The Vocal Bishop

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I hope all is going well for you. I wanted to share a few ideas.

1)    If you need help, I encourage you to reach out to your ministering brother or sister. If you are unsure who they are you may check your name on LDS tools and scroll to the bottom of the page where you should see the names of those who minister to you and the names of to whom you minister. I encourage you to reach out to them with a phone call, text, email, etc. I was called last week by my ministering brother, and I am so appreciative to be remembered. In many ways it made my day.

 2)    I have heard some concerns about members wanting to pay their tithing. I am grateful for your diligence in being faithful. As of right now, we as a Bishopric are not planning to come around to homes to collect tithes and offerings or to meet at the church for the collection of tithes and offerings. We are respecting the guidelines established by the Church and the government.

I encourage you to make use of the online payment of tithes. Directions can be found on the Church website at the following address:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/help/support/finance/online-donations?lang=eng

If you do not feel comfortable with the online submission of tithing and offerings that is fine, you can hold onto your tithing until we once again meet. I remember President Monson recounted a story of a faithful brother, who lived behind the Iron Curtain, and who saved his tithing for years until he was able to meet with a representative of the church (talk can be found at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/04/obedience-brings-blessings?lang=eng ). As with this faithful brother you will retain all the blessings that come from paying tithing, if you choose to set your tithing aside until we meet.

3)    I also pondered this week upon the story of Elijah. If you remembered, the wicked wife of King Ahab wanted Elijah killed and so Elijah fled to the wilderness where he was sustained for a period of time. Then a famine came upon the land and Elijah found a woman and her son, and he told her to make some bread for him first and she would be blessed. She listened to the prophet and she was blessed (in many ways).

 When I was a young boy and learned this story, I always felt that the woman and son were isolated. I always felt that the people at this time were isolated from each other, they were living a life of social distancing. (I still see this as the picture for this story). But she was prepared to receive the Prophet. As we continue to practice “social distancing,” I encourage you to be prepared to receive the word and will of our Heavenly Father which will come through his servants this weekend.

As we are apart and we prepare for General Conference I also encourage you to watch this talk from A. Theodore Tuttle in the October 1979 General Conference. I believe it is very relevant to our time ( https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1979/10/therefore-i-was-taught ).

* a little historical point - Elder Tuttle served in the Marines during WW II. He was given the responsibility to secure a larger flag to raise on Mt. Surabachi on Iwo Jima, which is the flag seen in the famous picture.

Therefore I Was Taught

May you be blessed,

Bishop Schenewark