WILLOW CREST WARD AUGUST 2020
We may not be meeting together but we can still support and encourage one another!
This month’s newsletter has more messages from the Church and our ward family.
Also look for weekly emails and/or texts from ward organizations.
Church Newsroom recently spent time with several
Church leaders at This Is The Place Heritage Park
and on the roof of the Conference Center in Salt Lake
City, Utah, leading up to Pioneer Day. During the
interviews, M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Ulisses Soares of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Joy D. Jones,
Primary general president shared their thoughts on the
importance of honoring the Church’s pioneer heri-
tage, recognizing modern-day pioneers regardless of
their nationality, and offering guidance on how Saints
around the world can create their own legacies.
PRESIDENT BALLARD: “WE HAVE A GREAT STORY; WE
HAVE THE GREAT PIONEER STORY”
“Not everybody is a descendant of a pioneer that
made their way across the plains in the valley,” said
President M. Russell Ballard. “But all of us have fore-
fathers, and regardless of our nation, culture, and
where we come from . . . we all have pioneer heritage.”
President Ballard, a Salt Lake City native, is also a
direct descendant of Hyrum Smith, brother of Joseph
Smith, founder and first president of the Church.
“My mother is a Smith. So, Joseph F. Smith
(Hyrum’s son) was her grandfather. He’s my great
grandfather,” said President Ballard. “When he was
only 7 years old, he was the wagon master of one of
Mary Fielding Smith’s children.”
Joseph Fielding Smith, who went on to become
the Church’s sixth president, joined his family and
thousands of other Saints as they made their way
from Illinois to the Salt Lake Valley, a journey of 1,300
miles (2,100 km), to escape religious persecution. An
estimated 60, 000 to 70,000 pioneers organized in com-
panies and traveled by wagon or handcard to Utah
between 1847 and 1868.
“When you read that history and think about what
they went through, them and others who pulled hand-
carts, and others who just walked all the way, my oh
my,” exclaimed the 91-year-old apostle.
“When we celebrate Pioneer Day, we ought to be
cheering for those who led the way to everything
that we have in this great valley,” continued President
Ballard.
Describing his pioneer heritage while sitting in front
of his great-grandmother Mary Fielding Smith’s home
and near a statue dedicated to her memory in This Is
The Place Heritage Park, President Ballard explained
that women played a vital role both in the trek west-
ward and in future pioneer legacies.
“You get reading and studying that history, and you
start to study greatness. You study faith, love of the
Lord, connection to the Lord,” he said.
“Without that, they never would have been able to
do what they did,” added President Ballard. “Thank
you, Lord, for the great women of the world!”
In addition to the physical hardships that pioneers
faced while making their way to a new home in the
west, the senior apostle noted that early Latter-day
Saints stumbled across other types of challenges on
their journeys.
“Nobody is perfect; they weren’t perfect,” said
President Ballard. “But I would say, as they suffered, as
they made their way, and as they learned to know God
and to know the Lord Jesus Christ through their faith
in their prayers . . . they then became stronger spiritu-
ally. The pioneers learned some great lessons by the
mistakes they made.”
He pointed out that people today have much more
in common with them than they think.
“That’s the quest that all of us have,” said President
Ballard. “We’re trying to become better people.”
“Wherever people live, there are our forefathers who
were pioneers,” he said. “And when you think about
how the gospel of Jesus Christ went out in the world
and those people that accepted it, they became pio-
neers in their own countries, in their own way.
“We have a great story; we have the great pioneer
story,” said President Ballard.
ELDER SOARES: “EVERY MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH IS
A PIONEER”
“I first started learning about the pioneers’ legacy
when I was a seminary student in Brazil many years
ago,” said Elder Soares, when asked what he knew
about the Latter-day Saints who made their way
across the plains to Utah, before he began living in the
United States.
“I was really inspired by their courage,” he added.
“My respect and admiration for the pioneers’ legacy
has grown a lot since I moved here to the United
States,” said Elder Soares. Even though time has
passed, Elder Soares added that modern-day Saints
are tasked with a special responsibility.
“Pioneers in the church have left a great legacy to us
new generations, and we have to continue it through
our service,” he said. “It reminds me of the teachings
of the Savior when He said, ‘By their fruits, you shall
know them,’ because the pioneers’ fruits are very
good. There are many people suffering these days.
Our smile, our service, our extended arms can really
show them the love the Savior has for them. . . . I think
that’s the best way to honor the pioneer heritage.”
“Every member of this Church is a pioneer,” he
said. “No matter if they’re here in the United States or
in Brazil or in Asia or Africa.
“Each new convert is a pioneer because he’s paving
the way for their future.”
According to Elder Soares, he has received many
good things as a result of the sacrifices that Saints
from his home country, who lived before him, made.
“The pioneers in Brazil mean a lot to me because
they paved the way for me,” said Elder Soares. “I am
the recipient of the blessings that they, through their
example, blessed me [with]. I am so grateful for them,
for their influence on me, for their efforts to teach me,
to help me.”
Elder Soares recalled when he was a young boy
attending church in Sao Pãulo, with very few con-
gregants. Today, Brazil is home to nearly 1.5 million
Latter-day Saints.
“We had these great leaders. They were converts of
the Church that made tremendous changes in their
lives. They helped us to see beyond our eyes; they
helped us to see our future. I owe much of what is
happening today in my life to these wonderful peo-
ple,” Elder Soares added.
SISTER JONES: “THEY RELIED ON JESUS CHRIST AND
TODAY, AS MODERN-DAY PIONEERS, WE RELY ON
HIM”
“We get so busy in the present and we’re always
looking forward to the future, but sometimes we
forget to look back,” said Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary
general president of the Church.
“Sometimes we forget to remember. And yet, we
build upon all of the things that were done in the past
and all of those wonderful people who sacrificed so
much,” she said.
As president over the Church’s worldwide Primary
program that serves more than 1 million children,
Sister Jones expressed her assurance in the vital role
that adults play to help young ones understand and
develop the qualities that early pioneers demonstrated
while making their way to the western United States.
“We can live the characteristics that we so honor and
respect in our early Saints: courage and faith, love, resil-
ience and that strength that they exuded every day of
their lives, one day at a time,” said President Jones.
“As we live those characteristics, we are sharing those
things with our children, we’re exemplifying them,” she
added.
Sister Jones said that in addition to setting an exam-
ple for children, adults should teach their young ones
about their family history.
“As children understand their families … they’re
stronger and they’re more resilient. They’re more
grounded. They realize that they’re part of something
bigger than themselves — that they have an important
place and an important role to play,” she said.
During the migration of Latter-day Saints from
Nauvoo to the Salt Lake Valley, hundreds of minors
accompanied their Latter-day Saint families who trekked
the westward trails.
A Church History page that expounds on Latter-
day Saint pioneers’ emigration in the mid-1800s says
members of the faith who lost their lives suffered from
illnesses common to the time period, including cholera
and dysentery. Other risks included accidents along the
trail, such as being run over by wagons or being stam-
peded. At This Is The Place Heritage Park, a monument
is dedicated to more than 650 children who lost their
lives on their way to Utah.
“Perhaps today’s children won’t face challenges of
that same sort, but they will face challenges as well,” said
Sister Jones. “And our children can look at those chil-
dren and realize it was hard for them — they did hard
things.”
Sister Jones shared that her great-grandmother Helen
was born on the pioneer trail, 10 days before her parents
came into the Salt Lake Valley, in the back of a wagon.
“That was her beginning, and she grew up working
hard, sacrificing much, but something that stood out
to me was her example when she was 15 years old,” said
Sister Jones. She described how Helen took care of
her own mother daily because of her poor health. As a
result, Helen raised her nine brothers and sisters.
“I just marvel at the things that she accomplished,
and I think today, ‘Her DNA is in me, I can do hard
things, too,’” said Sister Jones. “I can’t imagine the travel
that they experienced.”
Sister Jones explained that when people choose to
face challenges with faith, “We can reach out to others,
we can serve those around us as they did and we can
rely on our Savior Jesus Christ, just as they did.”
Young Women
Wednesday, July 15th we kicked off #strivetobe as
this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Young
Women’s organization.
As we prepare to participate with thousands of
other young women around the world in a spe-
cial Face to Face event on November 15, we will
join them in some fun and easy challenges to help
us celebrate together and to come closer to our
Savior. Remember the first challenge is: MY 150!
Ally Horton shared how to do indexing with us.
Thank you Ally, you are a great Ward Temple and
family History consultant!
Sunday, Aug 2 will be another Zoom meeting to
say our YW Theme together and have a scriptural
thought. This will be at 1:00 and will only be about
20 minutes.
We will have a tie-dye activity Wednesday,
August 12 at Winchester Park. We will be tie-dying
masks so you can look super cool when you go
back to school (or anywhere else!).
We are planning a movie night in Jamie
Jardine’s backyard on the 14th. Watch for an
invite!
We love you girls and think about and pray for
you daily! We love hearing about your summer
adventures.
Love, Your Young Women Leaders
Young Men
I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for
me to do.
With all my heart, might, mind, and strength, I will
love God, keep my covenants, and use His priesthood to
serve others, beginning in my own home.
As I strive to serve, exercise faith, repent, and
improve each day, I will qualify to receive temple bless-
ings and the enduring joy of the gospel.
I will prepare to become a diligent missionary, loyal
husband, and loving father by being a true disciple of
Jesus Christ.
I will help prepare the world for the Savior’s return
by inviting all to come unto Christ and receive the bless-
ings of His Atonement.
You are beloved YM and we are so grateful
to you for being valiant and striving daily to do
what is right! Thank you for continuing to be
an example to your friends and family. STAND
STRONG!
PLEASE NOTE:
The YM met for an activity in July and had a
fun night at Willow Pond Park. We appreciated
all who joined us this night, it was so great to see
everyone and be together. We miss seeing you all
each week, and pray we will be able to resume
soon! We would like to continue meeting once a month
(as state guidelines and conditions permit). Please
watch for our next activity night.
Please mark your calendars now for the YM
Sunday zoom meeting on August 9th , 11:00
am. Bro. Eric Sorenson will be leading the dis-
cussion. Bro. Hurd has posted the zoom link.
We will be having a zoom meeting each month,
so please watch for dates/times.
Please continue to make right choices. Be dili-
gent in studying the scriptures, be prayerful in all
you do and the Lord will surely bless and guide
you in the great work he has prepared for you to
do! This is the time to draw closer and be a disci-
ple of Jesus Christ!
We love you and continue to pray for you!
The bishopric and your young men leaders
The Church sponsored a Youth Music Festival
virtual concert on July 29th. You can watch the
recorded broadcast on YouTube at https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=o2XaHZcJWcQ
You can also find it on the Church website.
Our Ward Missionaries
Our ward missionaries are still serving! Sister
Abbi Graham is in the Oregon Portland mis-
sion. Her email is abbigail.graham@missionary.
org. Elder Cole Christensen is serving in the
California Ventura Mission. His email is chris-
tensencm@missionary.org. Elder Shayne Zullo
is serving in the Maryland Baltimore Mission. His
email is at shayne.zullo@missionary.org.
Hello and Good-bye
Ken and Tammy Hansen are moving into
1212 Parker View Place (where Les and Cathy
Price used to live). They are moving from
Cottonwood Heights. We are excited to have
them in our ward and neigborhood.
Kelly and Larinda Jorgensen have sold their
home. They are hoping to relocate in Murray. We
will miss them!

The full-time Elders currently serving in our stake

are:
Elder Braeden Smith
Elder Harrison Shirley
They can be reached at 801-651-4734

Our ward mission leader, Keven Proud, can be

contacted at email: mayabang76@gmail.com or
by phone: 801-205-2382..

Primary Songs for August:

“Repentance,” Children’s Songbook, 98
“The Still Small Voice,” Children’s Songbook,
106–7
“Follow the Prophet,” Children’s Songbook,
110–11
If you have questions, contact Sister Amy Zullo
or Sister Lori Pond.
 Elders Quorum
We continue to pray that everyone is doing well!
We miss you and hope you are doing well.
Please let us know if you could use help with
anything!
Please continue to check on your ministering
families and neighbors.

GETTING TO KNOW THE ELDERS QUORUM

SCAVENGER HUNT
Try to figure out the following Elders in our
Quorum…winners get a treat!
(Email/text Matt Horton with answers and look
for more next month)
Also, this month if you text Matt Horton your
favorite color, participants will get a treat.
Please be safe and maintain social distancing.
We could also still use more…fill out your info
here: https://tinyurl.com/willowcrestelders
WHICH ELDERS ARE THESE? Come Follow Me Lessons:
Was in the Navy July 27–August 2: Alma 39–42;
Electrocuted at age 5 “The Great Plan of Happiness”
Ran for SL County Mayor
August 3–9: Alma 43–52;
Running for State Treasurer
“Stand Fast in the Faith of Christ”
Raced sled dogs
August 10–16: Alma 53–63;
“Preserved by His Marvelous Power”
August 17–23: Helaman 1–6;
Please note if you have questions or need “The Rock of Our Redeemer”
help receiving the sacrament you can contact August 24–30: Helaman 7–12;
our Elders Quorum President, Matt Horton “Remember the Lord”
(801-510-2288) or our Relief Society President,
Vikki Winks (801-652-6516).