W I L L OW C R E S T WA R D M AY 2 0 2 0
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.
Bishopric Message
T
he pandemic we are experiencing has affected all
of us in different ways. It can cause a lot of anxiety
and concern. It can also be a time to reflect on our
families and improve our relationships with them. We
are each dealing with this time in various ways – some
may turn to family and friends for support and others –
the media or TV, social media, or the internet in search
of encouraging, hopeful messages.
We want to encourage our ward family to remem-
ber how blessed we are for the restored gospel and the
blessings that come with it, during this challenging time
– blessings, including the gift of the Holy Ghost and a
living Prophet of God.
Answers to prayers come through the Holy Ghost
who provides peace, comfort and reassurance. Our faith
can be strengthened, and fear replaced by hope and
love for our Savior. Through the Holy Ghost, we can
receive personal revelation.
In addition to the blessings of the Holy Ghost we can
overcome confusion and anxiety by listening to the
inspired words of our present-day prophet. Recently
President Nelson provided an encouraging video. His
comments included the following:
1. We constantly see the hand of the Lord in the lives
of his children.
2. Our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ,
know us, love us, and are watching over us. Of
that, we can be certain.
3. We can pray for those who are suffering and have
lost loved ones and minister to our neighbors.
4. These unique challenges will pass in due time. I
remain optimistic for the future.
5. Be comforted from this promise from the Savior:
“I the Lord am bound when you do what I say.”
It can be easy to become discouraged as we wait for
our lives to return to normal, but we pray these encour-
aging words from our Prophet will help in getting you
through the upcoming week. Seek the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, listen to divine counsel, and improve our
relationhsip with the Savior by hearing and following
Him.
Love, Bishop Duncan, Brother Mooy, Brother Hodges
Engagements
Alarie Anderson got engaged on April 3rd to Caden
Davis. They have been best friends since the third
grade. Caden is the son to Craig and Jen Davies, who
are in the Riverview Ward. Alarie and Caden plan to get
sealed in the Draper Utah Temple on August 15th as
long as the Coronavirus cooperates.
Sarah Pond is marrying Carter Beesley on June 20.
They started dating last May. They are hoping to be
married in the Bountiful temple. Sarah hopes to have
an outdoor reception this summer in her aunt and
uncles back yard. They are both students. Sarah is a
nanny and a fashion merchandising major. Carter is a
communication major and works for WorkFront. They
met on the Mutual site and found they had a lot in
common. They both love Disney and Carter was able to
go visit Sarah when she was in Florida doing the Disney
College Program. It’s been hard at times planning a
wedding during this quarantine. But they are excited
for their future together.
New Baby
Former members of our ward, Danny and Lenny
Bladh, welcomed their first baby, Louie Mae Bladh on
April 18. Lenny says that Louie is her favorite child!
Good-byes
In April we said goodbye to Julie Johnson, who
married and moved out of our ward. We will miss you,
but congratulations Julie! We wish you both the best!
Sister Terri Baranowski also moved out of our ward
in April. We will miss her sincere and kind heart, and
wish her well in her new endeavors.
David and Kali Egbert moved on May 1 to
Henderson, Nevada. David recently completed his
master’s degree, and has a new job in real estate devel-
opment. Kali has plans to take her professional culinary
skills into peoples’ homes. They thank our ward for
everything and say they will miss us. We will certainly
miss them too!
In April we also said goodbye to Chris and
Madisen Hunsaker, who have new opportunities for
their sweet little family.
Elders Quorum
President Horton wants to share this fun article from the
September 2014 New Era. Here are excerpts:
50 Fun Things to Learn
By Mindy Leavitt
Y
Church Magazines
ou don’t always get to choose what you learn in
school. Fractions, parts of speech, and the differ-
ence between cumulus and stratus clouds? Not
everyone’s going to find those topics totally captivat-
ing. But even if you don’t (or didn’t) love every class in
school, you can still love learning. There are countless
things to learn—some practical things that will save you
from stress and some fun things that will save you from
boredom.
Find something you’re passionate about and you’ll
discover that being enthusiastic about learning comes
naturally. Developing skills and hobbies will not only
make you a more interesting, well-rounded person, but
it will also boost the quality of your life through added
abilities and interests. So learn on! To get you started,
here’s a list of 50 fun things to learn.
Culture
Say common phrases in the five most commonly used
languages in the world.
Write in fancy calligraphy.
Crochet or knit. Scarves, mittens, elf hats—the possi-
bilities are endless.
Speak a second (or third!) language. Parlez-vous
français?
Identify geography. Be able to point out places like
Tajikistan, Vanuatu, and Addis Ababa on a map.
Learn more about the cultures of the countries you
hope to visit one day.
Play an instrument. The harmonica, ukulele, and
bagpipes all count.
Master origami.
Cook an authentic recipe from your favorite country
or region.
Recite famous poems, passages, or speeches—histori-
cal or fictional. Ideas to get you started: “Jabberwocky”
or one of Shakespeare’s soliloquies.
Learn about five political leaders from outside your
country.
Just for Fun
Juggle. Just don’t practice with eggs.
Make balloon animals. Kids will love you.
Whistle with your fingers (helpful for sporting events
and in large crowds).
French braid your hair for women or tie a bow tie for
men.
Memorize the entire periodic table of elements.
Write with your nondominant hand—legibly.
Paint. Either the watercolor-on-canvas kind or the
painting-your-whole-room kind.
Draw portraits. Or caricature drawings. Or just work
on improving those stick figures.
Solve a Rubik’s cube. Try to see if you can do it in a
certain amount of time.
Self-Reliance
Cook five real meals—instant mac ’n cheese doesn’t
count.
Sew. Know at least the basics or get really ambitious
and learn how to make your own clothes.
Bake bread from scratch. See how tasty a loaf you
can make using as few ingredients as possible.
Drive a stick-shift vehicle—if you’re of driving age, of
course!
Pick out good produce. Do you tap on a watermelon
to see if it’s ripe? Smell it? Check for bee stings?
Garden. You can start by planting your favorite vege-
table to give you some incentive.
Make (and stick to!) a budget. Consider starting a
savings account and calculate how much interest you’ll
earn in five years.
Become an upcycling pro. See what ordinary things
you can repurpose.
Change a flat tire on your bike, car, or unicycle.
Helpful Skills
Write HTML or other computer code. It’s almost
like learning a new language.
Create a web page. Wouldn’t you like to have your
own .com?
Become skilled at storytelling. Memorize some fairy
tales while you’re at it.
Be comfortable with public speaking—without pass-
ing out.
Write in shorthand, or in other words, taking notes
really fast.
Do creative writing. Or tell your story, but tell it in a
fun way.
Learn to iron like a pro.
Spiritual/Church
Index at familysearch.org/indexing. You’ve heard
about it. You’ve thought about it. Now go do it and see
how fun it really can be.
Choose some favorite people from Church history—
whether it be the Apostle Paul, a latter-day prophet,
Emma Smith, or Parley P. Pratt. Learn facts about them
and memorize quotes by them. Identify one of their
Christlike attributes and work to develop it in your life.
Learn about the countries your ancestors came from.
Play a hymn or conduct music.
Find family history stories and discover what you
 have in common with your ancestors.
Study symbols or objects from the scriptures whose
meaning you don’t understand. You can divide it into
categories, such as colors (red, white), body parts
(shoulders, heart), animals (lamb, wolf), clothing (robe,
hem), food (milk, fruit), natural elements (fire, water),
places (Zion, Dead Sea), numbers (7, 40), objects
(swords, oil), and nature (trees, sand).
Memorize favorite scriptures, the family procla-
mation, or “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the
Apostles.”
Health & Safety/Outdoors
Learn CPR and basic first-aid.
Tie different kinds of knots, Navy-style.
Learn to protect yourself with self-defense.
Identify constellations and research astronomy: black
holes, nebula, supernova—it just sounds cool.
Learn a new sport.
Navigate somewhere new. Try it with a paper map
and a compass before using GPS.
Country, swing, or ballroom dance—unless you’re
more interested in Irish hard shoe.
Find Something You Love
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the
First Presidency, learned a great lesson from his father:
“Because of his great love for science, [his father]
encouraged each of his sons to major in physics. …
Hal [President Eyring] was studying physics … [and]
asked his father for help with a complex mathematical
problem. … ‘Hal,’ [his father] said, ‘we were working
this same kind of problem a week ago. You don’t seem
to understand it any better now than you did then.
Haven’t you been working on it?’ …
“Hal admitted he had not. ‘You don’t understand,’
his father went on. ‘When you walk down the street,
when you’re in the shower, when you don’t have to be
thinking about anything else, isn’t this what you think
about?’
“‘When I told him no,’ [said President Eyring,] ‘my
father paused. … Then he said, “Hal, I think you’d bet-
ter get out of physics. You ought to find something that
you love so much that when you don’t have to think
about anything, that’s what you think about.”’”
From Gerald N. Lund, “Elder Henry B. Eyring: Molded by
‘Defining Influences,’” Ensign, Sept. 1995, 10–11.

Please note if you have questions or need help

you can contact our Elders Quorum President,
Matt Horton (801-510-2288) or our Relief Society
President, Vikki Winks (801-652-6516).

Our Ward Missionaries

Our ward missionaries are still serving! Sister Abbi
Graham continues to serve in the Oregon Portland mis-
sion. You can email her at abbigail.graham@missionary.
org or the mission mailing address is 1400 NE Compton
Dr, Suite 250-A, Hillsboro, Oregon, 97006. Elder Cole
Christensen has been temporarily reassigned to the
California Ventura Mission and leaves May 7. His email is
christensencm@missionary.org. Elder Shayne Zullo is still
waiting for his reassignment.

The full-time Elders currently serving in our stake are:

Elder Sean Knight
Elder Sione ‘Auka Latu
Elder Jaxon Wynder
They can be reached at 801-651-4734
Young Women
Keep checking the Young Women group text (862)
621-0009 for activities and messages. If you need to be
included on the group text, contact a member of the
presidency.
Love you!
Christy, Melissa, Jamee, Kim, Dawna, & Erin
Young Men
We enjoy seeing you all on Zoom meetings. Our YM
advisors and activity specialists are planning semi-
weekly Sunday lessons and Wednesday night activities.
Watch the Young Men group text (845) 450-0845 for
more information and messages. Till our next Would
You Rather game!
Love, Bishop Duncan, Brother Mooy and Brother Hodges
Kevin Alexander, JD Zimmerman, Tyler King, Eric Sorenson,
Bryan Hurd and Seth Adams
Message from Church Headquarters
regarding 2020 Youth Activities
The following notice was sent Thursday, April 30, 2020, to
leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint
worldwide.
Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Church recreational properties in the United States
and Canada used for youth camps and conferences are
closed until further notice. In addition, all treks and
Church pageants are canceled for 2020.
Ward and Stake Camps and Youth Conferences
As directed by the First Presidency and Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, all public gatherings of Church
members are suspended worldwide until further notice.
This includes Aaronic Priesthood quorum camp, Young
Women camp, and other overnight youth conferences.
If customary camps and conferences are not held, local
leaders may want to consider technology-based experi-
ences that would provide youth with fun and meaning-
ful opportunities to connect with one another.
When the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles approve gatherings, local priesthood and
Young Women leaders may organize youth conference
activities at Church meetinghouses. If overnight youth
camps and conferences are desired, Church-owned
facilities, where available, should be used before consid-
ering non-Church properties. Guidelines for such activ-
ities will be provided at the time restrictions are lifted.
Leaders should not plan treks for 2020.
The New Gospel Living App
Brother Hurd encouraged our young men to use the Gospel
Living app if possible. Here is some information from the news
release about the app:
T
he Church’s new Gospel Living app for youth,
released February 12 worldwide, is an integral part
of the new Children and Youth program imple-
mented this year, but it can also be a helpful tool for
families and other individuals.
Designed around the three pillars of the Children and
Youth program—gospel learning, service and activities,
and personal development—the Gospel Living app
provides content that inspires youth to set certain goals
as well as links and tools to help them in their gospel
learning and daily living.
While the Gospel Living app is primarily for youth,
other members are welcome to use it as well, particularly
parents, leaders, and other family member. Everyone,
old and young, can enjoy the inspiring content found
in the app and feel motivated to set goals and grow and
develop like the Savior.
Discover
The Gospel Living app opens to a Discover feed
of inspirational videos, music, micro articles, images,
memes, and social media posts selected to motivate
youth to do something in their life that will bring them
closer to Jesus Christ and become more like Him.
To filter the content youth want to see in their
Discover feed, they click on the dots in the upper-left
screen. The filter comes in handy, for example, when
you’re meeting as a youth class or quorum presidency to
plan activities and you only want to view activities and
goals in your Discover feed.
The app also includes social media content shared
on Church channels. Eventually the Discover feed on
the app will become a repository of all the content the
Church is producing that could be a blessing for youth.
The Gospel Living app’s music player allows youth to
play music in the background as they explore content
and use other features. In addition to the 2020 youth
theme album available on the app, the content team has
taken popular songs from previous youth albums and
created more modern remixes to feature on the Discover
feed.
New content is published daily, and almost all posts
on the Discover feed includes “micro-invitations,”
suggested small acts that help youth remain on the
covenant path, coinciding with the Children and Youth
motto to strive to be like the Savior.
The content invites youth to engage with other
parts of the app that will help them in their personal
development, in their personal discipleship, and in
participating in activities and goals.
Gospel Learning
Other features in the app help youth remain engaged
in their own gospel learning with their families, with
their seminary class, and with their quorum, young
women, and Sunday School class. From the Discover
feed, clicking on The Gospel Learning card takes
youth to the week’s Come, Follow Me lesson in Gospel
Library, where they can further immerse themselves in
personal study. Scripture of the Day opens a scripture
in Gospel Library that coincides with that week’s Come,
Follow Me lesson.
New Impression
Using the New Impression feature, youth can record
thoughts and impressions that come to them during the
day and create social, intellectual, physical, and spiri-
tual goals for their life.
As you feel an impression to visit a particular friend
or read that month’s New Era, for example, you can
add that as a goal and set a reminder.
Youth can set reminders for the time, day, and fre-
quency they want to be reminded of their goal. A status
bar beneath each goal indicates the progress made.
My Life
All goals and reminders show up in the My Life feed.
Youth can view goals by day, indicate when they are
accomplished, and see the change reflected in the prog-
ress bar for each goal.
Circles
Circles, the use of which requires agreeing to a code
of conduct, is a text-messaging platform that helps
youth in their gospel learning, in participating in ser-
vice and activities, and engaging with quorums, classes,
and their own households. Circles are automatically
created based on an individual’s My Account settings
and what calling or classes he or she currently has.
Anyone can opt out of a circle in My Profile. App users
can share any Gospel Living content (including goals
and reminders) with any of their circles and include a
personalized message. An indication on the app icon
lets you know when there is a waiting message.
Parents can also see all the circles that their children
belong to. A young man who happens to be the presi-
dent of his deacons quorum would have the following
circles: his household, the quorum presidency, the
deacons quorum, all young men, a circle for his Sunday
School class, and a circle for Ward Youth Council.
Every circle has at least two adult moderators or
administrators.
Parents can use circles to coordinate study and fam-
ily activities, and to share helpful content and messages
with their children. To do an activity, youth can open
one of the suggested activities, click on “adopt,” and
set the date and time, and then invite the appropriate
circles.
Today
Planned activities, goals, and reminders show up in
the Today feed. If you’ve shared any of these with your
circles, they will show up in their Today feed as well.
Don’t Have a Mobile Device?
Not having access to mobile device doesn’t mean you
will be left out. All of the inspiration content on the
feed also appears online on Children and Youth.
The app is available in 15 languages in iOS and
Android: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French,
Italian, German, Russian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese,
Cebuano, Samoan, Tongan, Tagalog, and Ilokano.
The app was previously released in January in France,
Brazil, and the UK.

Primary
We sure miss seeing all of our Primary children! We
hope you are all happy, healthy and enjoying this
special time with your families. Earlier this year, we
received feedback from some of our teachers who indi-
cated that the children in our ward are being taught
very well at home. They could tell by the discussions
they were having in Primary class. We are grateful for
the inspired Come Follow Me curriculum that allows
us all to continue studying in our homes and hope you
are finding great joy in studying this as families. In
Primary, we would also be learning the 5th Article of
Faith this month, so we encourage you to work on that
at home as well. We want to wish all of the mothers a
very Happy Mother’s Day! Keep up the good work.
“And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and
great shall be the peace of they children.” 3 Nephi 22:13
Love, the Primary Presidency
Primary Songs for May:
Our Primary music leaders led a Zoom singing time
in April. It was fun! They hope the children will keep
practicing: “Book of Mormon Stories,” Children’s
Songbook, 118, verses with Alma and Abinidi (3 + 4)
Songs which support Come Follow Me study for May:
“I Will Be Valiant,” Children’s Songbook, 162
“Help Me, Dear Father,” Children’s Songbook, 99
“Testimony,” Hymns, no. 137
If you have questions, contact Sister Amy Zullo or
Sister Lori Pond.
Sunday School
I made mention last month that Teacher Council
Meeting would tentatively resume the 3rd & 4th Sunday
for the month of May. I am going to again tentatively
move that to the 3rd & 4th Sunday in September unless
directed otherwise. I want to say that the time to hold
Teacher Council Meeting is to be determined when this
pandemic concludes. As we go through this COVID-19
pandemic, I am reminded of a talk that was given by
Elder D. Todd Christofferson back in the April 2010
General Conference. In that talk, he says and I quote,
“Faith will not come from the study of ancient texts
as a purely academic pursuit. It will not come from
archaeological digs and discoveries. It will not come
from scientific experiments. It will not even come from
witnessing miracles. These things may serve to confirm
faith, or at times to challenge it, but they do not create
faith. Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to
our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word
of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon
the word.” As we face these challenging times during
this pandemic, it is ever so important that when we
want to talk to our Heavenly Father, we pray. And when
we want to hear His voice, we search the Scriptures.
One of my favorite quotes from King Benjamin tells us:
“Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created
all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he
has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in
earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all things
which the Lord can comprehend” (Mosiah 4:9). I firmly
believe that faith is not faith until it has been tried. I
know that we are strong, we can fight the good fight,
and we can get through this together if we are truly
faithful. I look forward to the day that we may get back
to attending church again. Everyone, be healthy and
stay safe.
Brother Matt Pond
Come Follow Me Lessons:
April 27–May 3: Mosiah 7-10; “In the Strength of the
Lord”
May 4–10: Mosiah 11-17; “A Light...That Can Never Be
Darkened”
May 11–17: Mosiah 18–24; We Have Entered into a
Covenant with Him
May 18–24: Mosiah 25–28; “They Were Called the People
of God”
May 25–31: Mosiah 29–Alma 4; “They Were Steadfast and
Immovable”