(The article below appeared as submitted in the November 12 North Georgia News. Written by Walter B. Kerr.)
On October 6th and 7th and on November 1st and 2nd, Blairsville members, along with members throughout the world, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) assembled to hear messages from their leaders. In October, the talks and testimonies by members of the Quorum of 12 Apostles, the Quorums of 70, and other leaders, were sent by satellite and internet to members in every country of the world from the conference center in Salt Lake City, Utah. This General Conference takes place twice a year. The proceedings were translated instantaneously into 50 languages and several speakers spoke in their native tongue.
In November, members from western North Carolina and northern Georgia assembled in Asheville, NC to hear messages from international and local leaders. Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of 12 Apostles, Mission leader Steven P. Griffin and Cherie, his wife, and R. Randall Bluth, a member of a Council of 70, talked about fasting and prayer, the sacrifice of Jesus, his resurrection, service, and enduring to the end of our lives in righteousness. Elder Nelson released, from seven years of service, leaders Wallace W. Booth III, Grant Ricardo Hardy, and Dale Allen Curriden. Elder Nelson selected new area leaders President Bartel Van Oostendorp, counselors Steven Dudly Hargadon and John Franklin Garner. All spiritual leaders in the church are unpaid servants of God. The church does hire people to build buildings, print books, print lesson manuals, and implement help for nations in need because of natural disasters. Most of the church work is done by unpaid volunteers.
The Mormons in their conferences have taken action to implement the wishes of Jesus. One wish is to have unity in the church. In John 17: 11, 20-22 Jesus prays that believers in him, “may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I (Jesus) in thee, that they, also may be one in us.” “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one,.” In 1 Corinthians 1: 10 Paul wrote: “ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” In every church conference, every member is given the opportunity to sustain or not sustain leaders. Leaders selected must have unanimous approval. Members thus agree to follow the counsel of the leaders, and unity is preserved.
Another wish of Jesus is expressed in John 14: 15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” The mission of the church and indeed the mission of every conference is to teach the commandments of Jesus and to encourage members to keep them. Elder Nelson expressed gratitude for the 88,600 unpaid missionaries of the church in the world who serve six months to two years. Missionaries teach interested persons and seek to do service for others. The two missionaries in Blairsville are Elder Shumway and Elder Hunt. Missionaries try to fulfill the commandment to love their neighbors as themselves by teaching and helping others. President Steven P. Griffin and Cherie, his wife, preside over, and guide, the missionary effort in eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina and northern Georgia.
On October 6th and 7th and on November 1st and 2nd, Blairsville members, along with members throughout the world, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) assembled to hear messages from their leaders. In October, the talks and testimonies by members of the Quorum of 12 Apostles, the Quorums of 70, and other leaders, were sent by satellite and internet to members in every country of the world from the conference center in Salt Lake City, Utah. This General Conference takes place twice a year. The proceedings were translated instantaneously into 50 languages and several speakers spoke in their native tongue.
In November, members from western North Carolina and northern Georgia assembled in Asheville, NC to hear messages from international and local leaders. Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of 12 Apostles, Mission leader Steven P. Griffin and Cherie, his wife, and R. Randall Bluth, a member of a Council of 70, talked about fasting and prayer, the sacrifice of Jesus, his resurrection, service, and enduring to the end of our lives in righteousness. Elder Nelson released, from seven years of service, leaders Wallace W. Booth III, Grant Ricardo Hardy, and Dale Allen Curriden. Elder Nelson selected new area leaders President Bartel Van Oostendorp, counselors Steven Dudly Hargadon and John Franklin Garner. All spiritual leaders in the church are unpaid servants of God. The church does hire people to build buildings, print books, print lesson manuals, and implement help for nations in need because of natural disasters. Most of the church work is done by unpaid volunteers.
The Mormons in their conferences have taken action to implement the wishes of Jesus. One wish is to have unity in the church. In John 17: 11, 20-22 Jesus prays that believers in him, “may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I (Jesus) in thee, that they, also may be one in us.” “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one,.” In 1 Corinthians 1: 10 Paul wrote: “ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” In every church conference, every member is given the opportunity to sustain or not sustain leaders. Leaders selected must have unanimous approval. Members thus agree to follow the counsel of the leaders, and unity is preserved.
Another wish of Jesus is expressed in John 14: 15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” The mission of the church and indeed the mission of every conference is to teach the commandments of Jesus and to encourage members to keep them. Elder Nelson expressed gratitude for the 88,600 unpaid missionaries of the church in the world who serve six months to two years. Missionaries teach interested persons and seek to do service for others. The two missionaries in Blairsville are Elder Shumway and Elder Hunt. Missionaries try to fulfill the commandment to love their neighbors as themselves by teaching and helping others. President Steven P. Griffin and Cherie, his wife, preside over, and guide, the missionary effort in eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina and northern Georgia.
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