WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:03.919 - Hey, everyone. You probably don't know this, but, 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.319 - Leading Saints is not just a podcast. I 3 00:00:06.319 --> 00:00:07.679 - know in the past, we've been known as 4 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:10.080 - a podcast, but now Leading Saints is an 5 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:12.179 - online platform, an online community 6 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:14.639 - that we call a Zion Lab because we 7 00:00:14.639 --> 00:00:17.304 - are focused on not just preparing leaders to 8 00:00:17.304 --> 00:00:18.824 - be better prepared to lead, but we want 9 00:00:18.824 --> 00:00:21.864 - to help everybody regardless of their church calling 10 00:00:21.864 --> 00:00:24.425 - to build Zion. And Zion Lab is the 11 00:00:24.425 --> 00:00:26.744 - place to it's the laboratory of Zion, if 12 00:00:26.744 --> 00:00:29.339 - you will, to step into, share your ideas, 13 00:00:29.339 --> 00:00:30.939 - best practices, what are you doing in a 14 00:00:30.939 --> 00:00:32.939 - specific calling, what are you doing outside of 15 00:00:32.939 --> 00:00:35.179 - a calling, where do you feel inspired, what 16 00:00:35.179 --> 00:00:37.199 - are other people doing, and it is becoming 17 00:00:37.259 --> 00:00:40.140 - such a dynamic phenomenal community. And there's an 18 00:00:40.140 --> 00:00:41.500 - AI bot in there that you can ask 19 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:44.674 - questions to, and it will scour the archives 20 00:00:44.895 --> 00:00:46.975 - of the Leading Saints. What has it been? 21 00:00:46.975 --> 00:00:49.534 - Since 2010, we've been creating content. It will 22 00:00:49.534 --> 00:00:52.195 - scour those archives and give you a specific 23 00:00:52.574 --> 00:00:54.655 - answer to the content that you're looking for. 24 00:00:54.655 --> 00:00:57.500 - So come join us over at TsiyonLab, which 25 00:00:57.500 --> 00:00:59.820 - you can find at leading saints dot org 26 00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:00.879 - slash zion. 27 00:01:03.739 --> 00:01:06.060 - So you're checking us out as maybe a 28 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:08.780 - potential podcast you could start listening to. I 29 00:01:08.780 --> 00:01:10.379 - know many of you have been listening for 30 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:11.954 - a long time, but let me just talk 31 00:01:11.954 --> 00:01:13.875 - to the newbies for a minute. What is 32 00:01:13.875 --> 00:01:15.474 - Leading Saints? What are we trying to do 33 00:01:15.474 --> 00:01:17.015 - here with this podcast? 34 00:01:17.314 --> 00:01:19.395 - Well, let me explain. Leading Saints is a 35 00:01:19.395 --> 00:01:22.114 - nonprofit organization. A five zero one c three 36 00:01:22.114 --> 00:01:24.329 - is what they call it, and we have 37 00:01:24.329 --> 00:01:24.990 - a mission 38 00:01:25.370 --> 00:01:27.689 - to help Latter day Saints be better prepared 39 00:01:27.689 --> 00:01:29.930 - to lead. Now, of course, often means in 40 00:01:29.930 --> 00:01:31.770 - the context of a calling. It may mean 41 00:01:31.770 --> 00:01:34.189 - in your local community, your work assignments. 42 00:01:34.569 --> 00:01:37.545 - We've heard about our content influencing all sorts 43 00:01:37.545 --> 00:01:39.965 - of leaders in all sorts of different contexts. 44 00:01:40.265 --> 00:01:41.944 - We invite you to listen to this episode 45 00:01:41.944 --> 00:01:44.105 - and maybe a few others of our 500 46 00:01:44.105 --> 00:01:46.505 - plus episodes that we have out there. Jump 47 00:01:46.505 --> 00:01:48.745 - in and begin to learn and begin to 48 00:01:48.745 --> 00:01:50.745 - consider some of these principles we talk about 49 00:01:50.745 --> 00:01:52.204 - on the Leading Saints podcast. 50 00:01:52.530 --> 00:01:53.270 - Here we 51 00:01:53.650 --> 00:01:54.150 - go. 52 00:01:56.129 --> 00:01:58.290 - Alright. Gather around everyone. This is a good 53 00:01:58.290 --> 00:02:01.329 - one. Whether you're a YSA leader or not, 54 00:02:01.329 --> 00:02:03.810 - this interview will apply to you and be 55 00:02:03.969 --> 00:02:06.530 - inspire you for sure. I happened to catch 56 00:02:06.530 --> 00:02:08.925 - Mark and Adrian Beck as they were visiting 57 00:02:08.925 --> 00:02:11.084 - Utah. We invited them into the studio to 58 00:02:11.084 --> 00:02:13.564 - capture this interview. And through the grapevine, I 59 00:02:13.564 --> 00:02:15.185 - heard about their branch. They, 60 00:02:15.564 --> 00:02:18.064 - Mark is the branch president of the Hemby 61 00:02:18.205 --> 00:02:21.425 - YSA branch in Charlotte, North Carolina area. 62 00:02:21.950 --> 00:02:23.469 - And the things that they're doing in this 63 00:02:23.469 --> 00:02:25.250 - branch are pretty inspiring 64 00:02:25.629 --> 00:02:26.129 - and 65 00:02:26.510 --> 00:02:29.889 - redemptive and encouraging and stimulating culture and 66 00:02:30.349 --> 00:02:30.849 - more 67 00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:31.650 - specifically, 68 00:02:32.430 --> 00:02:34.305 - their approach with mentors 69 00:02:34.764 --> 00:02:37.085 - in their branch. This is really innovative how 70 00:02:37.085 --> 00:02:40.145 - they've done this and to involve not just 71 00:02:40.284 --> 00:02:43.105 - members within their YSA awards, but some older 72 00:02:43.324 --> 00:02:45.485 - Latter day Saints in the surrounding area in 73 00:02:45.485 --> 00:02:49.050 - their stake to connect with YSA members, young 74 00:02:49.050 --> 00:02:51.289 - single adults, and be a mentor to them 75 00:02:51.289 --> 00:02:54.009 - and not just all rely on the branch 76 00:02:54.009 --> 00:02:55.849 - president to solve the problems or to be 77 00:02:55.849 --> 00:02:57.770 - that person to talk with. And so really 78 00:02:57.770 --> 00:02:59.530 - inspiring what they're doing and I think it's 79 00:02:59.530 --> 00:03:01.550 - something that any ward could consider. 80 00:03:01.995 --> 00:03:05.294 - That building connections and having mentorship, there's something 81 00:03:05.675 --> 00:03:08.314 - Zion like there. And so pass this on 82 00:03:08.314 --> 00:03:11.514 - to definitely any YSA leaders that you know, 83 00:03:11.514 --> 00:03:13.915 - but really any church leader that we can 84 00:03:13.915 --> 00:03:16.814 - build Zion through mentorship, through connection, through community. 85 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.360 - And then this really is what Zion is 86 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.840 - about. So here's my interview with Mark and 87 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:22.340 - Adrian 88 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:23.139 - Beck. 89 00:03:31.205 --> 00:03:33.925 - So, Mark and Adrian Beck, we caught you 90 00:03:33.925 --> 00:03:35.365 - in a time where you came to Utah. 91 00:03:35.365 --> 00:03:37.765 - You're from North Carolina. Yes. Where exactly in 92 00:03:37.765 --> 00:03:39.844 - North Carolina are you from? We currently live 93 00:03:39.844 --> 00:03:42.165 - in a town just South of Charlotte called 94 00:03:42.165 --> 00:03:42.665 - Matthews. 95 00:03:42.965 --> 00:03:45.789 - Awesome. Very cool. And you both have the 96 00:03:45.789 --> 00:03:47.569 - opportunity to serve in a unique 97 00:03:47.870 --> 00:03:49.789 - role, I guess, but you are you're currently 98 00:03:49.789 --> 00:03:50.769 - a branch president 99 00:03:51.150 --> 00:03:52.049 - of a YSA 100 00:03:52.590 --> 00:03:53.090 - branch 101 00:03:53.389 --> 00:03:54.609 - in that area, which, 102 00:03:54.989 --> 00:03:56.509 - in Utah, you don't hear a lot about 103 00:03:56.509 --> 00:03:59.310 - YSA branches as much as wards or stakes, 104 00:03:59.310 --> 00:04:01.414 - you sure. Yeah. Yeah. So maybe give us 105 00:04:01.414 --> 00:04:03.614 - the background. How did this calling come to 106 00:04:03.614 --> 00:04:05.414 - be? Yeah. Adrian, do you wanna talk about 107 00:04:05.414 --> 00:04:06.634 - how the calling started? 108 00:04:07.014 --> 00:04:09.514 - Oh, well, a little over five years ago, 109 00:04:09.574 --> 00:04:12.134 - our area authority decided that he wanted to 110 00:04:12.134 --> 00:04:15.174 - have every stake have a YSA branch, even 111 00:04:15.174 --> 00:04:15.674 - though, 112 00:04:16.730 --> 00:04:18.490 - the branch that all the YSA of our 113 00:04:18.490 --> 00:04:19.790 - area we're going to 114 00:04:20.170 --> 00:04:20.910 - only had 115 00:04:21.290 --> 00:04:24.009 - about 40 YSA that would come 40 to 116 00:04:24.009 --> 00:04:26.410 - 50, I think on average. Wow. And we 117 00:04:26.410 --> 00:04:28.569 - knew of 12 from our stake that were 118 00:04:28.569 --> 00:04:29.949 - attending. And so 119 00:04:30.305 --> 00:04:32.064 - there was a lot of concern of all 120 00:04:32.064 --> 00:04:34.404 - the stakes in the area that with only 121 00:04:34.625 --> 00:04:37.185 - a handful of YSA going, why have our 122 00:04:37.185 --> 00:04:37.685 - own? 123 00:04:38.064 --> 00:04:40.785 - And so we just said, well, I guess 124 00:04:40.785 --> 00:04:42.625 - we're gonna move forward in faith and see 125 00:04:42.625 --> 00:04:45.860 - what happens. And I think every stake was 126 00:04:46.080 --> 00:04:48.660 - really surprised to see a lot of YSA 127 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.279 - come out to a local unit instead of 128 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:53.520 - traveling into Charlotte. So before this, it was 129 00:04:53.520 --> 00:04:55.680 - one was it one ward? YSA ward of 130 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.080 - the broader area? Is that right? Yes. In 131 00:04:58.080 --> 00:05:01.514 - the Central Charlotte stake. Okay. And so how 132 00:05:01.514 --> 00:05:03.914 - many stakes did that cover at that time, 133 00:05:03.914 --> 00:05:05.914 - that ward? I think at that time, there 134 00:05:05.914 --> 00:05:07.595 - were four stakes, and now there are five 135 00:05:07.595 --> 00:05:10.574 - stakes in the Charlotte area. Okay. And then 136 00:05:10.714 --> 00:05:12.810 - so every stake, it was just is this, 137 00:05:12.810 --> 00:05:14.730 - like, according to council where they said we're 138 00:05:14.730 --> 00:05:16.730 - gonna try this here and each stake do 139 00:05:16.730 --> 00:05:18.449 - their own? It was the entire Southeast Region 140 00:05:18.449 --> 00:05:20.410 - that was asked to do this. And I 141 00:05:20.410 --> 00:05:22.410 - remember we were called as advisers for a 142 00:05:22.410 --> 00:05:24.855 - little while, and we're asked to try and 143 00:05:24.855 --> 00:05:26.774 - find as many YSA as we could in 144 00:05:26.774 --> 00:05:30.134 - advance of this happening. And I remember every 145 00:05:30.134 --> 00:05:31.894 - every month we get a call from a 146 00:05:31.894 --> 00:05:34.134 - counselor in the state presidency saying, how many 147 00:05:34.134 --> 00:05:36.055 - how many have you found now? And I 148 00:05:36.055 --> 00:05:38.074 - remember the number was always 20 something. 149 00:05:38.535 --> 00:05:39.975 - And after about three months, 150 00:05:42.350 --> 00:05:45.009 - time and said, it's still about 25. 151 00:05:45.709 --> 00:05:47.870 - But I I heard about this guy who 152 00:05:47.870 --> 00:05:49.730 - started a church with six people. 153 00:05:50.430 --> 00:05:52.129 - Right. And it it's turned out great. 154 00:05:52.750 --> 00:05:54.430 - So let's just go for it and see 155 00:05:54.430 --> 00:05:57.074 - what happens. Yeah. So maybe you have $1,718,000,000 156 00:05:57.074 --> 00:05:58.595 - in the future. We'll see. I will see. 157 00:05:58.595 --> 00:06:01.794 - Yeah. That's awesome. And so this didn't come 158 00:06:01.794 --> 00:06:03.414 - from necessarily from your state presidency. 159 00:06:03.714 --> 00:06:05.814 - Like, this is a director from the area 160 00:06:06.034 --> 00:06:08.995 - presidency or the area seventy saying, let's do 161 00:06:08.995 --> 00:06:10.919 - this. I think it's the president of the 162 00:06:10.919 --> 00:06:11.419 - Southeast 163 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:13.899 - area. So this is from a general authority. 164 00:06:14.039 --> 00:06:15.319 - So I'm sure I mean, just like a 165 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:16.600 - lot of things, there's probably a lot of 166 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:18.539 - naysayers or people unsure about 167 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:20.599 - how this would work. Right? Yes. I mean, 168 00:06:20.599 --> 00:06:22.279 - how did you even begin to put this 169 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:22.779 - together? 170 00:06:23.305 --> 00:06:24.425 - Well, first of all, we, you know, we 171 00:06:24.425 --> 00:06:26.024 - were called as advisors. We didn't know if 172 00:06:26.024 --> 00:06:27.964 - we'd be called to be in the presidency 173 00:06:28.024 --> 00:06:30.024 - once it was formed. And in fact, at 174 00:06:30.024 --> 00:06:32.425 - the time that we were doing this, I 175 00:06:32.425 --> 00:06:35.805 - was thinking about possibly doing something new professionally. 176 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:38.539 - That would've been really interesting and really challenging 177 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:40.060 - and and pretty lucrative. 178 00:06:40.519 --> 00:06:42.279 - And I remember on the way to meeting 179 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:44.379 - the state president, he called to meet us 180 00:06:44.599 --> 00:06:46.060 - in person in his office. 181 00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:48.839 - And Adrian says to me, what what if 182 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:50.120 - he calls you to be in the new 183 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:50.939 - branch presidency? 184 00:06:51.795 --> 00:06:53.634 - And I said, well, I think I will 185 00:06:53.634 --> 00:06:55.795 - have to ask him how he knows this 186 00:06:55.795 --> 00:06:58.194 - is truly a calling from God. Because if 187 00:06:58.194 --> 00:07:00.595 - it's not truly from God, I'm not sure 188 00:07:00.595 --> 00:07:02.615 - I I wanna make that kind of sacrifice. 189 00:07:02.675 --> 00:07:03.175 - Yeah. 190 00:07:05.810 --> 00:07:07.569 - Question? And I said, I'll be a little 191 00:07:07.569 --> 00:07:09.490 - more diplomatic, but that, yes, that is the 192 00:07:09.490 --> 00:07:11.729 - question that's on my mind. And it was 193 00:07:11.729 --> 00:07:13.490 - as if he'd had, like, bugged our car 194 00:07:13.490 --> 00:07:15.889 - or something because we sat down and he 195 00:07:15.889 --> 00:07:18.615 - spent, like, ten minutes giving us 196 00:07:18.915 --> 00:07:22.615 - very, you know, very intricate detail about his 197 00:07:22.754 --> 00:07:24.375 - process of getting revelation 198 00:07:24.754 --> 00:07:26.514 - and then the process by which his first 199 00:07:26.514 --> 00:07:28.834 - counselor got revelation and then the process by 200 00:07:28.834 --> 00:07:30.959 - which his second counselor got the revelation. When 201 00:07:31.039 --> 00:07:32.879 - when he got done, I just turned his 202 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:34.240 - sister back and I said, I think he's 203 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:36.639 - already answered my question. All that's left is 204 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:38.720 - for us to say yes. Yeah. Which is 205 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:39.939 - what we did. Yeah. 206 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:41.919 - And, you know, from there, honey, it was 207 00:07:41.919 --> 00:07:43.599 - just all fun and excitement. Yeah. I mean, 208 00:07:43.599 --> 00:07:45.985 - we've, we are so passionate about what we've 209 00:07:45.985 --> 00:07:48.224 - been doing the last five years and so 210 00:07:48.224 --> 00:07:49.745 - grateful. We've got to do it for more 211 00:07:49.745 --> 00:07:51.904 - than the typical. Yeah. Cause it's typically three 212 00:07:51.904 --> 00:07:53.264 - years, right? It is typically three years. Did 213 00:07:53.264 --> 00:07:54.944 - they give you that expectation in the beginning 214 00:07:54.944 --> 00:07:56.464 - or they did tell us upfront that we'd 215 00:07:56.464 --> 00:07:58.324 - probably be closer to three years. 216 00:07:58.889 --> 00:08:01.129 - And I think it's a pretty sacred thing 217 00:08:01.129 --> 00:08:03.290 - to me what happened, the reason we've served 218 00:08:03.290 --> 00:08:03.790 - longer. 219 00:08:04.250 --> 00:08:07.310 - Well So we have five wonderful children, and 220 00:08:07.370 --> 00:08:09.129 - our youngest was born with a very rare 221 00:08:09.129 --> 00:08:09.949 - health condition. 222 00:08:10.649 --> 00:08:12.169 - When he was born, we were told he 223 00:08:12.169 --> 00:08:14.269 - would only live for six months at best, 224 00:08:14.704 --> 00:08:16.545 - but he lived twenty years and he lived 225 00:08:16.545 --> 00:08:19.264 - a full and wonderful life. In fact, he 226 00:08:19.264 --> 00:08:21.665 - loved this YSA branch and they they loved 227 00:08:21.665 --> 00:08:22.644 - him so much. 228 00:08:23.185 --> 00:08:24.785 - But about a year and a half ago, 229 00:08:24.785 --> 00:08:26.944 - he passed away. Wow. And, 230 00:08:28.209 --> 00:08:30.370 - at about that same time was getting close 231 00:08:30.370 --> 00:08:32.610 - to we were about three years, and we 232 00:08:32.610 --> 00:08:35.250 - really believe that there's lots of other couples 233 00:08:35.250 --> 00:08:37.909 - that could do this calling just beautifully. Sure. 234 00:08:38.210 --> 00:08:40.850 - But that as we mourn, the loss of 235 00:08:40.850 --> 00:08:41.350 - Wesley, 236 00:08:41.735 --> 00:08:43.975 - it's a tender mercy that we get to 237 00:08:43.975 --> 00:08:44.475 - continue 238 00:08:44.935 --> 00:08:48.215 - Yeah. To have a 100 wonderful YSA to 239 00:08:48.215 --> 00:08:51.335 - love on. Yeah. Not just every Sunday. We 240 00:08:51.335 --> 00:08:52.695 - get to love on them all week long. 241 00:08:52.695 --> 00:08:54.535 - They're they're in our home every day. That's 242 00:08:54.535 --> 00:08:56.634 - great. It's just been such a blessing. Wow. 243 00:08:56.929 --> 00:08:58.549 - Hey, Jordan. What, what do you remember from 244 00:08:58.690 --> 00:09:01.490 - receiving this, that call? And, and obviously it's, 245 00:09:01.490 --> 00:09:02.850 - it was a call for him, but obviously 246 00:09:02.850 --> 00:09:04.610 - you're involved in what direction did they give? 247 00:09:04.610 --> 00:09:06.449 - Or what do you remember from those from 248 00:09:06.449 --> 00:09:08.389 - just beginning? From the beginning, 249 00:09:08.850 --> 00:09:09.909 - you know, we just 250 00:09:10.394 --> 00:09:12.254 - wanted to love on these YSA 251 00:09:12.634 --> 00:09:15.595 - and I thought he would be amazing in 252 00:09:15.595 --> 00:09:17.435 - this calling, you know, and I was really 253 00:09:17.435 --> 00:09:19.295 - excited to get this call to work with 254 00:09:19.595 --> 00:09:21.695 - the young single adults. We love 255 00:09:21.995 --> 00:09:24.129 - the YSA. We met at a young 256 00:09:24.509 --> 00:09:27.389 - adult conference. Conference circle here. We're believers. Yeah. 257 00:09:27.389 --> 00:09:29.629 - It worked for us. So we have a 258 00:09:29.629 --> 00:09:31.710 - lot of passion about it anyway. And then 259 00:09:31.710 --> 00:09:33.470 - to have this opportunity to work with this 260 00:09:33.470 --> 00:09:34.529 - age group that 261 00:09:34.909 --> 00:09:38.705 - is just in such need of love and 262 00:09:38.705 --> 00:09:41.585 - support and guidance. And, I mean, even if 263 00:09:41.585 --> 00:09:43.684 - they're from a family that is amazing, 264 00:09:44.225 --> 00:09:46.705 - it doesn't hurt to have other people love 265 00:09:46.705 --> 00:09:49.205 - on your kids and have other people to 266 00:09:49.429 --> 00:09:52.089 - go to for advice if you're the YSA. 267 00:09:53.509 --> 00:09:55.289 - And it just really has been 268 00:09:55.829 --> 00:09:58.069 - such a joy to serve and it feels 269 00:09:58.069 --> 00:09:58.889 - so purposeful 270 00:09:59.509 --> 00:10:01.909 - and it has felt that way since the 271 00:10:01.909 --> 00:10:03.904 - very beginning. You know, we just wouldn't Mark 272 00:10:03.904 --> 00:10:06.245 - was describing when we were looking for them 273 00:10:06.304 --> 00:10:08.945 - and seeing on the roles we had, I 274 00:10:08.945 --> 00:10:12.545 - think, 400 on the roles and we were, 275 00:10:12.545 --> 00:10:14.304 - our first assignment was more than 20, I 276 00:10:14.304 --> 00:10:15.125 - think. Right. 277 00:10:16.384 --> 00:10:19.039 - And our role was let's go, go find 278 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:21.600 - everybody. And so that's what we spent, like, 279 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.559 - three months doing. Wow. And finding a lot 280 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:27.279 - weren't there, but finding a lot that were 281 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:27.779 - and 282 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.039 - didn't wanna drive half an hour, didn't feel 283 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:32.980 - comfortable there if they had gone. 284 00:10:33.485 --> 00:10:36.125 - And then trying to create a place like, 285 00:10:36.125 --> 00:10:37.725 - okay. Well, how how do we get them 286 00:10:37.725 --> 00:10:39.804 - to come and how are they going to 287 00:10:39.804 --> 00:10:42.704 - want to be there? Yeah. That was our 288 00:10:42.924 --> 00:10:44.384 - our big question. 289 00:10:44.684 --> 00:10:47.649 - Yeah. For sure. So tell me just the 290 00:10:47.649 --> 00:10:50.289 - the technicalities of putting this together. So you're 291 00:10:50.289 --> 00:10:52.129 - opening this branch. It's in your stake. So 292 00:10:52.129 --> 00:10:54.549 - it's under your your home stake presidency. 293 00:10:55.330 --> 00:10:57.750 - They give you building a time slot, and 294 00:10:58.054 --> 00:10:59.574 - then you say, hey. We're meeting this. Send 295 00:10:59.574 --> 00:11:01.095 - your your YSAs, or what what do you 296 00:11:01.095 --> 00:11:03.495 - remember? Just the the structure of putting it 297 00:11:03.495 --> 00:11:05.414 - together. Yeah. The first thing we had to 298 00:11:05.414 --> 00:11:06.954 - do is call some counselors. 299 00:11:07.495 --> 00:11:09.274 - In the case of Adrian and, 300 00:11:09.654 --> 00:11:10.394 - any other 301 00:11:10.769 --> 00:11:13.730 - older adults that are called, we typically call 302 00:11:13.730 --> 00:11:16.950 - couples to serve together. So Adrian's calling is 303 00:11:17.090 --> 00:11:18.149 - YSA advisor. 304 00:11:18.850 --> 00:11:21.009 - And so she doesn't have any other callings 305 00:11:21.009 --> 00:11:22.470 - in the stake or in the church. 306 00:11:22.850 --> 00:11:24.930 - And she puts in, you know, thirty hours 307 00:11:24.930 --> 00:11:26.070 - a week doing this. 308 00:11:26.644 --> 00:11:27.845 - One of the great joys is that we 309 00:11:27.845 --> 00:11:29.365 - get to do this together. Like when I 310 00:11:29.365 --> 00:11:30.585 - was stake president, 311 00:11:30.965 --> 00:11:32.884 - she was incredibly helpful, but she was always 312 00:11:32.884 --> 00:11:35.285 - kind of backing me up. Later in life, 313 00:11:35.285 --> 00:11:36.965 - she got to be Young Women's President for 314 00:11:36.965 --> 00:11:38.884 - our stake and I got to back her 315 00:11:38.884 --> 00:11:40.644 - up and, you know, help run girls camp 316 00:11:40.644 --> 00:11:42.949 - from behind the scenes. That was fun too. 317 00:11:43.169 --> 00:11:45.250 - There's really something special about being side by 318 00:11:45.250 --> 00:11:47.730 - side as sort of e coequal partners in 319 00:11:47.730 --> 00:11:50.289 - this journey together, serving the lord, loving on 320 00:11:50.289 --> 00:11:50.949 - these YSA. 321 00:11:51.250 --> 00:11:53.169 - And so we we identified two other couples 322 00:11:53.169 --> 00:11:54.610 - that we wanted to come and serve. One 323 00:11:54.610 --> 00:11:56.449 - is my first counselor, one is my second 324 00:11:56.449 --> 00:11:56.949 - counselor. 325 00:11:57.294 --> 00:12:00.035 - As the branch has strengthened today, both counselors 326 00:12:00.174 --> 00:12:00.754 - are YSA. 327 00:12:01.535 --> 00:12:03.855 - One of the first guidelines that we all 328 00:12:03.855 --> 00:12:06.014 - put together, this first group of this first 329 00:12:06.014 --> 00:12:06.754 - prize presidency, 330 00:12:07.215 --> 00:12:08.654 - was that we would not refer to the 331 00:12:08.654 --> 00:12:09.794 - YSA as kids. 332 00:12:11.350 --> 00:12:12.950 - Each other. We still mess up even now 333 00:12:12.950 --> 00:12:14.470 - sometimes. Yeah. We still do it. Yeah. But 334 00:12:14.470 --> 00:12:15.830 - we try to refer to them as branch 335 00:12:15.830 --> 00:12:17.370 - members, as young single adults. 336 00:12:17.909 --> 00:12:19.990 - And we also can't just call ourselves the 337 00:12:19.990 --> 00:12:22.149 - adults because the in inference of that is 338 00:12:22.149 --> 00:12:24.070 - that they're not. Right. Yeah. And I know 339 00:12:24.070 --> 00:12:26.024 - it sounds silly, like we're just being picky 340 00:12:26.024 --> 00:12:28.105 - about wording, but it's actually the mindset behind 341 00:12:28.105 --> 00:12:30.904 - it is really important to the culture we 342 00:12:30.904 --> 00:12:32.445 - wanted to create in this branch. 343 00:12:32.825 --> 00:12:35.065 - After we had the, two counselors and their 344 00:12:35.065 --> 00:12:36.985 - spouses called, we had to put together a 345 00:12:36.985 --> 00:12:40.389 - full branch council. And to Adrian's point, as 346 00:12:40.389 --> 00:12:42.570 - we gathered that group of about 12 YSA 347 00:12:42.629 --> 00:12:44.889 - together in our home that very first meeting, 348 00:12:45.750 --> 00:12:48.549 - half of them were called in out of 349 00:12:48.549 --> 00:12:49.049 - inactivity 350 00:12:49.830 --> 00:12:51.589 - and said, will you serve in this calling? 351 00:12:51.589 --> 00:12:53.110 - Will you serve in this calling? Wow. We 352 00:12:53.110 --> 00:12:54.230 - know you haven't been to church in a 353 00:12:54.230 --> 00:12:55.769 - year, but will you be in this calling? 354 00:12:55.904 --> 00:12:56.404 - They 355 00:12:57.105 --> 00:12:58.865 - accepted. They accepted the call to come and 356 00:12:58.865 --> 00:13:00.865 - serve, and they came and they served. And 357 00:13:00.865 --> 00:13:02.785 - we had a really special moment in that, 358 00:13:03.024 --> 00:13:05.504 - first branch council where we asked them about 359 00:13:05.504 --> 00:13:07.425 - the kind of culture they wanted to create. 360 00:13:07.425 --> 00:13:08.545 - You know, I do a little bit of 361 00:13:08.545 --> 00:13:09.925 - teaching at Cornell, 362 00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:12.439 - sometimes I go back to 363 00:13:12.899 --> 00:13:15.319 - my alma mater and teach a little bit. 364 00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:16.419 - And one of the things I love to 365 00:13:16.419 --> 00:13:18.419 - teach about is culture. What I teach is 366 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:21.059 - that a culture is like a garden plot. 367 00:13:21.059 --> 00:13:24.044 - Like whether you plant intended or not, something's 368 00:13:24.044 --> 00:13:26.044 - going to grow. Yeah. And so you can 369 00:13:26.044 --> 00:13:28.365 - be intentional and get stuff you like, or 370 00:13:28.365 --> 00:13:29.644 - you can just ignore it and you're still 371 00:13:29.644 --> 00:13:31.085 - gonna get stuff, but you won't like it. 372 00:13:31.085 --> 00:13:33.085 - Yeah. So we kinda had that discussion, and 373 00:13:33.085 --> 00:13:35.245 - then we asked these YSA, what is the 374 00:13:35.245 --> 00:13:36.304 - culture you want? 375 00:13:36.870 --> 00:13:38.629 - And it was beautiful. Adrienne, do you remember 376 00:13:38.629 --> 00:13:40.149 - some of the words that they shared about 377 00:13:40.149 --> 00:13:42.169 - the culture they wanted? I remember 378 00:13:42.549 --> 00:13:43.049 - accepting, 379 00:13:43.750 --> 00:13:44.250 - loving. 380 00:13:45.190 --> 00:13:45.690 - Belonging, 381 00:13:46.389 --> 00:13:49.695 - judgment free zone. Yeah. Judgment free. Mhmm. Yeah. 382 00:13:49.695 --> 00:13:51.375 - And this was, like, in the setting in 383 00:13:51.375 --> 00:13:53.134 - your home just with a handful of these 384 00:13:53.134 --> 00:13:54.975 - that Yeah. Were called? Yeah. We haven't even 385 00:13:54.975 --> 00:13:57.615 - had our first cyber meeting yet. Wow. But 386 00:13:57.615 --> 00:14:00.095 - we're this branch council together to kinda we 387 00:14:00.095 --> 00:14:02.014 - had another, you know, 30 callings we had 388 00:14:02.014 --> 00:14:03.235 - to figure out and stuff. 389 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:06.600 - But they they describe this very Zion like 390 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:08.279 - culture, the one that any of us would 391 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:11.159 - want for Yeah. Our home order branch to 392 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:13.079 - be. But then we said, so what are 393 00:14:13.079 --> 00:14:14.919 - you gonna do? You are the leaders in 394 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:17.559 - this branch. What will you do to make 395 00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:19.019 - that culture become real? 396 00:14:22.915 --> 00:14:25.235 - Talked about, you know, don't just invite someone 397 00:14:25.235 --> 00:14:27.154 - to church, go bring them. If they wanna 398 00:14:27.154 --> 00:14:28.754 - drive themselves to church, at least meet them 399 00:14:28.754 --> 00:14:30.035 - in the parking lot so they don't walk 400 00:14:30.035 --> 00:14:32.435 - in the building alone. They talked about when 401 00:14:32.435 --> 00:14:34.435 - you're done passing the sacrament or blessing the 402 00:14:34.435 --> 00:14:36.970 - sacrament, you've had a cat's eye view of 403 00:14:36.970 --> 00:14:39.610 - what's happening. If anyone's sitting alone, you go 404 00:14:39.610 --> 00:14:41.690 - sit by that person. I mean, things like 405 00:14:41.690 --> 00:14:44.970 - that were discussed and practiced. If society chose 406 00:14:44.970 --> 00:14:46.730 - to sit in the back so they could 407 00:14:46.730 --> 00:14:48.695 - see people come in and then they could 408 00:14:48.695 --> 00:14:51.014 - go move forward and sit with them. I 409 00:14:51.014 --> 00:14:52.694 - mean, it was a real concerted effort. So 410 00:14:52.694 --> 00:14:54.054 - they start in the back of like the 411 00:14:54.054 --> 00:14:57.414 - chapel and before sacrament starts and move forward 412 00:14:57.414 --> 00:14:58.714 - if need be. Yeah. 413 00:14:59.095 --> 00:15:01.014 - So anyway, anyway, they've, I think of all 414 00:15:01.014 --> 00:15:02.075 - the things that 415 00:15:02.450 --> 00:15:04.549 - culture that was created early on 416 00:15:05.090 --> 00:15:07.090 - has made it a place where people want 417 00:15:07.090 --> 00:15:09.649 - to just come and be. Mhmm. And so, 418 00:15:09.649 --> 00:15:11.570 - you know, today, we're about a 100 active 419 00:15:11.570 --> 00:15:14.789 - members. Average attendance is probably 75 on Sundays, 420 00:15:15.404 --> 00:15:17.485 - but it's a completely different group than we 421 00:15:17.485 --> 00:15:19.084 - had five years ago or even a year 422 00:15:19.084 --> 00:15:21.245 - ago. Mhmm. A lot of people have come 423 00:15:21.245 --> 00:15:22.524 - through there. We've seen about, 424 00:15:23.004 --> 00:15:24.384 - a little over 50 baptisms, 425 00:15:24.845 --> 00:15:27.884 - about 60 people that have been reactivated after 426 00:15:27.884 --> 00:15:28.945 - many years away. 427 00:15:29.470 --> 00:15:31.230 - Most Sundays, we have, you know, four or 428 00:15:31.230 --> 00:15:33.250 - five nonmembers who are in attendance. 429 00:15:33.629 --> 00:15:35.710 - And I think it's this culture that has 430 00:15:35.710 --> 00:15:38.190 - made it a place where people feel so 431 00:15:38.190 --> 00:15:41.649 - safe and welcomed and want want it. Yeah. 432 00:15:41.795 --> 00:15:43.715 - So is there anything else as far as 433 00:15:43.715 --> 00:15:46.434 - the the establishment of the culture? You know, 434 00:15:46.434 --> 00:15:48.915 - obviously, gathering sort of that leadership group where 435 00:15:48.915 --> 00:15:49.415 - everybody 436 00:15:49.955 --> 00:15:51.475 - has buy in and they're, you know, they 437 00:15:51.715 --> 00:15:53.634 - and asking them, what would this look like? 438 00:15:53.634 --> 00:15:55.394 - Right? Getting their feedback. But is there anything 439 00:15:55.394 --> 00:15:57.480 - else as far as just establishing it so 440 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:59.019 - it can begin to get momentum? 441 00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:01.080 - I think there's a a number of things 442 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:01.580 - we 443 00:16:02.040 --> 00:16:05.080 - do started doing that just made it a 444 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:07.500 - a different feeling than anything else they'd experienced 445 00:16:07.560 --> 00:16:08.060 - before. 446 00:16:10.725 --> 00:16:12.725 - Linger longer once a month. Yeah. But we 447 00:16:12.725 --> 00:16:14.884 - also have dinner at our house every almost 448 00:16:14.884 --> 00:16:17.125 - every single Sunday night where we'll bring in 449 00:16:17.125 --> 00:16:19.524 - 10 to 15 of the YSAs. And and 450 00:16:19.524 --> 00:16:21.445 - we're very thoughtful about who we try to 451 00:16:21.445 --> 00:16:23.544 - bring in to try to build some 452 00:16:23.850 --> 00:16:26.809 - friendships on Sunday night. Oftentimes, there's there's so 453 00:16:26.809 --> 00:16:29.709 - many that we can't fit around the table 454 00:16:29.850 --> 00:16:31.450 - that they're sitting at. So we're off at 455 00:16:31.450 --> 00:16:33.129 - a side table, and we just sit there 456 00:16:33.129 --> 00:16:35.389 - and listen to the happy chatter 457 00:16:36.009 --> 00:16:36.687 - and the friendships being formed and the loving 458 00:16:36.687 --> 00:16:36.951 - and supporting of each other. And we just 459 00:16:36.951 --> 00:16:37.789 - smile. It's it's like music, 460 00:16:38.975 --> 00:16:40.434 - supporting of each other and 461 00:16:40.894 --> 00:16:42.975 - we just smile. It's it's like music to 462 00:16:42.975 --> 00:16:45.295 - our ears. We do some other interesting things, 463 00:16:45.295 --> 00:16:47.855 - you know, at Christmas time, we take one 464 00:16:47.855 --> 00:16:50.415 - Sunday during the month of December and we 465 00:16:50.415 --> 00:16:52.014 - clear out all the furniture of our home 466 00:16:52.014 --> 00:16:53.795 - and we turn our home into a chapel. 467 00:16:56.449 --> 00:16:58.549 - Everybody comes in. And then after the meeting, 468 00:16:58.769 --> 00:17:00.610 - we clear all the chairs and everything and 469 00:17:00.610 --> 00:17:03.169 - set up tables and sister Beck with help 470 00:17:03.169 --> 00:17:05.569 - from many friends. So is this your do 471 00:17:05.569 --> 00:17:06.944 - you have a SACRAM meeting Yes. In your 472 00:17:06.944 --> 00:17:09.125 - home? Okay. I see. For during that Christmas. 473 00:17:09.265 --> 00:17:11.345 - It's sort of it's usually the first Sunday 474 00:17:11.345 --> 00:17:13.265 - of December to kick off the Christmas season. 475 00:17:13.265 --> 00:17:15.585 - Okay. It's Christmas at the Beck's house, and 476 00:17:15.585 --> 00:17:17.105 - we usually get a great turnout. I got 477 00:17:17.184 --> 00:17:20.164 - that meeting always has more than a typical 478 00:17:20.670 --> 00:17:23.789 - because after after sacrament meeting, we have Christmas 479 00:17:23.789 --> 00:17:26.110 - dinner together. You know, that's a tradition that 480 00:17:26.110 --> 00:17:29.309 - the YSA just truly love. And and and 481 00:17:29.309 --> 00:17:31.950 - chance to get them together. We maybe just 482 00:17:31.950 --> 00:17:32.930 - try to create 483 00:17:33.309 --> 00:17:35.835 - times to spend together any chance we get. 484 00:17:35.914 --> 00:17:37.434 - Yeah. There is sort of a you know, 485 00:17:37.434 --> 00:17:39.914 - obviously, we gather on Sundays. It's you know, 486 00:17:39.914 --> 00:17:41.755 - it's a meeting. It's more formal meeting. And, 487 00:17:41.755 --> 00:17:43.774 - you know, that's great. But to be intentional, 488 00:17:43.835 --> 00:17:44.734 - look other ways 489 00:17:45.115 --> 00:17:47.835 - to gather individuals is really can set the 490 00:17:47.835 --> 00:17:50.180 - tone. Right? Yeah. Sister Betty came up with 491 00:17:50.180 --> 00:17:53.299 - this idea called Friday night hangouts where once 492 00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:55.460 - a month, just somebody who's got a large 493 00:17:55.460 --> 00:17:57.220 - enough house, they don't even have to be 494 00:17:57.220 --> 00:17:59.559 - affiliated with our branch. Just someone we know 495 00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:03.559 - opens up their home. Nothing's planned. Just YSA 496 00:18:03.619 --> 00:18:05.845 - come and hang out. And we hear from 497 00:18:05.845 --> 00:18:08.164 - the families who host these. They love it. 498 00:18:08.164 --> 00:18:09.845 - Yeah. And the YSA love it. And it's 499 00:18:09.845 --> 00:18:11.204 - just a chance to, you know, to get 500 00:18:11.204 --> 00:18:11.704 - together. 501 00:18:12.005 --> 00:18:13.525 - Another thing we do that's a little bit 502 00:18:13.525 --> 00:18:15.224 - different is for baptisms. 503 00:18:16.085 --> 00:18:18.724 - We almost always have baptisms during the second 504 00:18:18.724 --> 00:18:19.544 - hour of church. 505 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:22.080 - So instead of It gets a big no 506 00:18:22.080 --> 00:18:22.820 - no technically. 507 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:25.380 - We won't tell anybody. Okay? 508 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:28.160 - I did get permission from our stake president. 509 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.320 - That's good. That's true. He's a wonderful guy. 510 00:18:30.320 --> 00:18:32.080 - He he always whenever I ask for to 511 00:18:32.080 --> 00:18:34.434 - do something weird or different, he's like, you 512 00:18:34.434 --> 00:18:35.974 - are the YSA. Go ahead. 513 00:18:36.514 --> 00:18:37.954 - And, that's what he said when I asked, 514 00:18:37.954 --> 00:18:39.554 - can we just do this? But you've got 515 00:18:39.554 --> 00:18:41.875 - the entire branch there. And, yes, we go 516 00:18:41.875 --> 00:18:43.315 - to a priesthood meeting. Yes. We go to 517 00:18:43.315 --> 00:18:45.154 - Sunday school. But what could be better than 518 00:18:45.154 --> 00:18:47.414 - a baptism? Let's go to a baptism. Yeah. 519 00:18:47.509 --> 00:18:49.110 - I have gotten a little pushback from our 520 00:18:49.110 --> 00:18:51.910 - early study president lately. Like, we're sometimes we 521 00:18:51.910 --> 00:18:53.590 - get in these periods where we're baptizing, you 522 00:18:53.590 --> 00:18:55.910 - know, every three or four weeks. And she's 523 00:18:55.910 --> 00:18:57.269 - like, we gotta have for at least a 524 00:18:57.269 --> 00:18:58.170 - society sometime. 525 00:18:58.549 --> 00:18:59.049 - But, 526 00:18:59.590 --> 00:19:00.974 - we do have a lot of our baptisms 527 00:19:00.974 --> 00:19:02.414 - on second hour just because I think it 528 00:19:02.414 --> 00:19:04.015 - gets the whole branch right there to welcome 529 00:19:04.015 --> 00:19:06.494 - the new member. Yeah. Right right there. So 530 00:19:06.494 --> 00:19:08.414 - you just announced the sacrament meeting, hey. We're 531 00:19:08.575 --> 00:19:10.914 - we have a baptism today, and then everybody 532 00:19:11.214 --> 00:19:14.414 - files into the baptismal font room or whatever. 533 00:19:14.414 --> 00:19:16.869 - Right? Yeah. We gather it. It sometimes it's 534 00:19:16.869 --> 00:19:18.230 - in the chapel, sometimes it's in the early 535 00:19:18.230 --> 00:19:21.130 - society room, but, yeah, we have you know, 536 00:19:21.269 --> 00:19:23.450 - we go right into the baptism right afterwards. 537 00:19:23.830 --> 00:19:25.190 - I'll tell you a funny story. One time, 538 00:19:25.190 --> 00:19:26.950 - it was about six months ago, we had 539 00:19:26.950 --> 00:19:28.390 - a guy who'd only been a member for 540 00:19:28.390 --> 00:19:29.130 - a few months 541 00:19:29.605 --> 00:19:32.724 - baptizing someone else. And so it's, obviously for 542 00:19:32.724 --> 00:19:34.164 - the person being baptized, it was his first 543 00:19:34.164 --> 00:19:36.404 - time. And for the baptizer, it was also 544 00:19:36.404 --> 00:19:37.865 - his his first time baptizing, 545 00:19:38.244 --> 00:19:40.325 - probably the second baptism he'd ever been at. 546 00:19:40.325 --> 00:19:42.264 - But we're all gathering together, 547 00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:44.599 - waiting for these guys to show up in 548 00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:46.039 - their whites, you know, so we can start 549 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:46.700 - the meeting. 550 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:48.919 - And the sister missionaries come up to me 551 00:19:48.919 --> 00:19:50.299 - and say, we have a problem. 552 00:19:50.679 --> 00:19:53.240 - The two brothers are actually standing in the 553 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:54.940 - font, waist high in water, 554 00:19:55.465 --> 00:19:57.545 - ready to go. Oh, they're they jumped the 555 00:19:57.545 --> 00:19:59.065 - gun a little bit. They totally jumped the 556 00:19:59.065 --> 00:20:01.945 - gun. So I turned to the, branch mission 557 00:20:01.945 --> 00:20:03.225 - leader and said, what do you think we 558 00:20:03.225 --> 00:20:05.465 - should do? And he said, I guess we'll 559 00:20:05.465 --> 00:20:06.664 - just all need to go in there and 560 00:20:06.664 --> 00:20:07.829 - have an opening prayer. 561 00:20:08.869 --> 00:20:10.950 - Oh my goodness. We just said, every go 562 00:20:10.950 --> 00:20:13.130 - to the font, we had an opening prayer, 563 00:20:13.269 --> 00:20:14.250 - we had the baptism, 564 00:20:14.789 --> 00:20:16.470 - then we all went back to the chapel, 565 00:20:16.470 --> 00:20:18.309 - then had the rest of the meeting. Oh, 566 00:20:18.309 --> 00:20:20.309 - wow. And it worked out great. Yes. But 567 00:20:20.309 --> 00:20:22.194 - I just love that they were so excited 568 00:20:22.194 --> 00:20:24.514 - to do the baptism. They forgot we had 569 00:20:24.514 --> 00:20:25.394 - a little bit of, 570 00:20:25.954 --> 00:20:29.394 - opening exercises. That's awesome. That's really good. Anything 571 00:20:29.394 --> 00:20:31.554 - else as far as establishing culture, the culture 572 00:20:31.554 --> 00:20:34.434 - of the of the branch, or anything else 573 00:20:34.434 --> 00:20:36.769 - coming in? You know, this is nothing that 574 00:20:36.769 --> 00:20:39.429 - we did, but just from the get go, 575 00:20:39.809 --> 00:20:41.589 - their testimony meetings 576 00:20:42.130 --> 00:20:42.869 - are unbelievable. 577 00:20:43.569 --> 00:20:44.069 - They're 578 00:20:44.450 --> 00:20:45.589 - so raw 579 00:20:45.970 --> 00:20:46.710 - and honest. 580 00:20:47.089 --> 00:20:48.710 - I'll be honest. I was a little uncomfortable 581 00:20:48.849 --> 00:20:51.575 - at first, like, oh, you know, thinking, oh, 582 00:20:51.575 --> 00:20:53.195 - no, you're oversharing, you know? 583 00:20:54.134 --> 00:20:55.815 - You know, my growing up and in a 584 00:20:55.815 --> 00:20:58.375 - typical ward, I've never seen people bear their 585 00:20:58.375 --> 00:21:01.174 - soul like that. And I love it now, 586 00:21:01.174 --> 00:21:02.934 - you know, and it doesn't make me uncomfortable 587 00:21:02.934 --> 00:21:04.715 - in the slightest now, but 588 00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:07.079 - it was just part of that culture 589 00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:11.059 - that you can say you can be who 590 00:21:11.059 --> 00:21:12.599 - you are. You can say anything, 591 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.079 - and we love you. And 592 00:21:15.619 --> 00:21:16.679 - you should be comfortable 593 00:21:17.464 --> 00:21:20.184 - sharing all of your secrets if you want. 594 00:21:20.184 --> 00:21:22.765 - You know? And and they do. And 595 00:21:23.144 --> 00:21:23.644 - it's 596 00:21:24.105 --> 00:21:25.884 - just been phenomenal as 597 00:21:26.184 --> 00:21:29.164 - an old person to see this happen. And 598 00:21:29.659 --> 00:21:32.460 - I think, gosh, they have it right. I 599 00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:34.940 - wish that this was church wide. Just the 600 00:21:34.940 --> 00:21:35.440 - honesty 601 00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:36.640 - helps 602 00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:38.480 - others. You know, it builds 603 00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:41.179 - your testimony. You and you see the change 604 00:21:41.179 --> 00:21:43.019 - in them and what the gospel does for 605 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:43.759 - them and 606 00:21:44.255 --> 00:21:46.894 - how being vulnerable allows other people to help 607 00:21:46.894 --> 00:21:49.134 - them and serve them and and love on 608 00:21:49.134 --> 00:21:51.455 - them and get up and say, you know 609 00:21:51.455 --> 00:21:53.555 - what? You know, whoever it was, 610 00:21:53.934 --> 00:21:56.015 - I feel that way too, or I've had 611 00:21:56.015 --> 00:21:58.589 - something like that. And it just has created 612 00:21:58.649 --> 00:22:00.750 - such a culture of sharing 613 00:22:01.690 --> 00:22:04.009 - and really knowing each other. And I think 614 00:22:04.009 --> 00:22:04.829 - that's been 615 00:22:05.130 --> 00:22:07.630 - part of the success of the branch. Yeah. 616 00:22:07.690 --> 00:22:10.089 - Is there anything specific that stimulated that or 617 00:22:10.089 --> 00:22:12.589 - it's just people feeling more comfortable and 618 00:22:12.894 --> 00:22:14.434 - and opening up in that culture? 619 00:22:14.815 --> 00:22:17.394 - I don't know if it's anything that anybody 620 00:22:17.535 --> 00:22:18.035 - ever 621 00:22:18.734 --> 00:22:19.234 - intentionally 622 00:22:20.255 --> 00:22:23.054 - did. I think just maybe giving them their 623 00:22:23.054 --> 00:22:26.035 - space Yeah. And having it be their own. 624 00:22:26.529 --> 00:22:27.910 - Yeah. Like, framework. 625 00:22:28.289 --> 00:22:29.569 - I think there were a few of our 626 00:22:29.569 --> 00:22:30.069 - our 627 00:22:30.529 --> 00:22:32.710 - first group of young single adult leaders. 628 00:22:33.089 --> 00:22:35.329 - One, you know, was had come home early 629 00:22:35.329 --> 00:22:37.190 - from his mission. Then I remember 630 00:22:37.730 --> 00:22:39.650 - the very first priesthood meeting. He he was 631 00:22:39.650 --> 00:22:41.509 - called to be the Dallas Quorum president, 632 00:22:42.144 --> 00:22:44.625 - and he was very authentic about how he 633 00:22:44.625 --> 00:22:45.684 - felt about that. 634 00:22:46.065 --> 00:22:47.744 - And he felt, you know, there were some 635 00:22:47.744 --> 00:22:50.224 - feelings he he just shared very openly with 636 00:22:50.224 --> 00:22:50.724 - everyone. 637 00:22:51.025 --> 00:22:52.644 - There were a few others who I think 638 00:22:52.704 --> 00:22:54.704 - were good at setting the example. Like, I'm 639 00:22:54.704 --> 00:22:56.164 - going to be authentic, 640 00:22:56.529 --> 00:22:58.950 - and then we created this culture of safety. 641 00:22:59.170 --> 00:23:01.190 - I think we also tried to be authentic. 642 00:23:01.490 --> 00:23:04.090 - And then we always talk about not just 643 00:23:04.289 --> 00:23:06.450 - I mean, the testimonies are are about, yeah, 644 00:23:06.450 --> 00:23:08.150 - I'm struggling with this issue. 645 00:23:08.464 --> 00:23:09.605 - They always come back 646 00:23:10.144 --> 00:23:12.224 - to how relying on the atonement of Jesus 647 00:23:12.224 --> 00:23:13.285 - Christ made a difference. 648 00:23:13.744 --> 00:23:16.144 - I think as each person hears that testimony, 649 00:23:16.144 --> 00:23:16.644 - then 650 00:23:16.945 --> 00:23:19.025 - that sparks something in them to get up 651 00:23:19.025 --> 00:23:21.505 - and talk about how their relationship with Jesus 652 00:23:21.505 --> 00:23:24.070 - Christ made a difference for them. Yeah. Really 653 00:23:24.070 --> 00:23:26.070 - interesting. Love to hear it. Tell me about 654 00:23:26.070 --> 00:23:27.369 - this as far as the belonging 655 00:23:27.670 --> 00:23:30.549 - leading to significant burden on on leaders Yeah. 656 00:23:30.710 --> 00:23:32.009 - Or on leadership. Okay. 657 00:23:32.549 --> 00:23:35.670 - So, you know, the diversity in this branch 658 00:23:35.670 --> 00:23:38.454 - is quite remarkable. I mean, I think, I 659 00:23:38.454 --> 00:23:40.054 - would say that at least half of the 660 00:23:40.054 --> 00:23:40.554 - congregation 661 00:23:41.095 --> 00:23:41.595 - is 662 00:23:41.894 --> 00:23:43.515 - ethnically or racially diverse. 663 00:23:44.454 --> 00:23:44.954 - Socioeconomically, 664 00:23:45.734 --> 00:23:48.054 - we have we've had or do have people 665 00:23:48.054 --> 00:23:48.554 - who 666 00:23:48.950 --> 00:23:50.710 - have worked at big banks like, you know, 667 00:23:50.710 --> 00:23:52.710 - Goldman Sachs. We have a guy working at 668 00:23:52.710 --> 00:23:55.690 - Vanguard right now. We also have people who 669 00:23:55.990 --> 00:23:57.589 - at the moment but when we first meet 670 00:23:57.589 --> 00:23:59.369 - them, they're living in a car, 671 00:23:59.670 --> 00:24:01.589 - and they don't have a job, and they're 672 00:24:01.589 --> 00:24:02.809 - struggling and 673 00:24:03.274 --> 00:24:05.355 - have quite a few who live at home 674 00:24:05.355 --> 00:24:07.274 - still, and they might be in their mid 675 00:24:07.274 --> 00:24:08.575 - to late twenties and still 676 00:24:08.875 --> 00:24:09.534 - have not 677 00:24:09.835 --> 00:24:11.835 - reached a point in their lives where they 678 00:24:11.835 --> 00:24:12.575 - can be independent. 679 00:24:13.274 --> 00:24:15.835 - We have quite a few with, anxiety or 680 00:24:15.835 --> 00:24:18.369 - depression issues. We have a fair number that 681 00:24:18.369 --> 00:24:20.769 - are special needs, whether it be something like 682 00:24:20.769 --> 00:24:22.869 - being on the out autism spectrum. 683 00:24:23.329 --> 00:24:24.710 - So it's just this really 684 00:24:25.089 --> 00:24:26.150 - broad diversity, 685 00:24:27.089 --> 00:24:29.089 - which coming back to this idea of the 686 00:24:29.089 --> 00:24:30.789 - unity and love in this award, 687 00:24:31.105 --> 00:24:33.065 - in this branch is just amazing because it 688 00:24:33.105 --> 00:24:35.345 - it's there's not a bunch of homogeneous people 689 00:24:35.345 --> 00:24:38.244 - at all. Mhmm. But because of all those 690 00:24:38.304 --> 00:24:39.204 - different backgrounds, 691 00:24:39.825 --> 00:24:40.804 - I found myself 692 00:24:41.424 --> 00:24:43.505 - spending hours and hours and hours and hours 693 00:24:43.505 --> 00:24:44.005 - counseling 694 00:24:44.380 --> 00:24:46.220 - with YSA who wanted to talk to their 695 00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:49.419 - vice president about their anxiety, about getting ready 696 00:24:49.419 --> 00:24:52.159 - for a mission, about whatever it is. But 697 00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:54.220 - there just were not enough this just was 698 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:56.299 - not enough time. You know, Adrian and I, 699 00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:58.700 - we own two businesses in North Carolina. I'm 700 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:00.755 - on the board of directors of three large 701 00:25:00.755 --> 00:25:03.474 - multibillion companies. I I mean, even even if 702 00:25:03.474 --> 00:25:05.794 - I didn't do anything but branch president, which 703 00:25:05.794 --> 00:25:08.355 - I'd love that. Right. There would not have 704 00:25:08.355 --> 00:25:10.514 - been enough time. Yeah. And so as I 705 00:25:10.514 --> 00:25:12.755 - was struggling, I had one young YSA in 706 00:25:12.755 --> 00:25:15.840 - particular who who basically was asking for, you 707 00:25:15.840 --> 00:25:18.559 - know, two hours sessions three days a week. 708 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.720 - Just one. And it felt that's what this 709 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:22.880 - person needed, and he he he probably was 710 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:24.960 - right. As I was praying about him, I 711 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:26.799 - just a a man's name came in my 712 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:28.160 - mind, someone I did not know very well 713 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.134 - on the stake. And I called the stake 714 00:25:30.134 --> 00:25:31.975 - president and got permission to reach out and 715 00:25:31.975 --> 00:25:33.654 - and just say, can can I ask this 716 00:25:33.654 --> 00:25:34.154 - brother 717 00:25:34.535 --> 00:25:35.035 - to 718 00:25:35.495 --> 00:25:38.055 - spend in, you know, serious amounts of time 719 00:25:38.055 --> 00:25:39.195 - with this one YSA? 720 00:25:39.735 --> 00:25:41.735 - And then we had another situation that was, 721 00:25:42.134 --> 00:25:44.919 - somebody who literally just, when they were days 722 00:25:44.919 --> 00:25:45.899 - old, had been 723 00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:47.419 - given away 724 00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:50.279 - to a family member. So their his own 725 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:51.980 - parents didn't want him. He had a rough 726 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:54.279 - childhood and and had gone through a very 727 00:25:54.279 --> 00:25:54.779 - rough 728 00:25:55.159 --> 00:25:57.079 - patch, had left the church for a number 729 00:25:57.079 --> 00:25:59.285 - of years, was just coming back to us, 730 00:25:59.285 --> 00:25:59.785 - mostly 731 00:26:00.164 --> 00:26:02.184 - kind of a a sense of desperation. 732 00:26:02.884 --> 00:26:04.805 - And I I looked at how much effort 733 00:26:04.805 --> 00:26:06.105 - this was going to be, 734 00:26:06.484 --> 00:26:09.605 - and I asked, another brother a mistake if 735 00:26:09.605 --> 00:26:12.079 - they would. Then we had a young man 736 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.579 - who 737 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:14.659 - applied for a job, got the job. 738 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:17.139 - And then when it got to HR, 739 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:19.200 - was told he couldn't have the job because 740 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:20.819 - he had dropped out of high school. 741 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:23.220 - And Adrian helped this individual, 742 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:25.599 - not only with the GED, but helped him 743 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:28.315 - with getting into some trade schools and, and 744 00:26:28.315 --> 00:26:29.454 - get some other skills. 745 00:26:29.914 --> 00:26:32.474 - So after these three experiences, in all three 746 00:26:32.474 --> 00:26:35.194 - cases, tremendous progress was made, more progress than 747 00:26:35.194 --> 00:26:36.734 - if I had been trying to do it. 748 00:26:36.954 --> 00:26:38.795 - And then I looked and said, there's 30 749 00:26:38.795 --> 00:26:41.375 - more that need this kind of help. Yeah. 750 00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:44.019 - And, you know, in in counseling with our 751 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:46.599 - branch council, with our our stake high councilor, 752 00:26:46.659 --> 00:26:49.299 - with sister Beck, we came up with this 753 00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:51.159 - idea of a mentoring program 754 00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:53.240 - that would be a little bit more organized 755 00:26:54.174 --> 00:26:56.815 - and identified about 30 to 35 756 00:26:56.815 --> 00:26:58.734 - of the members of the branch who we 757 00:26:58.734 --> 00:27:00.115 - felt could benefit 758 00:27:00.654 --> 00:27:02.835 - from having a an assigned mentor. 759 00:27:03.295 --> 00:27:05.315 - This is a little bit different than ministering. 760 00:27:05.375 --> 00:27:07.714 - The ministering is what's happening within the branch 761 00:27:07.960 --> 00:27:11.000 - between branch members. Mhmm. This is reaching outside 762 00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:11.580 - the branch 763 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:14.460 - to people in other units in the stake 764 00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:17.000 - who maybe have a little extra time. Maybe 765 00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:19.400 - their own children have moved, you know, moved 766 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:19.900 - out, 767 00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:23.095 - but who, you know, are wonderful parents or 768 00:27:23.095 --> 00:27:24.315 - successful in their careers 769 00:27:24.695 --> 00:27:26.634 - or maybe even have specialized training. 770 00:27:27.015 --> 00:27:30.695 - And prayerfully matching up a mentor with someone 771 00:27:30.695 --> 00:27:31.434 - in the branch 772 00:27:31.815 --> 00:27:34.769 - and providing that person that branch member with 773 00:27:34.930 --> 00:27:36.630 - just a a very focused 774 00:27:37.490 --> 00:27:39.410 - support system that they may not have. 775 00:27:39.809 --> 00:27:42.049 - Initially, when I asked the first three, you 776 00:27:42.049 --> 00:27:44.049 - know, to to be mentors, I I had 777 00:27:44.049 --> 00:27:45.890 - said to them, please meet with this person 778 00:27:45.890 --> 00:27:47.349 - twice a week at a minimum. 779 00:27:47.994 --> 00:27:50.315 - And, we just you know, it's it's been 780 00:27:50.315 --> 00:27:52.954 - interesting. We I would say about a third 781 00:27:52.954 --> 00:27:56.654 - of these have gone nowhere. They've failed, 782 00:27:57.274 --> 00:27:58.095 - these pairings. 783 00:27:58.714 --> 00:28:00.394 - About a third have been really good, have 784 00:28:00.394 --> 00:28:03.034 - made a difference, changed the trajectory of someone's 785 00:28:03.034 --> 00:28:05.210 - life. And then about a third have just 786 00:28:05.210 --> 00:28:06.109 - been miraculous, 787 00:28:06.730 --> 00:28:09.389 - where I believe, you know, eternal friendships 788 00:28:09.690 --> 00:28:12.649 - Yeah. Have been forged. And, you know, it 789 00:28:12.730 --> 00:28:14.970 - it's a bond, you know, probably second only 790 00:28:14.970 --> 00:28:16.409 - to the bond between a parent and a 791 00:28:16.409 --> 00:28:18.409 - child, but it's very close to that. Yeah. 792 00:28:18.409 --> 00:28:19.309 - And it's just 793 00:28:19.664 --> 00:28:20.884 - beautiful to see. 794 00:28:21.345 --> 00:28:24.485 - And, the impact that we've made on 20 795 00:28:24.705 --> 00:28:27.105 - lives is, you know, that the mentors have 796 00:28:27.105 --> 00:28:29.045 - made Yeah. 20 lives is just incredible. 797 00:28:29.424 --> 00:28:31.184 - So this is huge because, you know, I 798 00:28:31.424 --> 00:28:34.630 - you know, the traditional non YSA bishop or 799 00:28:34.630 --> 00:28:36.950 - branch president I mean, the burden of meeting 800 00:28:36.950 --> 00:28:39.830 - with individuals and appointment schedules can get pretty 801 00:28:39.830 --> 00:28:41.610 - heavy, but every YSA, 802 00:28:42.390 --> 00:28:43.529 - you know, single adult 803 00:28:43.830 --> 00:28:45.910 - branch president or bishop that I talk to 804 00:28:45.910 --> 00:28:48.714 - is, like, crippling, you know, just so heavy. 805 00:28:49.335 --> 00:28:50.855 - And the demand is so high and your 806 00:28:50.855 --> 00:28:52.375 - heart just breaks because you're like, I am 807 00:28:52.375 --> 00:28:53.355 - but one man. 808 00:28:53.894 --> 00:28:55.575 - There's not enough time at on the the 809 00:28:55.575 --> 00:28:57.654 - calendar. And and sometimes it can be I 810 00:28:57.654 --> 00:28:59.595 - hear some spending almost daily, 811 00:28:59.899 --> 00:29:02.139 - you know, or every evening at the church 812 00:29:02.139 --> 00:29:03.419 - trying to stay up with it all. And 813 00:29:03.419 --> 00:29:05.440 - so I think this is something to really 814 00:29:05.899 --> 00:29:07.359 - consider and learn from. 815 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:10.319 - So maybe, like, give us a typical scenario. 816 00:29:10.380 --> 00:29:13.599 - Like, somebody's struggling with something. It could be, 817 00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:14.319 - I mean, 818 00:29:14.664 --> 00:29:17.644 - worthiness related, could be addiction related, could be 819 00:29:17.865 --> 00:29:19.424 - job related. I I mean and they come 820 00:29:19.545 --> 00:29:21.305 - they send them an appointment and say, I 821 00:29:21.305 --> 00:29:23.144 - need help or I need to confess something 822 00:29:23.144 --> 00:29:25.484 - or walk us through a typical scenario. Yeah. 823 00:29:25.865 --> 00:29:27.724 - In the training we gave to the mentors, 824 00:29:27.944 --> 00:29:30.025 - we actually had the training was primarily conducted 825 00:29:30.025 --> 00:29:32.980 - by the Relief Society president and Eldersborn president. 826 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.720 - But one of the things that we we 827 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:37.679 - did explain was if someone starts to confess 828 00:29:37.679 --> 00:29:39.619 - something, please tell them to stop 829 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:42.480 - and come see me. That I'm I'm the 830 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.919 - only one with the keys that can help 831 00:29:43.919 --> 00:29:46.154 - with that. But so many of these 832 00:29:46.615 --> 00:29:49.994 - wonderful YSA are struggling with other things that 833 00:29:50.134 --> 00:29:51.994 - anyone could help. And in 834 00:29:52.375 --> 00:29:54.615 - most cases, there's someone better than me that 835 00:29:54.615 --> 00:29:56.855 - can help them with it. Mhmm. And so 836 00:29:56.855 --> 00:29:57.355 - maybe, 837 00:29:57.734 --> 00:30:00.140 - Adrian, there's a couple of examples you could 838 00:30:00.140 --> 00:30:00.880 - think about. 839 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:03.500 - Maybe some of them, the nurses that we've 840 00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.240 - worked with 841 00:30:04.539 --> 00:30:05.839 - or some weren't necessarily 842 00:30:06.220 --> 00:30:08.220 - long term like we had a couple of 843 00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:10.460 - young ladies that were going through the CNA 844 00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:12.195 - program and needed coaching 845 00:30:12.894 --> 00:30:15.455 - and needed someone to practice on needed someone 846 00:30:15.455 --> 00:30:17.455 - who knew what they were doing. So we 847 00:30:17.455 --> 00:30:19.055 - have this great lady in our stake is 848 00:30:19.055 --> 00:30:21.215 - a nurse, and she stepped in twice now 849 00:30:21.215 --> 00:30:22.674 - to help two different 850 00:30:23.055 --> 00:30:24.994 - YSA's help pass their CNA. 851 00:30:25.529 --> 00:30:27.309 - So that was a short term one, 852 00:30:27.769 --> 00:30:29.470 - but, you know, we've had 853 00:30:30.170 --> 00:30:31.150 - just people 854 00:30:31.450 --> 00:30:33.230 - become a second parent 855 00:30:33.930 --> 00:30:35.150 - to some of these YSA 856 00:30:35.930 --> 00:30:36.430 - and, 857 00:30:37.529 --> 00:30:39.744 - figure out, okay, what is it that they 858 00:30:39.744 --> 00:30:41.105 - need? Do you know, do they need help 859 00:30:41.105 --> 00:30:43.345 - finding a job? Do they need help getting 860 00:30:43.345 --> 00:30:44.805 - scholarships for school? 861 00:30:45.184 --> 00:30:46.464 - Do they need to learn how to drive 862 00:30:46.464 --> 00:30:47.984 - a car? I mean, we've had all of 863 00:30:47.984 --> 00:30:48.805 - these situations, 864 00:30:49.184 --> 00:30:52.325 - you know, and have had old people 865 00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:53.960 - help them out and 866 00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:57.140 - just take these YSA under their wing and 867 00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:58.900 - really change their lives. Now I will say 868 00:30:58.900 --> 00:30:59.799 - that it takes 869 00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:02.920 - both wanting it. Some of our YSA just 870 00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:05.000 - never would respond to their 871 00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:08.484 - mentor that was assigned to them. And, you 872 00:31:08.484 --> 00:31:10.085 - know, we just figured, well, I guess they're 873 00:31:10.085 --> 00:31:12.804 - not feeling that they need it. And so 874 00:31:12.804 --> 00:31:15.044 - it does take both wanting to do it, 875 00:31:15.044 --> 00:31:16.585 - the mentor and the mentee. 876 00:31:17.044 --> 00:31:19.125 - Well, let me ask you this question. So 877 00:31:19.125 --> 00:31:22.585 - how many mentors on average are you having 878 00:31:23.009 --> 00:31:24.549 - involved in in the branch? 879 00:31:25.250 --> 00:31:27.330 - I don't actually know that number right now, 880 00:31:27.330 --> 00:31:28.549 - actually. It's constantly 881 00:31:28.930 --> 00:31:31.170 - adjusting, but it's between thirty and thirty five. 882 00:31:31.170 --> 00:31:34.210 - Okay. And we every six months, all the 883 00:31:34.210 --> 00:31:36.525 - mentors get together and to the direction of 884 00:31:36.585 --> 00:31:37.545 - our of our, 885 00:31:38.025 --> 00:31:39.884 - high counselor that's assigned to our branch. 886 00:31:40.184 --> 00:31:42.105 - He gets them together, and they kinda share 887 00:31:42.105 --> 00:31:44.424 - what's working, what's not working. And then at 888 00:31:44.424 --> 00:31:46.184 - that same time, about every six months, we 889 00:31:46.184 --> 00:31:48.204 - sit step back with the elders quorum president, 890 00:31:48.424 --> 00:31:49.244 - recent president, 891 00:31:49.809 --> 00:31:50.869 - sister Mac, myself, 892 00:31:51.490 --> 00:31:53.809 - and the, high councilor, and we kinda look 893 00:31:53.809 --> 00:31:55.330 - at which ones are working. Let's leave those 894 00:31:55.330 --> 00:31:58.130 - alone. Which ones maybe failed? Let's try again 895 00:31:58.130 --> 00:32:00.609 - with someone else. And then there's others where, 896 00:32:00.609 --> 00:32:02.130 - well, that guy's down a mission, and that 897 00:32:02.130 --> 00:32:04.005 - one's married. Now one's off to BYU. And, 898 00:32:04.085 --> 00:32:05.365 - yeah, you know, and there's lots of those 899 00:32:05.365 --> 00:32:06.505 - kind of stories too. 900 00:32:06.964 --> 00:32:09.285 - So, it's sort of a constantly changing, but 901 00:32:09.285 --> 00:32:11.204 - it's roughly 30 to 35 at any one 902 00:32:11.204 --> 00:32:13.444 - given time. And these individuals all come from 903 00:32:13.444 --> 00:32:15.384 - your stake? All of the mentors 904 00:32:15.765 --> 00:32:17.940 - come from our stake. Okay. Okay. Yeah. And 905 00:32:17.940 --> 00:32:20.019 - we've really tried to present it as not 906 00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:22.279 - this is another calling for you. We really 907 00:32:22.339 --> 00:32:23.400 - want it to be 908 00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:24.440 - this is 909 00:32:24.900 --> 00:32:27.380 - hopefully someone that you will feel like is 910 00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:29.380 - part of your family. Yeah. That's what we're 911 00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:30.519 - going for, and 912 00:32:30.865 --> 00:32:33.024 - we don't want it just a box to 913 00:32:33.024 --> 00:32:34.164 - check, you know, 914 00:32:34.544 --> 00:32:37.424 - we want them to understand you are changing 915 00:32:37.424 --> 00:32:39.845 - a life and this person needs you 916 00:32:40.384 --> 00:32:41.524 - and needs 917 00:32:42.224 --> 00:32:44.884 - someone to take an interest in them and, 918 00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:47.160 - and really be there and love them. Yeah. 919 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:49.740 - So it's a big ask. Yeah. 920 00:32:50.119 --> 00:32:52.359 - So I would imagine you're someone comes in, 921 00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:54.200 - meet with with you and maybe there's a 922 00:32:54.200 --> 00:32:56.440 - appointment or two, and it's obvious that maybe 923 00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:57.740 - some more support's here. 924 00:32:58.065 --> 00:32:58.565 - And 925 00:32:59.024 --> 00:33:00.944 - you make the invitation. Hey. Listen. I would 926 00:33:00.944 --> 00:33:02.464 - like to pair you up with a mentor. 927 00:33:02.464 --> 00:33:04.065 - Would you be willing to lean into that 928 00:33:04.065 --> 00:33:05.984 - type of thing? Yeah. I think this is 929 00:33:05.984 --> 00:33:07.904 - maybe an area where we learned a bit 930 00:33:07.904 --> 00:33:09.984 - of may may have made a mistake where 931 00:33:09.984 --> 00:33:11.664 - the first group, I think we've made it 932 00:33:11.664 --> 00:33:13.779 - a little too formal. Mhmm. You know, we 933 00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:15.779 - called all the mentees together. I gave it 934 00:33:15.779 --> 00:33:18.019 - a little talk about how mentors have blessed 935 00:33:18.019 --> 00:33:19.880 - my life, and having a mentor 936 00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:21.400 - just means you have potential. 937 00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:24.660 - So, you know, please lean into this. What 938 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:26.019 - we found works a little bit better would 939 00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:27.924 - be more of a casual thing like, hey, 940 00:33:27.924 --> 00:33:29.125 - Kurt. You know, you just talked to me 941 00:33:29.125 --> 00:33:31.045 - about you're really interested in changing making a 942 00:33:31.045 --> 00:33:32.105 - pivot in your career. 943 00:33:32.404 --> 00:33:34.085 - I know somebody in our state who is 944 00:33:34.085 --> 00:33:34.744 - a pilot. 945 00:33:35.045 --> 00:33:36.565 - And how would you feel about meeting with 946 00:33:36.565 --> 00:33:38.404 - them on occasion and getting some advice on 947 00:33:38.404 --> 00:33:40.679 - how to become a pilot? Oh, sounds great. 948 00:33:40.679 --> 00:33:42.359 - So it's it's that sort of thing is 949 00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:44.359 - how we do it now Yeah. As opposed 950 00:33:44.359 --> 00:33:46.759 - to this big formal meeting. Okay. Now you're 951 00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:48.919 - gonna go meet your your mentor and all. 952 00:33:48.919 --> 00:33:51.659 - We sort of made it more natural. Yeah. 953 00:33:51.955 --> 00:33:54.715 - Is it hard to deter and like, how 954 00:33:54.715 --> 00:33:57.095 - do you figure out what type of person 955 00:33:57.555 --> 00:33:59.255 - in the state can mentor? And, 956 00:33:59.555 --> 00:34:01.234 - I mean, does it how how do you 957 00:34:01.234 --> 00:34:03.315 - know which ones to pair up? So our 958 00:34:03.315 --> 00:34:05.234 - stake high councilor is kind of the liaison 959 00:34:05.234 --> 00:34:06.455 - with the stake council, 960 00:34:06.929 --> 00:34:09.170 - and they they spend especially on that first 961 00:34:09.170 --> 00:34:11.010 - point, we had to get 30 going all 962 00:34:11.010 --> 00:34:11.670 - at once. 963 00:34:12.130 --> 00:34:13.190 - They reviewed 964 00:34:13.889 --> 00:34:14.869 - in state council 965 00:34:15.250 --> 00:34:17.510 - and provided back to us recommendations. 966 00:34:18.289 --> 00:34:20.385 - You know, we've only been in ours, where 967 00:34:20.385 --> 00:34:22.385 - we live now for ten years, and now 968 00:34:22.385 --> 00:34:23.925 - half of that has been in the YSA. 969 00:34:24.224 --> 00:34:25.664 - So we don't feel like we know everybody 970 00:34:25.664 --> 00:34:27.585 - in the state all that well. And so 971 00:34:27.585 --> 00:34:29.025 - we have leaned very hard on the state 972 00:34:29.025 --> 00:34:30.804 - council to help give us recommendations 973 00:34:31.505 --> 00:34:33.445 - of people that that would be good mentors. 974 00:34:33.585 --> 00:34:35.125 - Yeah. Interesting. So 975 00:34:35.429 --> 00:34:38.089 - you may communicate to the Stake High counselor 976 00:34:38.630 --> 00:34:40.550 - some general things that you're in need of, 977 00:34:40.550 --> 00:34:42.069 - and then he'll take you to the Stake 978 00:34:42.069 --> 00:34:44.630 - High Council and and maybe present a, hey, 979 00:34:44.630 --> 00:34:46.389 - we're looking for individuals who can help with 980 00:34:46.389 --> 00:34:47.989 - a, b, and c. And Yeah. And then 981 00:34:47.989 --> 00:34:50.329 - you get some names. Yes. Oh, that's awesome. 982 00:34:50.614 --> 00:34:52.135 - And so then you get a name, and 983 00:34:52.135 --> 00:34:53.275 - then then that person, 984 00:34:53.574 --> 00:34:55.014 - you reach out to them, they come to 985 00:34:55.014 --> 00:34:56.694 - a training. How does that work? So for 986 00:34:56.694 --> 00:34:58.234 - each one of the new mentors, 987 00:34:58.694 --> 00:35:00.714 - the stake presidency, and I decide 988 00:35:01.094 --> 00:35:03.174 - who should reach out. If it's someone I 989 00:35:03.174 --> 00:35:05.042 - don't know, it's usually gonna be a member 990 00:35:05.042 --> 00:35:06.690 - of the stake presidency that will reach out. 991 00:35:06.690 --> 00:35:08.050 - If it's somebody that I already know or 992 00:35:08.050 --> 00:35:10.390 - someone that's somehow working with the branch anyway, 993 00:35:10.929 --> 00:35:12.530 - then they'll say that I, you know, I 994 00:35:12.530 --> 00:35:14.610 - can just reach out. And now more recently, 995 00:35:14.610 --> 00:35:17.090 - our stake head counselor that's very much involved 996 00:35:17.090 --> 00:35:18.769 - in this, he's he's also doing some of 997 00:35:18.769 --> 00:35:21.335 - the reach out. But I think if anything, 998 00:35:21.635 --> 00:35:23.335 - I would convey about this is 999 00:35:23.635 --> 00:35:24.934 - we really try to 1000 00:35:25.235 --> 00:35:27.974 - follow the spirit and ask for guidance 1001 00:35:28.434 --> 00:35:30.594 - about every step of this. Like, what is 1002 00:35:30.594 --> 00:35:31.655 - it this YSA 1003 00:35:32.180 --> 00:35:35.460 - needs mentorship on? Okay. Let's get inspiration on 1004 00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:38.099 - that. Who could be the best mentor for 1005 00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:40.180 - that? Let's give inspiration on that. How do 1006 00:35:40.180 --> 00:35:42.099 - we approach the mentor? Let's get inspiration on 1007 00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:43.860 - that. So each step of the way, we're 1008 00:35:43.860 --> 00:35:45.700 - trying to trying to get some guidance so 1009 00:35:45.700 --> 00:35:47.735 - we can be led by the spirit and 1010 00:35:47.735 --> 00:35:49.414 - have this all come together. And like I 1011 00:35:49.414 --> 00:35:50.775 - said, it doesn't always, so I mean, a 1012 00:35:50.775 --> 00:35:52.614 - few of them but just to the point 1013 00:35:52.614 --> 00:35:55.175 - that, Adrian made, I think it's more on 1014 00:35:55.175 --> 00:35:57.894 - the part of the YSA not responding. I 1015 00:35:57.894 --> 00:35:59.969 - don't think we've had any mentors who agreed 1016 00:35:59.969 --> 00:36:02.210 - to mentor and did nothing. Yeah. But if 1017 00:36:02.210 --> 00:36:03.730 - you reach out two or three times, you 1018 00:36:03.730 --> 00:36:06.289 - get nothing back, it's, you know, how how 1019 00:36:06.289 --> 00:36:07.730 - much more are you gonna do? And we've 1020 00:36:07.730 --> 00:36:09.090 - had a few that just sort of fizzled 1021 00:36:09.090 --> 00:36:10.869 - that way. Yeah. So, oftentimes, 1022 00:36:11.170 --> 00:36:13.409 - if when they don't work, kinda just fizzles 1023 00:36:13.409 --> 00:36:16.114 - out, there's communication with the mentor. You may 1024 00:36:16.114 --> 00:36:18.114 - say, well, we could use your help elsewhere 1025 00:36:18.114 --> 00:36:18.614 - or 1026 00:36:18.914 --> 00:36:20.914 - let's thanks, but we tried, you know, we'll 1027 00:36:20.914 --> 00:36:22.434 - we'll go back to the drawing board type 1028 00:36:22.434 --> 00:36:23.255 - of thing. Exactly. 1029 00:36:23.554 --> 00:36:25.574 - Yeah. Interesting. Interesting. So 1030 00:36:25.969 --> 00:36:27.650 - so there and and there's not like this 1031 00:36:27.730 --> 00:36:29.969 - there's not like a solid formula. It's a 1032 00:36:29.969 --> 00:36:31.889 - lot of this let's try this. K. That 1033 00:36:31.889 --> 00:36:33.969 - didn't work. But then but you said there's 1034 00:36:33.969 --> 00:36:35.569 - a third or or greater that is like, 1035 00:36:35.569 --> 00:36:37.909 - wow. This was cool to see and witness 1036 00:36:38.210 --> 00:36:40.244 - that this connection was made. Right? Is there, 1037 00:36:40.244 --> 00:36:42.404 - like, a do you put any expectations as 1038 00:36:42.404 --> 00:36:44.484 - far as, like, a sunset to this, you 1039 00:36:44.484 --> 00:36:47.045 - know, this official mentorship thing or just, like, 1040 00:36:47.045 --> 00:36:48.964 - when it feels like it's done, it's done? 1041 00:36:48.964 --> 00:36:51.364 - Or I think it depends a little bit 1042 00:36:51.364 --> 00:36:54.824 - on the case, like sister Adrian was saying. 1043 00:36:54.989 --> 00:36:56.829 - It may be very specific around getting ready 1044 00:36:56.829 --> 00:36:59.170 - for a test or getting your driver's license. 1045 00:36:59.630 --> 00:37:02.269 - Yeah. But even in those cases, there are 1046 00:37:02.269 --> 00:37:04.530 - times when those relationships just naturally 1047 00:37:04.909 --> 00:37:06.989 - take on a life of their own. And 1048 00:37:06.989 --> 00:37:08.989 - I I mean, to me, in the very 1049 00:37:08.989 --> 00:37:09.889 - best cases, 1050 00:37:10.385 --> 00:37:12.005 - these are going to be eternal 1051 00:37:12.385 --> 00:37:12.885 - relationships. 1052 00:37:13.505 --> 00:37:15.184 - May I I last you know, a couple 1053 00:37:15.184 --> 00:37:16.784 - weeks ago, we had father say. I saw 1054 00:37:16.784 --> 00:37:19.184 - one of our our mentees bring a father's 1055 00:37:19.184 --> 00:37:20.405 - day gift to their mentor 1056 00:37:20.864 --> 00:37:23.025 - because he views that man as his father. 1057 00:37:23.025 --> 00:37:24.964 - Yeah. So many of our y say 1058 00:37:25.425 --> 00:37:28.840 - don't have two parents or some don't even 1059 00:37:28.840 --> 00:37:31.159 - have one parent that's involved in their life. 1060 00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:31.659 - So 1061 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:32.699 - imagine 1062 00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:35.159 - what it would be like for you to 1063 00:37:35.159 --> 00:37:37.159 - be alone and then all of a sudden 1064 00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:39.320 - have an old person interested in your life 1065 00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:41.054 - and wanting to be there for you and 1066 00:37:41.135 --> 00:37:43.375 - and helping you. You know, they they just 1067 00:37:43.534 --> 00:37:45.295 - a lot of them have no direction because 1068 00:37:45.295 --> 00:37:46.114 - they just don't 1069 00:37:46.414 --> 00:37:48.894 - have no one's taught them. Okay. What do 1070 00:37:48.894 --> 00:37:50.974 - I do next? Alright. I can go to 1071 00:37:50.974 --> 00:37:51.474 - college. 1072 00:37:51.855 --> 00:37:54.034 - Oh, I should get a driver's license. 1073 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:57.139 - Oh, I should get a job that actually 1074 00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:58.340 - pays me 1075 00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:01.059 - something that I can live on. You know, 1076 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:02.980 - it's kind of unbelievable 1077 00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:04.340 - sometimes how 1078 00:38:05.039 --> 00:38:05.539 - lost 1079 00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:08.204 - some of our YSA are. And I can 1080 00:38:08.204 --> 00:38:09.345 - only imagine that's 1081 00:38:09.805 --> 00:38:10.305 - worldwide. 1082 00:38:11.325 --> 00:38:12.864 - So I think 1083 00:38:13.325 --> 00:38:14.704 - this idea of 1084 00:38:15.164 --> 00:38:15.664 - asking 1085 00:38:15.965 --> 00:38:17.825 - people in the state to be mentors, 1086 00:38:18.445 --> 00:38:20.765 - and I hate even saying mentor because I 1087 00:38:20.765 --> 00:38:23.349 - really honestly believe it's so much more than 1088 00:38:23.349 --> 00:38:24.730 - that. It's really 1089 00:38:25.109 --> 00:38:28.170 - taking someone in, especially these that don't have 1090 00:38:28.309 --> 00:38:29.609 - this parental involvement, 1091 00:38:30.389 --> 00:38:33.369 - becoming a parent to them. It really is. 1092 00:38:33.829 --> 00:38:36.309 - And it's just such a need around the 1093 00:38:36.309 --> 00:38:38.414 - world. And we have people who are not 1094 00:38:38.414 --> 00:38:40.914 - members of our church that attend that we've 1095 00:38:41.135 --> 00:38:42.755 - used this program for. 1096 00:38:43.775 --> 00:38:45.614 - And, gosh, we can change the world. We 1097 00:38:45.614 --> 00:38:47.135 - really can. Yeah. You know, we can give 1098 00:38:47.135 --> 00:38:48.355 - people who have nothing, 1099 00:38:48.974 --> 00:38:49.474 - no 1100 00:38:49.934 --> 00:38:51.235 - support of any kind 1101 00:38:51.559 --> 00:38:53.400 - and give them a little taste of that 1102 00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:55.159 - for a while. Yeah. I'm just thinking my 1103 00:38:55.159 --> 00:38:57.719 - own personal, like, you know, life and where 1104 00:38:57.719 --> 00:38:59.559 - I take for granted the sort of that 1105 00:38:59.559 --> 00:39:03.179 - experience of having a stable parents. Every Sunday, 1106 00:39:03.575 --> 00:39:05.015 - I can have a home to go to. 1107 00:39:05.015 --> 00:39:07.015 - My mom's cooking a great meal. It's there. 1108 00:39:07.015 --> 00:39:09.815 - Right? And, obviously, that's a maybe more superficial 1109 00:39:09.815 --> 00:39:12.535 - thing, but sometimes I'm not as as aware 1110 00:39:12.535 --> 00:39:14.055 - of that support that I get from them. 1111 00:39:14.055 --> 00:39:16.659 - And so Mhmm. Someone comes into a a 1112 00:39:16.659 --> 00:39:17.559 - YSA branch 1113 00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:19.719 - and sees, oh, look. Like, here's 1114 00:39:20.260 --> 00:39:21.780 - a a stable figure that I can set 1115 00:39:21.780 --> 00:39:23.380 - an appointment with and get some advice, and 1116 00:39:23.380 --> 00:39:25.940 - then Yeah. That stable figure's overwhelmed. Right? And 1117 00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:29.320 - that's so stable anymore. But Basic life skills, 1118 00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:31.219 - really. Yeah. And so to really figure out 1119 00:39:31.219 --> 00:39:32.675 - a way to really plug those in is 1120 00:39:32.835 --> 00:39:34.994 - that's awesome. Really good. And I think there's 1121 00:39:34.994 --> 00:39:35.555 - a real 1122 00:39:35.954 --> 00:39:37.414 - we're seeing so many 1123 00:39:38.034 --> 00:39:39.255 - converts because 1124 00:39:39.795 --> 00:39:42.114 - they're lacking this and they find our church 1125 00:39:42.114 --> 00:39:43.574 - and they're like, woah. 1126 00:39:43.875 --> 00:39:46.514 - Wow. Yeah. This community that's here, the support 1127 00:39:46.514 --> 00:39:49.550 - that's here, it's really amazing. And it's so 1128 00:39:49.550 --> 00:39:50.050 - fun 1129 00:39:50.510 --> 00:39:51.170 - to watch 1130 00:39:51.550 --> 00:39:52.849 - someone join the church 1131 00:39:53.390 --> 00:39:54.849 - and how they blossom. 1132 00:39:55.230 --> 00:39:58.449 - Yeah. Yeah. YSA age. You know, it's amazing. 1133 00:39:59.150 --> 00:40:01.010 - Has this created any, like, additional 1134 00:40:01.405 --> 00:40:03.085 - structure or callings? Like, do you have a 1135 00:40:03.085 --> 00:40:05.485 - a mentor council, or are you able to 1136 00:40:05.485 --> 00:40:07.885 - facilitate all this with the branch council and 1137 00:40:07.885 --> 00:40:09.805 - those callings that are already there? We've not 1138 00:40:09.805 --> 00:40:12.045 - created any any new callings as a result 1139 00:40:12.045 --> 00:40:13.565 - of this. And and as I said, we 1140 00:40:13.565 --> 00:40:16.610 - still do ministering through the Yeah. Society and 1141 00:40:16.610 --> 00:40:17.430 - the elders' quorum. 1142 00:40:17.809 --> 00:40:19.890 - We have a few meetings of our branch 1143 00:40:19.890 --> 00:40:21.969 - council and branch presidency that are devoted to 1144 00:40:21.969 --> 00:40:22.469 - this, 1145 00:40:22.769 --> 00:40:25.170 - but we haven't created anything, but a new 1146 00:40:25.170 --> 00:40:26.950 - structure. Yeah. Interesting. 1147 00:40:27.375 --> 00:40:28.034 - Is there 1148 00:40:28.335 --> 00:40:29.614 - you know, you mentioned just sort of this 1149 00:40:29.614 --> 00:40:31.695 - emphasis that, obviously, you're not trying to offload 1150 00:40:31.695 --> 00:40:31.934 - your 1151 00:40:32.735 --> 00:40:34.574 - the role and the keys you have with, 1152 00:40:34.574 --> 00:40:36.414 - you know, repentance and things like that. Are 1153 00:40:36.414 --> 00:40:38.494 - there moments where, you know, you're working with 1154 00:40:38.494 --> 00:40:41.190 - somebody, but whether they're struggling with an addiction 1155 00:40:41.329 --> 00:40:43.410 - or whatever it is that you do plug 1156 00:40:43.410 --> 00:40:44.530 - in a mentor there to 1157 00:40:44.930 --> 00:40:47.489 - whether it's somebody who's gone through recovery or 1158 00:40:47.489 --> 00:40:49.410 - things like that? I don't know. Yeah. We're 1159 00:40:49.410 --> 00:40:51.809 - big fans of the healing through the savior 1160 00:40:51.809 --> 00:40:54.070 - program that we called addiction recovery. 1161 00:40:54.554 --> 00:40:56.875 - And so we one of the things that 1162 00:40:56.875 --> 00:40:58.474 - through our stake we were able to do 1163 00:40:58.474 --> 00:41:01.114 - is create a Healing Through the Savior group 1164 00:41:01.114 --> 00:41:03.514 - just for the Hemby branch, and it meets 1165 00:41:03.514 --> 00:41:05.454 - on Thursday nights after institute. 1166 00:41:05.914 --> 00:41:06.655 - And so 1167 00:41:07.070 --> 00:41:08.989 - if it's addiction, that's typically where I will 1168 00:41:08.989 --> 00:41:12.030 - refer them. It's a an empty nest couple. 1169 00:41:12.030 --> 00:41:13.969 - They're called actually as missionaries 1170 00:41:14.750 --> 00:41:17.150 - to teach and lead that group. It really 1171 00:41:17.150 --> 00:41:19.034 - will come down to the individual, though. If, 1172 00:41:19.194 --> 00:41:21.514 - you know, as as Adrian mentioned, this is 1173 00:41:21.514 --> 00:41:23.295 - a group that tends to be very transparent 1174 00:41:23.355 --> 00:41:25.514 - and authentic. And so if they're comfortable, I 1175 00:41:25.514 --> 00:41:27.534 - I would ask, are you comfortable talking about 1176 00:41:27.594 --> 00:41:29.614 - your addiction with someone else? 1177 00:41:30.074 --> 00:41:31.835 - And maybe at that point, they've already got 1178 00:41:31.835 --> 00:41:33.389 - a mentor. You know? And it's just like, 1179 00:41:33.549 --> 00:41:34.909 - I know you've been meeting, you know, with 1180 00:41:34.909 --> 00:41:36.849 - brother Smith a couple of times a week. 1181 00:41:36.909 --> 00:41:39.230 - You know? Would you be comfortable discussing with 1182 00:41:39.230 --> 00:41:41.469 - him this problem and get some advice from 1183 00:41:41.469 --> 00:41:43.069 - him? Maybe he can help you with some 1184 00:41:43.069 --> 00:41:43.569 - accountability. 1185 00:41:44.029 --> 00:41:45.489 - You could check-in with him regularly. 1186 00:41:45.934 --> 00:41:47.875 - But that would only be done with the 1187 00:41:48.014 --> 00:41:48.514 - express 1188 00:41:49.054 --> 00:41:51.855 - permission from the individual. Right. Yeah. That's really 1189 00:41:51.855 --> 00:41:52.355 - good. 1190 00:41:52.894 --> 00:41:54.514 - Anything else about 1191 00:41:55.135 --> 00:41:56.974 - the typical questions you get that that we 1192 00:41:56.974 --> 00:41:59.750 - haven't covered? Or I don't think so. Okay. 1193 00:41:59.750 --> 00:42:01.130 - Well, let me ask you this. 1194 00:42:01.429 --> 00:42:03.190 - It sounds like you got a very supportive 1195 00:42:03.190 --> 00:42:05.670 - stake presidency that Wonderful. It gives you a 1196 00:42:05.670 --> 00:42:07.670 - lot of a lot of slack to try 1197 00:42:07.670 --> 00:42:09.510 - some things. Right? Yeah. And that man, that 1198 00:42:09.510 --> 00:42:10.869 - is that goes a long way because I'm 1199 00:42:10.869 --> 00:42:12.525 - sure there's people listening being like, 1200 00:42:13.085 --> 00:42:15.344 - my stake president would never even 1201 00:42:16.125 --> 00:42:18.364 - consider the idea. You know? And, you know, 1202 00:42:18.364 --> 00:42:20.525 - that's tough and, you know, people are different 1203 00:42:20.525 --> 00:42:22.864 - and leadership is different, things like that. But 1204 00:42:23.164 --> 00:42:26.119 - anything as far as, like, getting pushback, even 1205 00:42:26.119 --> 00:42:27.880 - outside the mentor program, like, some of these 1206 00:42:27.880 --> 00:42:30.039 - other ideas, like, how do you navigate that, 1207 00:42:30.039 --> 00:42:31.800 - or have you just been blessed with some 1208 00:42:31.800 --> 00:42:33.180 - good supportive leaders? 1209 00:42:34.360 --> 00:42:36.599 - I I honestly do not think we've ever 1210 00:42:36.599 --> 00:42:38.539 - asked for anything completely unreasonable. 1211 00:42:39.724 --> 00:42:42.364 - And we've never, you know, we've never had 1212 00:42:42.364 --> 00:42:44.045 - had a situation where we've been said, no. 1213 00:42:44.045 --> 00:42:46.045 - You can't do that. Yeah. Yeah. We do 1214 00:42:46.045 --> 00:42:47.585 - have a a remarkable 1215 00:42:48.364 --> 00:42:49.485 - stake president, and, 1216 00:42:50.284 --> 00:42:52.065 - he loves the YSA dearly. 1217 00:42:52.619 --> 00:42:54.960 - And so I think they know he loves 1218 00:42:55.019 --> 00:42:55.519 - them, 1219 00:42:55.900 --> 00:42:58.059 - and he he has been supportive of everything 1220 00:42:58.059 --> 00:43:00.779 - we've wanted to try. Yeah. And, are you 1221 00:43:00.779 --> 00:43:02.219 - gonna say something, Mary? I was gonna say 1222 00:43:02.219 --> 00:43:04.859 - something. I actually listened to your podcast last 1223 00:43:04.859 --> 00:43:07.574 - week and, or from a couple weeks ago, 1224 00:43:07.894 --> 00:43:10.934 - And your guest said he had talked to 1225 00:43:10.934 --> 00:43:11.835 - elder Holland 1226 00:43:12.295 --> 00:43:12.795 - about, 1227 00:43:13.414 --> 00:43:15.014 - Hey, I want to have someone read this 1228 00:43:15.014 --> 00:43:15.514 - book, 1229 00:43:15.974 --> 00:43:17.494 - but you know, I'm not supposed to have 1230 00:43:17.494 --> 00:43:19.014 - him read anything. And he said, well, you 1231 00:43:19.014 --> 00:43:21.014 - have the keys, right? You have to, you 1232 00:43:21.014 --> 00:43:22.234 - have to turn them. 1233 00:43:22.679 --> 00:43:23.339 - And I think, 1234 00:43:24.280 --> 00:43:24.859 - you know, 1235 00:43:25.239 --> 00:43:27.000 - maybe if you have a stake president, that's 1236 00:43:27.000 --> 00:43:27.819 - more that 1237 00:43:28.199 --> 00:43:28.699 - that 1238 00:43:29.159 --> 00:43:30.839 - buy the book. You know, maybe you need 1239 00:43:30.839 --> 00:43:32.859 - to pull up that elder home. Yeah. Yeah. 1240 00:43:33.400 --> 00:43:35.659 - Well, that's the thing. Because sometimes we forget, 1241 00:43:35.825 --> 00:43:37.744 - no, we were we were literally given keys. 1242 00:43:37.744 --> 00:43:39.425 - Right? There were we weren't just given a 1243 00:43:39.425 --> 00:43:41.345 - handbook. We were given keys and Right. There's 1244 00:43:41.345 --> 00:43:42.785 - a purpose for that. You know, if they 1245 00:43:42.785 --> 00:43:45.425 - just want us to follow a structured, solid 1246 00:43:45.425 --> 00:43:45.925 - program, 1247 00:43:46.224 --> 00:43:47.345 - they would just give it to us and 1248 00:43:47.345 --> 00:43:50.409 - say, don't don't veer, you know. So really 1249 00:43:50.409 --> 00:43:53.309 - good. Has this expanded as far as other 1250 00:43:53.369 --> 00:43:56.030 - stakes and YSA branches are trying it? Or 1251 00:43:56.250 --> 00:43:58.730 - or the secret is the secret's out now, 1252 00:43:58.730 --> 00:44:00.170 - we'll see. I think you have an exclusive 1253 00:44:00.170 --> 00:44:00.989 - here. Okay. 1254 00:44:01.449 --> 00:44:01.949 - Good. 1255 00:44:03.449 --> 00:44:06.164 - That's awesome. Cool. I mean, would you encourage 1256 00:44:06.164 --> 00:44:07.765 - others I it sounds like you'd encourage others 1257 00:44:07.765 --> 00:44:10.085 - just consider or figure out what and, obviously, 1258 00:44:10.085 --> 00:44:11.845 - it may look different in other areas or 1259 00:44:12.565 --> 00:44:14.164 - and, again, I know that's not your prerogative 1260 00:44:14.164 --> 00:44:16.565 - delight. Encourage broadly, but we're just sharing ideas 1261 00:44:16.565 --> 00:44:19.079 - here. So And it's working for us. So 1262 00:44:19.239 --> 00:44:21.900 - Yeah. That's cool. Awesome. Yeah. I think 1263 00:44:22.199 --> 00:44:23.639 - I think one of the things that's nice 1264 00:44:23.639 --> 00:44:23.799 - about 1265 00:44:24.440 --> 00:44:25.719 - I don't know if we should call us 1266 00:44:25.719 --> 00:44:27.099 - a program or what, but 1267 00:44:27.559 --> 00:44:30.585 - the way we've got about mentoring is there 1268 00:44:30.585 --> 00:44:32.664 - haven't been a lot of rules. And so, 1269 00:44:32.664 --> 00:44:35.065 - you know, it can be an incredibly strong, 1270 00:44:35.065 --> 00:44:35.565 - talented, 1271 00:44:36.025 --> 00:44:38.045 - highly employed, but new member 1272 00:44:38.344 --> 00:44:40.905 - who just needs to see what does a 1273 00:44:40.905 --> 00:44:43.320 - Melchizedek Priesthood holder look like and do. And 1274 00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:45.099 - that was the one assignment that was made. 1275 00:44:45.160 --> 00:44:46.840 - I just want you to teach this amazing 1276 00:44:46.840 --> 00:44:49.320 - guy. He's probably gonna be a prophet someday, 1277 00:44:49.320 --> 00:44:51.320 - but, you know, just show him what a 1278 00:44:51.320 --> 00:44:53.400 - Melchizedek Priesthood holder does. It can be that 1279 00:44:53.400 --> 00:44:55.719 - simple. Yeah. Or someone else, it could be 1280 00:44:55.719 --> 00:44:57.480 - really dramatic. Like, we need to get this 1281 00:44:57.480 --> 00:45:00.034 - person home. They're living in their car. Mhmm. 1282 00:45:00.034 --> 00:45:01.154 - You know, what are we gonna do about 1283 00:45:01.154 --> 00:45:03.074 - that? And it might be something, you know, 1284 00:45:03.074 --> 00:45:05.795 - medical. It might be someone struggling with either 1285 00:45:05.795 --> 00:45:07.554 - a physical or mental health problem, and they 1286 00:45:07.554 --> 00:45:09.954 - need someone there who's maybe helped out their 1287 00:45:09.954 --> 00:45:12.454 - own child through that very same type problem 1288 00:45:12.840 --> 00:45:15.340 - and can give them daily support if needed. 1289 00:45:15.400 --> 00:45:17.420 - So I think the flexibility of it is 1290 00:45:17.720 --> 00:45:19.559 - really important. And at the end of the 1291 00:45:19.559 --> 00:45:20.059 - day, 1292 00:45:20.360 --> 00:45:22.680 - all we're trying to do is help these 1293 00:45:22.680 --> 00:45:24.914 - people feel God's love for them. 1294 00:45:26.994 --> 00:45:29.735 - Feel that when you're hungry, when you're unemployed, 1295 00:45:30.035 --> 00:45:31.015 - when you're sick. 1296 00:45:31.715 --> 00:45:34.594 - And so Or feeling like nobody loves you. 1297 00:45:34.594 --> 00:45:37.255 - Yeah. Right? That's And you're alone. Yeah. Yeah. 1298 00:45:37.315 --> 00:45:38.375 - So we just feel 1299 00:45:38.780 --> 00:45:41.420 - so incredibly blessed that for five years, we've 1300 00:45:41.420 --> 00:45:43.420 - got to for a while, it was you 1301 00:45:43.420 --> 00:45:45.099 - know, we were trying to do all of 1302 00:45:45.099 --> 00:45:47.339 - it, and we still do mentor. I mean, 1303 00:45:47.339 --> 00:45:49.659 - we're still, you know, probably five to 10 1304 00:45:49.659 --> 00:45:52.304 - people each that we are personally working with 1305 00:45:52.304 --> 00:45:54.144 - at that level. We just couldn't do it 1306 00:45:54.144 --> 00:45:56.385 - for thirty or or more. It is the 1307 00:45:56.385 --> 00:45:58.704 - greatest work in the world to see these 1308 00:45:58.704 --> 00:45:59.204 - people 1309 00:45:59.585 --> 00:46:02.224 - develop testimonies of Jesus Christ, to see these 1310 00:46:02.224 --> 00:46:02.724 - people 1311 00:46:03.105 --> 00:46:04.784 - access the power of the atonement in their 1312 00:46:04.784 --> 00:46:06.679 - lives, and to play a tiny role in 1313 00:46:06.679 --> 00:46:08.760 - it yourself, but mostly just to be the 1314 00:46:08.760 --> 00:46:09.659 - witness of it, 1315 00:46:10.039 --> 00:46:12.679 - there's nothing better. Yeah. Well, put me on 1316 00:46:12.679 --> 00:46:14.400 - the list. Okay? If there's anybody who needs 1317 00:46:14.400 --> 00:46:16.440 - to start a podcast I can say, okay. 1318 00:46:16.440 --> 00:46:18.440 - I've got one. So we can do Zoom 1319 00:46:18.440 --> 00:46:20.054 - or something. You know? We actually do have 1320 00:46:20.054 --> 00:46:22.255 - several that want you. Yeah. Seriously, I'd love 1321 00:46:22.255 --> 00:46:24.214 - to help and, because and that's the other 1322 00:46:24.214 --> 00:46:25.734 - thing. I'm just in the day we live 1323 00:46:25.734 --> 00:46:28.054 - in. There's maybe all sorts of opportunity there 1324 00:46:28.054 --> 00:46:29.655 - that as Larry is saying, so we can 1325 00:46:29.655 --> 00:46:30.855 - help each other out a little bit better. 1326 00:46:30.855 --> 00:46:32.534 - And I know Pathway's got all sorts of 1327 00:46:32.534 --> 00:46:34.230 - things they do and but, yeah, I mean, 1328 00:46:34.230 --> 00:46:36.789 - this that's Zion. Right? That's it feels like 1329 00:46:36.789 --> 00:46:39.829 - Zion. I mean, connections. Right? Help everybody. Right? 1330 00:46:39.829 --> 00:46:41.369 - Yeah. That's great. 1331 00:46:41.750 --> 00:46:43.449 - Any other point principle story? 1332 00:46:43.909 --> 00:46:46.170 - Crazy idea that you're doing? Or, 1333 00:46:46.734 --> 00:46:48.574 - and we got lots of stories, but yeah, 1334 00:46:48.574 --> 00:46:50.014 - I think another thing that we do a 1335 00:46:50.014 --> 00:46:52.195 - lot of is we try to back off, 1336 00:46:52.574 --> 00:46:54.335 - you know, we try to just really let 1337 00:46:54.335 --> 00:46:56.034 - the YSA do their thing. 1338 00:46:57.214 --> 00:46:58.835 - And that's really hard sometimes, 1339 00:46:59.614 --> 00:47:01.679 - you know, and we've had 1340 00:47:02.140 --> 00:47:04.140 - old people come and be part of the 1341 00:47:04.140 --> 00:47:06.460 - ward and they freak out. You know, I 1342 00:47:06.460 --> 00:47:09.199 - was just in relief society. You wouldn't believe 1343 00:47:09.260 --> 00:47:11.119 - what someone just said or 1344 00:47:11.980 --> 00:47:14.619 - someone says testimony today, you know, and it, 1345 00:47:14.619 --> 00:47:16.815 - like I said, it, for those of us 1346 00:47:16.815 --> 00:47:20.255 - old people that we don't see this, it 1347 00:47:20.255 --> 00:47:21.554 - is really hard, but 1348 00:47:21.934 --> 00:47:24.114 - we really we try to teach them no. 1349 00:47:24.175 --> 00:47:25.554 - You know what? If something 1350 00:47:26.014 --> 00:47:27.795 - is raised in a class 1351 00:47:28.569 --> 00:47:31.130 - the YSA are capable and they handle and 1352 00:47:31.130 --> 00:47:33.769 - they do, you know? And when I'm thinking 1353 00:47:33.769 --> 00:47:35.690 - of one case in particular, when we had 1354 00:47:35.690 --> 00:47:38.250 - some senior missionaries come visit and they were 1355 00:47:38.250 --> 00:47:39.869 - very upset about, an investigator 1356 00:47:40.329 --> 00:47:42.585 - said something in class. And I was in 1357 00:47:42.585 --> 00:47:43.085 - there, 1358 00:47:43.465 --> 00:47:44.525 - and the 1359 00:47:45.224 --> 00:47:47.164 - Relief Society sisters were 1360 00:47:47.625 --> 00:47:48.364 - so calm 1361 00:47:48.744 --> 00:47:51.324 - and addressed it and corrected 1362 00:47:51.625 --> 00:47:53.784 - the young lady for something that she was 1363 00:47:53.784 --> 00:47:55.324 - saying we believed. Right? 1364 00:47:55.900 --> 00:47:57.340 - And it was done and it was over 1365 00:47:57.340 --> 00:47:59.420 - and the, and the discussion just went on. 1366 00:47:59.420 --> 00:47:59.920 - But 1367 00:48:00.219 --> 00:48:02.059 - I think for us old people, it's really 1368 00:48:02.059 --> 00:48:04.639 - hard to step away sometimes and just 1369 00:48:05.019 --> 00:48:07.519 - see that these guys are capable and, and 1370 00:48:07.659 --> 00:48:09.099 - we've had that in just a lot of 1371 00:48:09.099 --> 00:48:11.735 - different scenarios where the old people wanna step 1372 00:48:11.735 --> 00:48:13.355 - in and you're like, okay. Breaks. 1373 00:48:13.655 --> 00:48:15.575 - And we keep saying old people because that's 1374 00:48:15.575 --> 00:48:17.494 - how we differentiate. Yeah. I love it. It's 1375 00:48:17.494 --> 00:48:19.195 - not meant to say that everybody 1376 00:48:19.974 --> 00:48:21.335 - looks old or acts old even though I 1377 00:48:21.414 --> 00:48:23.510 - yeah. Yeah. I do. But, it's very self 1378 00:48:23.510 --> 00:48:25.510 - deprecating. It feels like, but But it is 1379 00:48:25.510 --> 00:48:27.109 - to really make sure we're not saying the 1380 00:48:27.590 --> 00:48:29.369 - as soon as we are saying the adults, 1381 00:48:29.670 --> 00:48:32.150 - we're implying they're not. Yeah. Yeah. And I 1382 00:48:32.150 --> 00:48:34.070 - love that. I build on what Adrian said. 1383 00:48:34.070 --> 00:48:36.494 - We we really believe that the best thing 1384 00:48:36.494 --> 00:48:38.514 - we can do is invite a YSA 1385 00:48:38.974 --> 00:48:40.114 - to help another YSA. 1386 00:48:40.654 --> 00:48:42.434 - But then there's two lives that get blessed. 1387 00:48:42.734 --> 00:48:44.574 - And so, you know, while we talked a 1388 00:48:44.574 --> 00:48:45.635 - ton about mentoring, 1389 00:48:46.094 --> 00:48:47.474 - there's even more happening 1390 00:48:47.934 --> 00:48:49.394 - amongst the YSA themselves. 1391 00:48:49.969 --> 00:48:51.569 - The way they love each other, care for 1392 00:48:51.569 --> 00:48:53.730 - each other, give give each other rides, make 1393 00:48:53.730 --> 00:48:54.789 - sure they're all included. 1394 00:48:55.170 --> 00:48:56.609 - All those things we talked about at the 1395 00:48:56.609 --> 00:48:57.109 - beginning 1396 00:48:57.409 --> 00:48:59.489 - created this culture where everybody wants to be 1397 00:48:59.489 --> 00:49:01.569 - there. But now because everybody wants to be 1398 00:49:01.569 --> 00:49:04.414 - there, we have this great diversity and lots 1399 00:49:04.414 --> 00:49:06.734 - of needs. That's when we reached out to 1400 00:49:06.734 --> 00:49:09.295 - the stake for some additional support from one 1401 00:49:09.295 --> 00:49:11.875 - on one, but the branch is run by 1402 00:49:12.014 --> 00:49:12.675 - the YSA. 1403 00:49:13.054 --> 00:49:14.994 - As I said, we now have both counselors 1404 00:49:15.454 --> 00:49:17.394 - full you know, the branch presidency is now 1405 00:49:17.699 --> 00:49:20.179 - entirely comprised of young young people except one 1406 00:49:20.179 --> 00:49:21.960 - old one old guy, which is me. 1407 00:49:22.579 --> 00:49:25.239 - Love it. And also I think the, missionaries 1408 00:49:25.380 --> 00:49:27.639 - were really key and are 1409 00:49:28.339 --> 00:49:28.839 - so 1410 00:49:29.219 --> 00:49:31.639 - having them be able to come to 1411 00:49:32.204 --> 00:49:32.704 - FHE 1412 00:49:33.164 --> 00:49:35.585 - or Institute and bring their 1413 00:49:35.965 --> 00:49:38.844 - investigators with them is really important. And and 1414 00:49:38.844 --> 00:49:41.565 - I know mission presidents are different, so sometimes 1415 00:49:41.565 --> 00:49:44.285 - that's allowed and sometimes it's not. But, boy, 1416 00:49:44.285 --> 00:49:46.684 - that seems to have been vital at times 1417 00:49:46.684 --> 00:49:47.184 - when 1418 00:49:47.630 --> 00:49:49.670 - our branch has really been on fire Yeah. 1419 00:49:49.789 --> 00:49:52.030 - With missionary work, that they were at every 1420 00:49:52.030 --> 00:49:53.489 - activity and everything. 1421 00:49:54.110 --> 00:49:56.210 - I mean, then other times they're not. And 1422 00:49:56.510 --> 00:49:59.230 - I definitely notice a difference, you know, with 1423 00:49:59.230 --> 00:49:59.710 - that. 1424 00:50:00.190 --> 00:50:01.010 - So I think 1425 00:50:01.585 --> 00:50:03.744 - missionary work is is a big part of 1426 00:50:03.744 --> 00:50:06.065 - the branch as well. That's cool. Well, this 1427 00:50:06.065 --> 00:50:08.385 - is fantastic. I've really enjoyed just learning, and 1428 00:50:08.385 --> 00:50:11.025 - it's so inspiring. And I'm excited to share 1429 00:50:11.025 --> 00:50:12.644 - this with with the audience. 1430 00:50:13.105 --> 00:50:15.000 - And, maybe I need a name coming to 1431 00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:16.599 - Charlotte here in a few months. So Come 1432 00:50:16.599 --> 00:50:18.360 - visit. We got a place to visit. Let's 1433 00:50:18.360 --> 00:50:19.420 - stay in touch, and 1434 00:50:19.719 --> 00:50:21.239 - we'll get a few wanna say together. And 1435 00:50:21.320 --> 00:50:22.679 - Yeah. If you're interested in what you do 1436 00:50:22.840 --> 00:50:24.760 - Yeah. Sure. Have a short session. They they 1437 00:50:24.760 --> 00:50:26.920 - would love that. Cool. That's awesome. Well, last 1438 00:50:26.920 --> 00:50:28.795 - question I have for you too. And, Adrian, 1439 00:50:28.795 --> 00:50:30.554 - maybe we'll start with you. But as you 1440 00:50:30.554 --> 00:50:31.054 - reflect 1441 00:50:31.434 --> 00:50:33.295 - in your time as a leader, 1442 00:50:33.594 --> 00:50:35.675 - how has being a leader helped you become 1443 00:50:35.675 --> 00:50:37.534 - a better follower of Jesus Christ? 1444 00:50:38.235 --> 00:50:39.375 - That's a good question. 1445 00:50:40.074 --> 00:50:40.574 - Gosh, 1446 00:50:41.159 --> 00:50:43.799 - This experience has just been so powerful in 1447 00:50:43.799 --> 00:50:44.539 - my life. 1448 00:50:44.920 --> 00:50:47.579 - I've learned so much from them. How 1449 00:50:48.359 --> 00:50:50.139 - one, how much the gospel 1450 00:50:50.519 --> 00:50:53.319 - really does work. You know? I've been a 1451 00:50:53.319 --> 00:50:55.480 - member my whole life, and so I haven't 1452 00:50:55.480 --> 00:50:56.219 - had that 1453 00:50:56.945 --> 00:50:59.105 - change in my life. You know, like, I 1454 00:50:59.105 --> 00:51:00.885 - see someone who embraces 1455 00:51:01.505 --> 00:51:04.465 - the gospel, and it changes every aspect of 1456 00:51:04.465 --> 00:51:06.164 - their life and raises them 1457 00:51:06.465 --> 00:51:08.385 - in ways that they could not have done 1458 00:51:08.385 --> 00:51:10.485 - themselves. So my testimony is 1459 00:51:10.980 --> 00:51:14.599 - just the church, church programs and the gospel 1460 00:51:14.980 --> 00:51:15.480 - has, 1461 00:51:16.019 --> 00:51:17.380 - you know, it's just not something I've ever 1462 00:51:17.380 --> 00:51:19.159 - thought of, I guess. And so my testimony 1463 00:51:19.219 --> 00:51:21.559 - has just skyrocketed in that, 1464 00:51:21.860 --> 00:51:23.800 - how that raises people from, 1465 00:51:24.340 --> 00:51:25.719 - you know, poverty. 1466 00:51:26.324 --> 00:51:27.464 - Helps them mentally 1467 00:51:28.005 --> 00:51:30.585 - and helps them spiritually, of course, 1468 00:51:30.885 --> 00:51:33.204 - but just how it helps them in a 1469 00:51:33.204 --> 00:51:35.224 - worldly sense. So that 1470 00:51:35.684 --> 00:51:36.184 - testimony 1471 00:51:36.565 --> 00:51:38.664 - of the power of the savior's 1472 00:51:39.125 --> 00:51:40.184 - gospel is 1473 00:51:40.569 --> 00:51:41.789 - just grown exponentially. 1474 00:51:43.049 --> 00:51:43.789 - My testimony 1475 00:51:44.329 --> 00:51:46.190 - of the power of his atonement 1476 00:51:46.969 --> 00:51:49.389 - in changing lives, it is, 1477 00:51:49.849 --> 00:51:50.589 - has grown. 1478 00:51:51.049 --> 00:51:52.190 - I feel so blessed 1479 00:51:52.925 --> 00:51:56.204 - to have this opportunity to serve at this 1480 00:51:56.204 --> 00:51:57.965 - time in my life where I lost my 1481 00:51:57.965 --> 00:51:58.465 - son, 1482 00:51:59.005 --> 00:52:00.144 - which was so devastating. 1483 00:52:00.925 --> 00:52:02.304 - But to feel the comfort 1484 00:52:02.764 --> 00:52:03.264 - of 1485 00:52:03.804 --> 00:52:06.929 - the Savior's Atonement, going through that and sharing 1486 00:52:06.929 --> 00:52:09.269 - that with the YSA and having them 1487 00:52:09.730 --> 00:52:10.710 - comfort me. 1488 00:52:11.090 --> 00:52:11.409 - And, 1489 00:52:12.289 --> 00:52:14.449 - I will treasure that forever. It changed my 1490 00:52:14.449 --> 00:52:17.329 - life, it really did, and, has blessed my 1491 00:52:17.329 --> 00:52:17.829 - life. 1492 00:52:18.289 --> 00:52:18.789 - And 1493 00:52:19.409 --> 00:52:20.789 - my love for the Savior 1494 00:52:21.305 --> 00:52:22.684 - and his work has 1495 00:52:22.985 --> 00:52:24.125 - again, grown exponentially 1496 00:52:24.425 --> 00:52:27.625 - in this time period. And I feel closer 1497 00:52:27.625 --> 00:52:30.045 - to him because my service in the branch. 1498 00:52:30.345 --> 00:52:31.945 - Love it. Mark, what about you? How's being 1499 00:52:31.945 --> 00:52:34.105 - a leader helps you become a better follower 1500 00:52:34.105 --> 00:52:37.059 - of Jesus Christ? I think almost everything we've 1501 00:52:37.059 --> 00:52:38.900 - talked about today, whether it was the way 1502 00:52:38.900 --> 00:52:39.559 - the culture 1503 00:52:40.019 --> 00:52:40.519 - was 1504 00:52:41.059 --> 00:52:43.320 - decided upon and then how it was deployed 1505 00:52:43.940 --> 00:52:46.199 - all the way through to this mentorship program, 1506 00:52:46.579 --> 00:52:49.184 - a result of counseling together. None of it 1507 00:52:49.265 --> 00:52:50.625 - came from me. None of it came from 1508 00:52:50.625 --> 00:52:51.684 - Adrian. It came 1509 00:52:52.065 --> 00:52:54.305 - from counseling with the YSA, counseling with the 1510 00:52:54.305 --> 00:52:55.045 - state president. 1511 00:52:55.744 --> 00:52:58.485 - And as we do that, the spirit then 1512 00:52:58.704 --> 00:52:59.204 - is 1513 00:52:59.505 --> 00:53:02.065 - what guides, and we are all following the 1514 00:53:02.065 --> 00:53:02.565 - spirit. 1515 00:53:03.360 --> 00:53:05.119 - And so I I think as I've had 1516 00:53:05.119 --> 00:53:07.619 - this opportunity to be a servant leader, 1517 00:53:08.240 --> 00:53:09.780 - the best part has been this 1518 00:53:10.079 --> 00:53:10.900 - these revelatory 1519 00:53:11.200 --> 00:53:11.700 - experiences 1520 00:53:12.079 --> 00:53:13.059 - that we had together. 1521 00:53:13.599 --> 00:53:14.500 - And we had 1522 00:53:14.800 --> 00:53:16.320 - part of an idea here and a part 1523 00:53:16.320 --> 00:53:18.234 - of an idea there, and the spirit knits 1524 00:53:18.234 --> 00:53:20.394 - it together into an idea worth trying, and 1525 00:53:20.394 --> 00:53:22.635 - then we go out and and do our 1526 00:53:22.635 --> 00:53:23.855 - best to make it work. 1527 00:53:24.234 --> 00:53:26.175 - And so I think it's helped me 1528 00:53:26.635 --> 00:53:28.094 - once again learn 1529 00:53:28.474 --> 00:53:30.734 - that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. 1530 00:53:31.260 --> 00:53:32.320 - He is in charge, 1531 00:53:32.699 --> 00:53:34.780 - and through his spirit, he can guide us 1532 00:53:34.780 --> 00:53:35.840 - if we will follow. 1533 00:53:40.460 --> 00:53:42.795 - That concludes this episode of the Leading Saints 1534 00:53:42.875 --> 00:53:44.635 - podcast. We'd love to hear from you about 1535 00:53:44.635 --> 00:53:46.554 - your questions or thoughts or comments. Go to 1536 00:53:46.554 --> 00:53:48.335 - leadingsaints.org/contact 1537 00:53:48.394 --> 00:53:50.635 - and send us your perspective or questions. If 1538 00:53:50.635 --> 00:53:52.554 - there's other episodes or topics you'd like to 1539 00:53:52.554 --> 00:53:54.394 - hear on the Leading Saints podcast, go to 1540 00:53:54.394 --> 00:53:56.155 - leadingsaints.org/contact 1541 00:53:56.155 --> 00:53:58.440 - and share with us the information there. And 1542 00:53:58.440 --> 00:54:00.199 - we would love for you to share this 1543 00:54:00.199 --> 00:54:02.359 - with any individual you think this would apply 1544 00:54:02.359 --> 00:54:04.679 - to, especially maybe individuals in your ward council 1545 00:54:04.679 --> 00:54:06.839 - or other leaders that you may know who 1546 00:54:06.839 --> 00:54:09.420 - would really appreciate the perspectives that we discussed. 1547 00:54:09.639 --> 00:54:12.034 - And remember, head on over to Zion Lab 1548 00:54:12.034 --> 00:54:14.034 - and ask a question, see what other questions 1549 00:54:14.034 --> 00:54:17.014 - are being asked at leadingsaints.org/zion. 1550 00:54:26.429 --> 00:54:28.989 - It came as a result of the position 1551 00:54:28.989 --> 00:54:32.670 - of leadership which was imposed upon us by 1552 00:54:32.670 --> 00:54:34.449 - the God of heaven who brought 1553 00:54:34.750 --> 00:54:36.050 - forth a restoration 1554 00:54:36.429 --> 00:54:38.769 - of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1555 00:54:39.525 --> 00:54:40.424 - When the declaration 1556 00:54:40.804 --> 00:54:43.144 - was made concerning the only 1557 00:54:43.764 --> 00:54:46.244 - true and living Church upon the face of 1558 00:54:46.244 --> 00:54:46.905 - the earth, 1559 00:54:47.444 --> 00:54:50.184 - we were immediately put in a position of 1560 00:54:50.244 --> 00:54:50.744 - loneliness, 1561 00:54:51.125 --> 00:54:52.664 - the loneliness of leadership 1562 00:54:53.409 --> 00:54:56.309 - from which we cannot shrink nor run away, 1563 00:54:57.090 --> 00:54:59.570 - and to which we must face up with 1564 00:54:59.570 --> 00:55:01.030 - boldness and courage 1565 00:55:01.570 --> 00:55:02.389 - and ability.