Thoughts, ideas, and messages from leaders, teachers, and members of the Pheasant Valley Ward to support home-centered discipleship.
All members are encouraged to attend in-person to partake of the emblems of the sacrament. If you are unable to attend in-person, please reach out to Bishop Wilson to discuss arrangements for you to partake of the sacrament at home.
As a reminder, this is the link for the sacrament meeting broadcast:
10:30 am - https://www.youtube.com/@pheasantvalleybishopric9636/streams
Temple Prep Class: on stage during the second hour.
Stake Christmas Concert: Sunday, Dec. 14 at 7 pm at the stake center.
Critical Need for Senior Missionaries:
The next Semester of BYU Pathway. Please visit Service Missionaries | BYU-Pathway for more information.
A virtual assignment from home for FamilySearch Community & Product Development. Contact Karma Tomlinson - 801-240-2546 for details.
Building Access: fobs have been deactivated. If you have a fob, you may discard it. New app-based access limited to a certain number of licenses per ward. For questions about access, please see a member of the bishopric or any auxiliary president.
Feed the Missionaries: It is our turn to feed the missionaries. They eat at 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday next weekend (the 6th and 7th). They also do short member lessons without dinner every day of the week at 7:40 and 8:20. If someone wants to schedule, have them reach out to Noah Thompson at 801-494-4515.
Emergency Preparedness: This month is a good time to consider, "How will my family shelter-in-place in our home if some type of emergency results in a power outage?" For ideas on this, visit https://beready.utah.gov/family-preparedness/12-areas-of-preparedness/shelter-clothing-fire/shelter-in-cold/.
Ham Radio Operator Needed: As part of our ward emergency preparedness, we are looking for certified amateur radio operators who live in our ward. If you, or someone you know who lives in our ward, are a licensed Ham radio operator, please contact Tom Morris.
Skills Survey: We are looking for ward members to share skills, talents, hobbies, or experiences they would be willing to share with the kids in Activity Days: https://forms.gle/i435CgxpqZXYXDbz6
Block Captains: The ward emergency coordinators are trying to identify who and where our ward block captains are. If you are currently a block captain, please reach out to Tom Morris, and let him know if you would like to continue functioning as a block captain, or not. Or, if you might be interested in becoming a block captain and would like to know what it entails, please reach out to Tom Morris. Note: in Springville City block captains are coordinated through the wards, but the position does not require being a member of the church.
Ward Musical Talent Survey: If you have any musical talents you would be willing to share with the ward, please fill out this survey: https://forms.gle/c1xuVmD68AJ7Lya47 Youth are encouraged to fill this survey out as well.
Please download and install the Gospel Living App. The Circles feature is a communications tool.
Ward Temple Night: 3rd Saturday of every month, the 6 pm session.
Missionary and Service Opportunities:
We are seeking volunteers (age 16+) to assist in the Springville Family Search Center one afternoon or evening a month. (No experience necessary - will train.) For info, e-mail: 2serveutah@gmail.com
The Utah Salt Lake City Mission presidency has produced a video describing who and how Senior Service Missionaries serve in their mission. See https://youtu.be/IA74YQHLhYQ
Stonehenge Sacrament Meeting: now at 3 pm. Please feel free to invite your family members to attend and support our local residents and ward members.
2025 Meeting Schedule: Our regular Sunday meetings will be from 10:30 - 12:30.
Come Follow Me Manual: If you would like a physical copy of the 2025 Come Follow Me manual, please contact a member of the bishopric.
Spanish-language Temple Session: A Spanish-language session in the Provo City Center Temple is held at 10:00 am every Saturday.
Gospel Living App: All adult members are encouraged to use the Gospel Living App (churchofjesuschrist.org) (also known as “Circles”) to stay connected to the ward and to keep abreast of what is going on. There are other benefits as well. The Gospel Living app focuses on living a Christ-centered life. You’ll discover inspiring content like music, videos, images, activities, and goal ideas. And you can create personal goals, plan activities, set reminders, record your impressions, or message your quorum, class, friends, and family.
Temple Recommends & Setting Apart: if you are in need of a temple recommend or have yet to be set apart for your calling, we encourage you to meet by the Bishop's office (southeast corner of the meetinghouse) after the 2nd hour and speak with a member of the Bishopric. Temple recommend interviews can also be scheduled for Sunday afternoons by contacting Max Gerasymenko (see information below).
Appointments with the Bishop: if you need to schedule an appointment with the bishop, please contact Max Gerasymenko, our ward executive secretary, at 321-978-8734.
Sunday Worship: all members are encouraged to attend in-person to partake of the emblems of the sacrament. If you are unable to attend in-person, please reach out to the bishop to discuss arrangements for you to partake of the sacrament at home.
As a reminder, this is the link for the sacrament meeting broadcast:
10:30 am - https://www.youtube.com/@pheasantvalleybishopric9636/streams
This week’s Come Follow Me: December 8–14: “We Believe”: Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 and 2
Click to view the 2025 calendar.
Car Repairs, Bad Aim, and Other Blessings
(Some thoughts from November 2015)
It started with a check-engine light on my brand new car. (Well, I bought the car in July, but it’s still pretty darn new.) On my way home from work on Friday night, I stopped for gas. When I restarted the car after fueling up, the light came on.
I was… annoyed.
“Brand new car, and already a stinking check-engine light,” I thought. “Well, at least it’s under warranty…”
So that night, I booked an appointment with the service department at the dealership in Provo. Saturday morning in the service department lounge, I settled in with my laptop expecting to spend a half hour or less writing while they plugged a reader into the car, read the engine-code, and made some minor adjustment. Time dragged on, and though I was making good progress on my latest chapter, I became concerned. (A more honest word would be “annoyed,” but let’s just be charitable, shall we?) I asked the service manager for news and she told me that my car was “next in line.”
“What good did it do me to make an appointment?” I thought, but didn’t say out loud.
So I settled in and wrote some more.
But the time I had allotted for hanging outdoor Christmas lights that morning was slipping away. (Yes, I hang my outdoor lights before Thanksgiving. But it’s ONLY my outdoor lights, so there.) And my dad and I were going to work on the shed we’re building. And the BYU game was starting at 1:30.
“Good thing I’m writing about angry and annoyed people in this chapter,” I thought, channeling my irritation into my characters.
TWO HOURS of channeling later, the service department manager walked in with a paper in her hand. “This doesn’t look good,” I thought.
And… it wasn’t.
In addition to the paper (containing an estimate for the work to be done), she carried a 4-inch-square chunk of twisted metal. Apparently, the chunk had flown through the front grill of my car and caused $750 worth of damage. Worse, because it was not a manufacturing defect, the repairs would not be covered by my warranty.
Joy.
So I called my insurance company. I was informed that, while I was covered, I was responsible for a $500 deductible.
I fixed a smile on my face (which went exactly as high as my nose and no higher) and made the arrangements for the repairs, absolutely thrilled about shelling out an unexpected $500 a few days before Thanksgiving.
The insurance arrangements couldn’t be finalized until Monday, so I drove home.
I didn’t get the Christmas lights hung. My dad and I did get a couple of walls framed on the shed. Then we watched the BYU game on our DVR. Delayed.
My Saturday was not going as planned. More inspiration for my annoyed characters! Yay.
At least BYU won. So I couldn’t complain about that (even if I did have to watch the game delayed).
My dear wife looked at the damage to my car and pointed out that if the metal chunk had hit a foot or so higher, it would have flown through my head.
I offered up a silent prayer of gratitude to a gracious Heavenly Father.
I had very nearly died. I was alive to come home to my wife. I was alive to work on my shed. I was alive to watch the BYU game. I was alive to sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast on Sunday morning.
And I will hang the darn lights on Thursday morning after I get the turkey in the oven. (Yes, I roast the turkey.)
And yesterday, I found out that because the chunk hit me, rather than me hitting the chunk, I was only responsible for $100 in deductible.
$100 vs. $500 is nothing compared to life vs. death, but I’m still grateful I get to keep the $400.
And the funny thing is, I don’t even remember when I got hit.
God is watching out for me. He’s watching out for all of us. And we are… and I am not even aware of all the blessings and protection He gives.
I could thank Him all my days and never thank Him enough.