Saying Goodbye Leads to Hello

This last week has been full of goodbyes. It all started a few weeks ago when they announced that they would be changing all of the singles wards and the boundaries of them in the Salt Lake Valley. We all new that it was coming and were expecting it, but none of us really wanted it to come this soon.

The church has been changing all of the student wards and stake singles wards in that state for the last year. They started in Cedar City and have done St. George, Weber, Logan, and now Salt Lake. They are taking all of the wards and combining them so that there are just Young Single Adult wards(YSA wards). The church is finding that they are losing track of to many young single adults within the church. They are also finding that a lot more young single adults are going inactive while trying to find a ward for them. Therefore, the church has decided to consolidate the wards and bring people back together based on where they live. This means that young single adults will now have two options. You can attend your home family ward or you can attend the YSA ward for where you live.

It was about a month ago today, on April 10, that they announced in my ward that this change would be happening, and that it would be happening now. We were told that we would have one more week as a ward then stake conference and then on May 1st we would be in our new stakes. Needless to say, that April Sunday turned into a goodbye and welcome to change fast and testimony meeting. Even though part of all us were sad that this change was happening we all also new that change is something that is good and that we all need it. I even started laughing at one point because I had been asking for a way to keep moving forward and the thought cam into my mind that "you wanted a way to move forward, well here it is".

The next two weeks were full of last things. The last Sunday as a ward, the last ward and stake FHE, the last ward activity, the last University 2nd Stake Conference,the last ward council meeting, the last temple recommend interview with my bishopric, the last relief society meeting, and the last Sunday Drive to and from the U. I realized this when last Sunday I was leaving the parking lot. It occurred to me that I will no longer be making this drive each week. Part of me was in awe because I have been making this drive to and from the U each week for the last six years. Most of those years I was making the trip multiple times a week. There was even a time when I made that drive up to the U every day. I have been driving there for work, school, Omega, church, and the Muss. And then last Sunday I made that weekly drive for the last time. It was a very weird feeling to think that I would no longer be going to the U of U campus. I have spent so many hours there and it will be weird to now be spending none.

All of the other last things were filled with goodbyes as well. Goodbyes to those weekly associations. Goodbyes to those who we knew we will no longer see. Goodbyes to a bishopric that we have all come to love. And goodbyes to the wonderful unity and strength of our great ward of U32. And even though this last week has been full of goodbyes, it has also been the start of many hellos.

This last Thursday, April 28, we had a meeting down at the Conference center to find out our new stake boundaries. The church had three meeting total. One for each area of the valley. Davis county was to meet on Thursday night at 7:30 pm. That evening we all gathered together and released our bishops, stake president, and the boundaries of our current wards and stakes. We then found out the new stake boundaries for Davis county. They are making 3 stakes in this area with about 10 wards in each stake. Once we found out the boundaries we had some wonderful testimonies and talks from leaders of the church. Some of them talked about why they were reorganizing the young single adults, others talked about the history of the singles wards, some mentioned the power of change and how it will effect us in our lives to comes, and others talked about what a blessing we are to the world and to the church. But most of all they talked about how this new change was a rescue mission. A rescue mission to save those who are less active. A rescue mission to bring those around us into the church. But also a rescue mission for all of us to go out and find our eternal companion. A mission to help us see the view of the family and to help us to achieve it. A mission to help prepare us as the future families leaders of the church.

With these changes all of the new stakes meet today to find out there ward boundaries and their new bishops. My stake meet this morning at 9am at Viewmont High School auditorium. We all found out our wards, bishops, and place of worship for the next week were we will have our first meeting with our new wards. But this day wasn't just about finding out were to go the next week or what bishop you now have. It was a day that was the start of many hellos. A day of saying hello to a new stake president. A day of saying hello and accepting a new ward and bishop. And most of all a day of saying hello to those around you and realizing that there are a lot more young single adults in this area then you realized before.

They announced today that there are about 3,000 members of my YSA stake. 3,000 young single adults that live between North Salt Lake and Farmington. Now, not all of these people are fully active in the church, but they are here. And that is just the number of people in my stake. It was amazing today to see that just my stake had filled the whole auditorium, both of the floors with people sitting in all chairs and standing along the back wall. It was even more amazing to think that there were members of my stake who were not there that would have filled the place up even more. What this made me realize was that there are many more people out there as young single adults then I cared to realize or to get to know. There are many people out there looking for way to move forward. Many people who are looking for a way back to the truth. And most of all many more people who are looking for someone to say hello.

So, although the last few weeks, and definitely the last week, have been full of goodbyes today was the start of the hellos. Today I said hello to a new stake, a new ward, and a new bishop. And with saying hello I also raised my hand saying that I would accept them and all of the adventures that they may bring. So here's to today. A day of standing tall and accepting change. A day of saying I will move forward. And most of all a day of saying hello to the many changes and new faces that will surely come across my path. May I greet them with a happy smile and a determination to become a better person and a better friend.