Comments on: Portrait of a Ward

By: Bookslinger

Bookslinger — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:34:40 +0000

“Wards here are divided along school district lines, reflecting socioeconomic divisions”

That could be Indianapolis.

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:04:22 +0000

My husband joined the church at 25 in Boston. After we married he talked me into moving to his poor rural home state. He was Branch President in his 20′s and Bishop in his 30′s. We worked hard in the church, in a very different way than I had seen growing up in suburban California. When our children became dating age I began to push to live in at least a larger city in the midwest. The oldest was married and 2 were on missions when we moved to a city of 2,000,000 with 2 stakes. Still hard work, but at least more social for the YWYM. Wards here are divided along school district lines, reflecting socioeconomic divisions, but my children see much more diversity than I ever did. After 3 senior missions my dad (back in Utah where he was raised)complains constantly of being ‘left on the shelf.’ I tell him to move near any little temple and get to work and be appreciated. Also, we can spread our left leaning King Benjamin attitudes here quite freely without the smackdown one gets some places.

By: tracy m

tracy m — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:56:14 +0000

Wow- thanks Susan. I appreciated reading this.

It makes me glad our stake is divided into longer, narrow wards- it would be easy to let all the well-off folks stick together in a nice square ward, but making the boundaries have members of different socio-economic means is very important- as you clearly illustrate.

By: Wm Morris

Wm Morris — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:41:34 +0000

Thanks, Susan.

This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. I’m touched to see a face put to what I’ve been thinking about in a more abstract manner.

By: Barb

Barb — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:13:31 +0000

Susan, this is very moving to think of those Saints. I attended some modest wards or branches on my mission–but nothing like this. I did like how down-to-earth the members seemed in some of my areas. They lived the Gospel and were so natural. In my area, we are probably one of the poorer wards. They took part of boundaries and formed a poorer branch from what I could tell. However, it was to build up that area and serve that area. Also, I think that there was a time when one of the more affluent wards would help Home Teach people in my ward. Or may I just thought that was so. I liked what you shared about the woman visiting a nursing home. Babies and old people are so right for each other! My Home EC teacher used to take her children to visit the elderly and I think play the accordian or something. She said that they would get nice attention from the elderly. She was one of the coolest and funniest teachers ever. Keep up the good posts! You are setting a high standard here. :)

By: Wilfried

Wilfried — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:55:33 +0000

Beautiful post, Susan. Brought back memories from the mission field, in those forgotten cities with a handful of faithful members, lacking everything materially, but feasting on the spirit of their togetherness, in the certainty that they have each other.

By: Susan M

Susan M — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:20:12 +0000

That’s sad Chad. Part of the problem this ward had was the stake had just created a Samoan Branch, and many Samoan members left the ward to attend the branch.

There were some families who were more well off and they were the backbone of the ward, but to be honest I don’t remember much about them.

By: Chad Too

Chad Too — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:47:33 +0000

I have lived and served in such a ward as this. The greater disappointment was that the Stake Presidency had set the boundaries such that nearby people of means/capability were in a different ward. Those people didn’t want to have to attend church with the downtrodden.

The SP first counselor should have been attending that inner-city ward but the SP allowed him and his family to attend a different ward.

The week I moved to a new state three other active families also moved and suddenly there wasn’t enough MP holders to continue as a ward. An emergency boundary changed moved some talented and devoted people into the ward better distributing the load.

I still cry sometimes when I think of the man who was our Bishop in that ward. He worked so hard and received so little support. I understand he left the Church not long after his release.

By: jjohnsen

jjohnsen — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:18:35 +0000

Beautiful post Susan.