How Many Wards Make a Stake?

I have noted a trend in Elder Greenhalgh's emails; he is changing. The subjects he chooses to discuss are not new but the conviction with which he express himself is at times profound. I was pondering today which Ward will return to us. Will it be the young man who always found humor in most everything, the witty, creative Ward? Will it be the impatient Ward who professes that rules are necessary for order and fairplay; the one who would police the planet? Will it be the Ward who became a student of his religion; a compassionate disciple ? Perhaps it will be the bright, sensative young man so appreciative of family and friends.; the one who can tear up at the mention of a name or the first bars of a musical piece.

The more I think about this, the more I am sure that all of these special young men will return, none lost, none neglected. All will be there just under the surface waitng for the first opportunity to assure us that the son and brother, friend and companion has been enriched, that he has grown and matured, that he has gained a deeper understanding of loving his Father and his Father's children.

I miss all of these guys and can't wait to experience them all.

The photo above was an experiment Ward and I made a couple of years ago with soda mugs, a new digital camera and his expertise with his brother's software. See, there really are several Wards.

NOTE:In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is the larger of two types of local congregations (the smaller being a branch). A ward is presided over by a bishop, the equivalent of a pastor in other religions. As with all local church leadership, the bishop is considered lay clergy and as such is not paid. Two counselors serve with the bishop to help with the duties of the ward and also preside in the absence of the bishop. A branch is presided over by a branch president.

A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations, wards or branches. A stake is approximately comparable to a diocese in the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations. The name "stake" derives from the verse “enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes" (Isaiah 54:2). A stake is sometimes referred to as a stake of Zion.