process of change began immediately. We learn, grow and mature and change in a myriad of ways though out our mortal journey. In order to become like our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ we have to be willing and able to make changes to our Natural Woman and Man to bring it into subjection of our spiritual self. Having experienced a lifetime of change in our own lives, we should be well adapted to the process and inevitability of change and be able to look forward to it with excitement sometimes, but with at least a knowledge that change is always something that is going to happen and maybe we should lean into it.
One thing is for certain and will not change. God and Jesus Christ love us and want us to be happy and return and live with them. Our Savior Jesus Christ is leading this church and is still, and always will, drive this bus. He is in charge and knows where this bus is headed and has perfect GPS to get us to our destination. As riders on this bus, with may not like buses color, the fact that is has seatbelts or doesn't have seatbelts, where we are sitting on the bus, that the ride is too bumpy, the direction or route is different than what we think is should be, the scenery is not to our liking, that the person in front of us has his window open or closed, that they are talking too much, that we would prefer a different seat next to somebody else, that the floor is sticky, or that we have to sit in the front seat or the very back. All of these things are secondary to the importance that we are on the bus because we know where it is going and what awaits us at our destination. Don't let any of the these small discomforts cause us to decide that staying on the bus is too hard and is more than we can handle.
God is our loving Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is our Savior, Redeemer and our elder brother. They are All Knowing. They know what we are experiencing, what trials we are having and how to best help us to learn, grow and change to become more like they are. May we all be willing to become more like our Heavenly Father and Our Savior Jesus Christ a little more today than yesterday. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
I love and pray for your success and happiness.
Love Bishop Merrill