The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has apparently issued a letter that was to be read in sacrament meetings last Sunday. I found out about this letter from the Deseret Morning News. The article says, 'church leaders said any ward or stake meetings should not conflict with the "important meetings."'
Apparently the statement says, "Precinct caucuses are the most fundamental grassroots level of political involvement in Utah. Those who attend caucuses not only play a critical role in nominating candidates, but also in setting the stage for party and public policy."
My ward has a Ward Temple Night planned for tonight. Now I have a dilemma, do I attend the Ward Temple Night, or my neighborhood caucus meetings? I guess it's not too much of a dilemma since I haven't been real good at attending Ward Temple Night in the past.
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Speaking as a life long committed Democrat, I would say if you were going to the R party caucus, then think twice and go to the temple instead. If you were going to the local Dem caucus then I would say, as a Bountiful Temple worker, go to the temple.
I love it because you can leave it all outside and enjoy a little bit of Heaven here on earth, even in Davis County.
The politics will still be there when you return home.
I say go to the caucus they are very important no matter which party you align yourself with. Just go to the temple the next day or week. The temple will always be there but caucuses (and primaries) only come one day every four years. Now is a good time to renew your commitment of going to the temple more often
Thad, since the temple opened some dozen or more years ago attendance has steadily declined every year. That to me is curious because the temple district has increased in population every year. Look at the number of new chapels springing up in new developments all around us. The only time we are really busy up there is when either Ogden or Salt Lake are closed.
One of the counselors in the presidency observed as Saints we are entirely too busy with terrestrial pursuits. Sorry Karrie but political caucuses fall into that category, in my opinion.
The legislature will go on doing what they will do. Taxes will go up as the dollar sinks and gas goes up. Vouchers will come to life again. Nothing much will ever change in Utah or Davis County or Woods Cross. At least you will have had the satisfaction that you followed the injunction of the Lord and sought the Kingdom of God first.
Hope you went to the temple and that was a priority and will be for you. President Spencer W. Kimball on one occasion said if we only knew the eternal consequences of temple attendance we would literally crawl on our knees 500 miles to get to the nearest temple.
Don't mean to be on a soapbox here or offer offense. If I sound like an old bishop being an advocate for the temple it is because I am. The dividends of frequent and regular attendance outweigh any 'terrestrial' pursuit or activity. Besides Thad in the last ward conference you sustained your Bishop and at least once in the last two years made a promise that you would support and sustain him in a private interview, twice. If he scheduled ward temple night then what is your duty as a member of the ward and priesthood holder?
Wish you the best Karrie and Thad and am happy you are weighing these things seriously. May you both be blessed in your families and your endeavors!
In defense of the poor bishop and his associates who picked Tuesday March 25th for a Temple night, it is reasonable to believe that they were unaware of the conflict when they did the scheduling. It is simply not possible to schedule around every good thing that the individuals in any group might wish to attend.
Centerville City committed a much greater and more political "sin" when they scheduled a final meeting of the Main Street committee on this same Tuesday night.
By the way, if a person wants to be involved in the grassroots political process but cannot attend the caucus, he or she may notify local party officials and express his/her desire to give public service to the party (and then attend the temple instead without concern.) One could very well be the next Democratic Voting Precinct Captain and get a ticket to the next State Convention that way!
I know from experience, and I currently serve as a Temple Worker and as a Precinct Captain.
I am going to try to make very clear that I beleive very strongly in temple attendane (and as a member of our ward releif society presidency) in supporting our bishops but when did supporting our bishop come before following the council of the prophet.Now I don't live in Utah so I have nothing invested in it's politics and have not seen the letter the first presidency issued but like you said Thad the ward temple night was probobly schduled without the knowlegde that it would conflict with the caucuses and I could be mistaken but I don't beleive that bishops are the ones personally scheduling said temple nights I am pretty sure they are just assigned by the stake and many times cordinated with ward confrence, which is an excellent time to go but for my main point. We are commanded to follow the mordern day living prophet and have been given a promise he won't lead us a stray and while bishops benifit from a domino effect of that they do not carry that direct promise and I have heard of alot more corrupt bishops than I have Prophets. Thad I am no way calling your bishop corrupt in fact I would guess he would give you the same coucil and if he didn't his only other advice should probobly be to have you seek your own personal revelation.
Again please utilize the temple more often but I see no reason not to follow the council of the prophet (you will be raising your hand next weekend in general confrence to sustain him aren't you) I believe you will and if you aren't you better be thinking twice before temple attendance any way! I also don't see how giving service to the party at a latter date replaces being at the caucus to represent at that level. The caucus my husband and I attended was very exciting and I think very important to the community, by the way I live down the street from my bishop so I know for a fact he(and his wife) gave utmost importance to our caucuses.
Karrie,
I think you missed my point. It was made clear to us as precinct officials that persons not able to attend we still eligible to participate and to be elected to positions in the precinct and as delegates to conventions. Sure, they miss the initial event, but can still be of valuable service to the party and the community. Going to the temple is similar- if you can't make it the night of the Ward assignment, you can go the next night, but you may not have the association of your ward members at the later time.
We are faced constantly in our lives with choices between two or more good but (time) conflicting events. We should not be beating ourselves up over how we choose between two good things. Just do the good thing that you feel is most critical for you at the moment then move on.
Thank You woodsfromHome for clairifing, i just know that our precinct did actually cast a vote and knew that couldn't be done at a latter time but your current caucuses could have been diffrent. You show that you do understand that going to the caucus would be an acceptable choice
(especially since you were asked to by the first presidency) and hopefully you can see your ward members at the temple more often with increased attendance. but again thank you for being the peacemaker. My intentions are not to be contentious but to advocate following a living prophet without rationalizing away any unintrest in politics
sidenote: I hope all those that did go to the temple, have made that call and offer their services to their respective parties
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