Monday, August 29, 2016

September Newsletter 2016

Stake Presidency Message

Focusing on the One

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Thanks for coming to the August 2016 Youngstown Ohio Stake Conference. It was great to see those who came to the stake center for the Saturday and Sunday sessions. We were also excited to learn that about 100 more people attended this conference than attended the one previously. That's amazing progress in 6 months! But, the real progress is measured in the spiritual growth of our individual testimonies and faith. The purpose of our stake goals is to help each one of us to increase in our faith and testimonies.

In our stake goals we have the phrase “Focus on the One.” We implement this idea as we go about, like the Savior, helping one other person to read the Book of Mormon, to come to Church, and to find and prepare one name to take to the temple. Helping the one is the Savior’s way of making progress. During his earthly ministry he taught this principle many times by his example and in his parables.

In 3 Nephi 17, when he healed the sick, he took them one by one.
21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
Even though he taught vast multitudes of people, he also took the time to visit individuals in their homes. I love the story of Jesus’ visit to heal Jairus’ daughter, who was thought to be dead. I love his private conversations with individuals like Nicodemus who came to him wanting to know how to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. In his parables of the lost coin, and the lost sheep, he emphasized how precious the individual is.

In modern revelation the Lord said -
15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! D&C 18:15
Each time we help someone even a little bit along their spiritual journey, we are doing the Lord’s work. The Lord’s pattern is to get us started by helping us to focus on the one. This pattern shows that in his kingdom, we are all important. It shows that we each matter to Him. It shows that he loves each of us individually.

I hope you know how much the Lord loves you. If you ever have any question about that, please take a few minutes and pray and ask Him to help you feel his love for you. In my own experience, that prayer will be answered usually within the same hour that it is uttered.

We love you too. Please let us know if we can help you.


Much love, 
Sid Connor, President, Youngstown Ohio Stake


                       Let Your Light So Shine

The other day I was spending some time with 3 of my grandchildren.  The little four year old asked if I wanted to hear her sing a song.  Of course I responded, “yes!”  So she began to sing “I love to see the Temple, I’m going there someday…!”  My heart swelled with love and gratitude for this sweet little girl.  (I was watching her and her brothers so that their parents could attend the temple.)  When she had completed her best effort of singing this song from memory she proudly stated, “Mamma, I know another song.  Do you want me to sing it too?”  I was thrilled.  She began to sing, “My life is a gift; my life has a plan, my life has a purpose; in heaven it began…  I will follow God’s plan for me, holding fast to his word and his love.  I will work and I will pray; I will always walk in His way. Then I will be happy on earth and in my home above.”   At that very moment, hope sprang to my heart.  Tears filled my eyes and I saw in that little one’s eyes the bright future that lay before her and all of us.  This little granddaughter, as with all of us, carries a light in this ever darkening world that can burn bright to be seen by all those around us if we will let it.   

President Monson stated, “If you want to give a light to others, you must glow yourself.”  But, it seems that we are beginning to be discouraged by the news reports and all of the things that are happening in this world.  So we let our light dim because we do not feel that our little light will make a difference in the world today.  In reading the scriptures we are continually reminded that we are not the first generation to have to live with evil in the world.  Sister Harriet Uchtdorf wrote, “You..are vibrant and enthusiastic beacons in an ever-darkening world as you show, through the way you live your lives, the gospel is a joyful message.” 

In Doctrine and Covenant 64:33 it states,  “Wherefore, be not weary in well doing, for we are laying the foundation of a great work.  And out of small and simple things proceedeth that which is great.” This little granddaughter sang from her heart the key to keeping our light burning bright in this ever darkening world.  We need to hold fast to His words and His love, we need to work, pray and always walk in His way!  Then we will be happy here on earth.  This simple little song sang by a faithful beautiful little 4 year old, brightened my world and continues to bring light to all who know her.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:16)  May we go forth as beacons of light into the world and shine for those around us.  This is my prayer!

Barbara Federkeil
Youngstown Stake Relief Society President.



Alliance Ward Tackles Huge Task of Sorting Donations at Anchor House
About 25 members of the Alliance Ward, including youth, youth leaders and other adults, participated in a service activity June 21 at the Anchor House in Alliance, an organization that helps the homeless and others in need.

Budd Kuyper, one of the founders of Anchor House, welcomed the group and gave a quick tour of the shop. The shop has used clothing and household items for a small fee, or free if a person cannot pay.  Anchor House prepares sack lunches for the homeless once a month and also partners with other organizations to help the needy with emergency shelter, food, employment, mental health needs and much more.

They have a dire need for volunteers to help sort the boxes and boxes of clothing donations so they can be ready to distribute. (The garage and basement area were packed with boxes.) The Alliance group quickly got organized and were able to sort many many boxes in a short time.  Some worked in the garage and some worked in the basement area. A few of the young men and an adult leader also helped move the sorted boxes to the warehouse.

Pamela Wagley, Young Women president, said, “I was impressed with the Christlike example of service that is shown by the founder of Anchor House to those in desperate need. I was also grateful for the youth and adult leaders who were so willing to get in and get to work.”

Service at Spiderweb


Connie, Gail and Spiderweb director Meredith were so nice today when we came to volunteer at Spiderweb of Jefferson. Sister missionaries from Jefferson, Barbara Braden and I (Nicki Wilpula) volunteered to help sort clothing for distribution in the Spiderweb shop.

Spiderweb gives away (for a mere $1 donation) children's and adult clothing to anyone in need. The center receives bags and bags of clothing that has to be sorted and prepared to hang or put out on the shelves in the store front. Several patrons came in while we were there and everyone was so nice. Connie and Gail were fun to work with and the time passed quickly. There is a lot to be done and organized there and volunteers are always welcome. 

     Warren Ward and the Trumbull County Fitness Center


             Warren YM/YW and Boy Scouts recently painted the gym at the Trumbull County Fitness Center. Gil Rieger, who coordinated the community service project, said the youth and several adults took about three hours to paint the entire lower level of the gym.





"They worked very diligently and got the job done, and did a good job," Brother Rieger said. "The building was formerly a Y. It's old and needs some work.  It has been part of the livelihood of the community since about 1928."

The Fitness Center is used for youth activities as well as senior programs and much more. Brother Rieger said the director, Paulette Eddington, was very appreciative of the project and pleased with the job well done.


Scout Camp


In June stake scouts were able to participate in either a week of camp at Camp Beaumont with several other stakes or to do a High Adventure activity. During the week at camp the boys worked on a service project and merit badges. The family night activity was rained out but families were still able to join their sons for dinner.

The boys have such a large area to cover that many of them take their bikes and ride to all their classes and activities.
But camp wasn’t all work, they also could participate in fun activities like zip lining across one of the lakes.
They had nightly devotionals from a member of one of the Stake Presidencies or Young Men Presidencies to make sure they were spiritually fed as well as temporally.


       Girls Camp 2016                      Anchored in Christ
Girl’s Camp was once again a wonderfully spiritual week where the young women learn about their identities as daughters of God and they also learn some helpful life skills.


At camp one of the service projects offered was to cut out shoe patterns from jeans that will be sent to Uganda South Africa. They will be turned into shoes that will keep jiggers (not chiggers, different bug) out of the bottom of feet.

They also had some fun elective classes like hair braiding, cookie decorating, volleyball, music, improve acting, air rifles, and archery.
They had nightly devotionals with the Stake Presidency as well.


Youth Conference
The 2016 Youngstown Stake Youth Conference was held at the Robert C Morris University in Moon, Pennsylvania. The theme for this year was Steadfast in Christ. It was a great opportunity for our youth to meet and mingle with over 750 other youth from several stakes from states including, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia.
The four days of conference included workshops, outdoor games, devotionals, dances, service projects, testimony meeting and creating Mormon message videos. There were several keynote speakers there including, Carol F McConkie, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency.

It was a great and rewarding experience for me to attend and help throughout the conference with whatever was needed. It was amazing to see the great work and effort put in to the conference by many adult leasers who spent countless hours on behalf of the youth. Many of the employees from the university were in awe of the youth and their exceptional behavior and commented on it many times.
I invite you to go to the Youth Conference website and see the pictures and view the Mormon messages created by our youth. It is a delight to see them in action! www.yc2016rmu.com
Deborah Baker
Ashtabula Ward


Elder Joseph Connor has returned from serving in the Mexico City Chalco Mission. He is the son of President Sid and Sister Melody Connor of the Lisbon Ward. At the Saturday session of Stake Conference he spoke of the blessings of missionary service and the blessings he witnessed in those he taught as they accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives.
 Elder Connor had the opportunity to serve in city as well as farming areas. Soccer is a popular sport and it is common to see the children playing in the streets. The streets are very narrow and people ride overly crowded buses wherever they go. On Saturdays the city streets are party central all day until about 3 a.m. “They play loud music right outside our apartment,” Joseph said. “It was very annoying. We couldn’t sleep. We would try to shut out the music.”
On Sunday the church meetings are like our meetings here, Sacrament, Sunday school, they have the same lessons. “But punctuality is a big problem,” Joseph said.
The Relief Society sisters usually feed the missionaries a mid-day meal, which varied from common foods like tacos or enchiladas, soup or rice, noodles. But Elder Connor admits some things were “gross,” such as pigskin boiled in beans or sauce, chicken feet, pig’s head.
However, the food, the different culture did not seem to be a concern for Elder Connor. Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping people turn their lives around are choice experiences. He tells about Gabino, a man who was often drunk and would yell at and mock the missionaries as they passed him on the street. One day the missionaries went to the home of a young man named Tony to teach him. There they found out that Gabino was Tony’s father. For many years the family had been torn apart because of Gabino’s drinking and neglecting his children. Gabino wanted to stop drinking and he kept trying. As he met with the missionaries and was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, Gabino found the strength he needed to change and the family was blessed by it.
Elder Connor had other experiences as well, helping people struggling with drugs, family problems and other issues, and seeing individuals and families find peace as they applied the gospel in their lives.
Joseph will be attending Brigham Young University this fall to major in computer science.
Sister Nicki Wilpula
Public Affairs Director





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