Comments on: Small vs. Big Wards

By: JA Benson

JA Benson — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:15:03 +0000

Big wards definitely. I like the idea of a big youth program. A lot of teenagers make it easier for them to find a few great friends. Scouting works better in a large group. Early Morning Seminary can be divided into smaller age group classes. I don’t enjoy the pressure of multiple callings. As my mother always says, “Many hands make light work”.

By: pick a name, any name...

pick a name, any name... — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:16:41 +0000

well, bummer! i love hau’ula, though. i tried to convince my husband to live further north, but he wasn’t having it.

By: Susan M

Susan M — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:21:17 +0000

I was only there for 6 months in 1989. I lived in Hauula (next to Laie) for four months, and Aina Haina (near Hawaii Kai–in Honolulu) for two.

By: pick a name, any name...

pick a name, any name... — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 04:35:05 +0000

i’m not sure i have a preference. our current socal ward is small-er-ish and it’s comfy. i’m with whoever said they prefer diversity to size. i dig the diverse wards, too.

susan m, where in hawai’i did you live? we just moved from there!

By: meems

meems — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 16:03:26 +0000

I’ve been in branches that have had less than 10-15 people in them. Twice. It’s fun in one sense, but if I’m in a place that even qualifies to be called “ward, ” then to me that is what I call a “big ward”. Coming from northern California, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a mega-ward. Anyway, I like the big wards because there’s more of an in-place infrastructure, and there’s more people around to get things done. And I think there’s more of a chance that there might be someone weird there like me.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:21:30 +0000

I have been in both big wards and small wards and I love both of them. I do feel that small wards do become closer knit and more of a family.

By: endlessnegotiation

endlessnegotiation — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:28:42 +0000

I currently attend a branch with an average Sunday attendance of around 30. It sucks big time especially since the only reason the branch exists as an independent unit was so that the stake would have enough units to qualify for a new stake center. My two older children are the primary most weeks. Even if every member of the branch were “highly competent” the branch would still fail to meet my family’s spiritual needs. On the flip side a little over a decade ago we lived in the ward with the largest English speeking Sunday attendance in North America (Sunday attendance was around 530 and there were 2 EQs). When my wife had our first child no one, including the Bishop and RSP, even knew she had been pregnant. One of the EQPs knew but that was only because he was a partner in the practice where my wife received her pre-natal care. When we showed up at church one week with a baby in tow a lot of people asked us if we had adopted. But if push came to shove I’d choose the larger ward. I don’t have an overwhelming need to be needed and I prefer the anonymity and privacy a large ward offers. My family likes to travel and in a large ward I don’t have to feel guilty about not being at my unit on Sundays. I also don’t have to explain my absense to every busy-body in the ward/branch when I get back. My family also happens to be quite well off and our relative wealth really sticks out in a small unit while if I attended a large ward there would be at least a half-dozen other families in similar circumstances. I also have to echo sentiments expressed by others that large units are better for kids and teenagers. Our two primary-age children really long for a ward with other children.

By: Bret

Bret — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:07:49 +0000

Don’t we have a word for small wards? Something have to do with trees I think…

Whatever size the ward, I feel the need to move a lot. I mean, even if you don’t date all the girls in the ward, you get to the point where you know you need to move on:)

By: cheryl

cheryl — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:27:35 +0000

#9-
That reminds me of my parents’ ward! It was the ward I spent my teen years in, and somehow, after I moved, it grew to be monstrous. I guess there were several new housing developments put in, and the ward just kept growing. Finally, they split the ward, but because of more housing, my parents’ ward is continuing to grow so much and they’re doubling up all the callings. My mom is stressed to the max over it because she is RS pres. Each sister has about 6 to visit teach and the home teaching is about the same! And only because half the ward refuses to do it. Yeah, big wards like that are NOT fun…

By: Kim Siever

Kim Siever — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:33:50 +0000

I definitely prefer small wards. I can get along with people easily enough in either scenario, but larger wards seem to have more transiency (or so has been my experience), so it’s harder to get to know people well.

Since I’ve been married, we’ve been in three wards: two small and one large. Callings were never an issue as I received similar natured callings in each. I did notice that the larger one made it difficult to get together.

In the small wards, it’s been easier to get to know people. while our current ward is small, there are still some challenges getting to know people. Since Lethbridge is somewhat of a retirement community, and much of the mature housing is in our ward, we have a high proportion of seniors. The difference in ages presents its own barrier in getting to know people.

By small, I mean we never had to open up the overflow curtains. By large, I mean, we met all the way to the back of the gym. Every Sunday.