Til we meet again, Sister Elaine Tucker

Elaine Hale Tucker, 91, our dear neighbor and longtime member of the B7 Ward, passed away shortly after midnight on August 23, 2022 at the Birch Creek Assisted Living in Smithfield, Utah with her husband and daughter by her side.

Elaine was born December 10, 1930 in Preston, Idaho. She was the third of four children born to Nathan and Eva Hale. She grew up at the Utah Power and Light Company town of Grace, Idaho. She attended schools locally graduating from Grace High School then attended Idaho State University where she met Ralph Tucker on a blind date. They were married on December 23, 1950 and later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple. Elaine and Ralph enjoyed 71 years together and were blessed with three children, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Elaine was a homemaker. She was the hostess with the mostest with a cute pixie haircut and ready smile. She loved to entertain and cook. Her wonderful food was lovingly prepared and abundantly shared. Elaine’s homemade candy and sweet cream rolls are legendary!

 Elaine had a tremendous work ethic and discipline. She walked four miles a day for decades, followed by pool aerobics and back exercises. She was extremely talented. Her hands were never idle always creating, crafting, sewing, cleaning and ironing.

Elaine had endless energy and gave 110% to all she did. She donated her time in many charitable organizations and clubs, some in which she held leadership roles. She was a loving and caring friend. She made lifelong friendships during her many moves with her husband Ralph. She lit up when she was in a room full of people. She was loved by all and will be missed deeply.

She is survived by her husband Ralph, sons; Ralph Lynn (Barbra), UT., Tracy (Charly), CA., Terri (Charley), WA., six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents Nathan and Eva Hale, sisters Raedene Rhoads, Bobbie Harris and brother Nathan Hale.

Rest in peace, dear Sister Elaine.   

May the Lord be with you, Elder Hendershot

Oaks Hendershot, 2nd son and 4th child of Steele and Sarah Hendershot, graduated from Dixie High School on May 27 and entered the Missionary Training Center two short months later on August 29, 2022 to fulfill a calling to serve in the Missouri St. Louis Mission.  He doesn’t consider his to be a “super exotic” mission field, but he feels certain it is where the Lord needs him; and, he’s been there before. “When I attended 'Especially for Youth' last summer, we toured many of the Church history sites, including those in Ohio, New York, Philadelphia … and Missouri,” notes the young missionary.

The early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Missouri is well documented, including a prophesy in 1831 when then Church President Joseph Smith declared Independence, Missouri, as the gathering spot for the Church. The subsequent influx of “Mormons” to Jackson County raised concern among residents and mobs drove 1200 from the area. In 1834, Joseph Smith and 150-200 armed men (known as Zion's Camp) arrived to protect the members still in and around Independence, but a storm prevented the confrontation.

Latter-day Saints then found refuge in Clay, Caldwell, and Daviess Counties. By 1838, Far West had become Church headquarters with homes, hotels, a printing house, and school but violence again erupted in Gallatin, when members were denied the right to vote.

The exaggerated rumors about Church members ultimately led to a literal extermination order from Governor Lilburn W. Boggs in 1838. Eighteen men and boys died at Haun's Mill and on 31 October, Joseph Smith was arrested, and the next day sentenced to death.  Brig. Gen. A.W. Doniphan was ordered to carry out the order … but refused.  

Between 12,000 - 15,000 Church members fled to western Illinois in 1839 and established the city of Nauvoo on the Mississippi River. Several others moved to the more tolerant St. Louis, where many more members eventually came from Nauvoo. In the late 1850s, many left for Utah to gather with the Saints, but it was not until June 1976 – 138 years later - when the extermination order was rescinded by then-Governor Christopher S. Bond.

Today, Missouri has a Church membership of more than 75,375 in 18 stakes.  Elder Hendershot will serve in one of two missions in the state (the other is Missouri Independence).  Though public sentiment has prevented the construction of a temple in Independence, there are two temples in Missouri … the first built in Kansas City and the second in the community known as Town and Country, a suburb of St. Louis.

May the Lord be with you, Elder Hendershot.  We look forward to hearing about your missionary experiences.

Rest in peace, Karen Argyle Peterson

Karen Argyle Peterson passed Into eternity in the early morning hours of August 21, 2022. She came into this world in a small home in Bountiful, UT in the early morning hours of January 13, 1941, one of seven born to Rex and Vashti Higginson Argyle. She grew up with six siblings, Ray H. Argyle (Helen), Rhea A. Melichar (Dick), Carma A. Parker (Ray), Arda A. King (Tommy), Lynn H. Argyle (Pat), and her younger sister Joyce A. Lewis (Derwood); sister Shirley died at 3 weeks.  She is survived by her brother Lynn and sister Joyce.

Karen was raised in the same home on Highway 91. She walked to and from West Bountiful Elementary School; attended South Davis Jr. High School on Main Street in Bountiful, ultimately graduating from Bountiful High School in 1959.

Karen and J. Farrell Petersen grew up as neighbors. A hayride began their courtship which culminated in marriage on September 25, 1959. Their family included Karlee Davenport (Doug), Kelli Dickerson (Thomas), Morgan Farrell Petersen (Marina). Sadly, Morgan passed away in 2003. Karen and Farrell had 9 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Karen and Farrell made their home in Bountiful for many years, before moving to St. George in 1976 then dividing their time between the warmth of southern Utah and a second home in downtown Salt Lake City. Karen was very involved in and instrumental in their success as business entrepreneurs. She was also a wonderful homemaker with amazing quilting skills and was well known for her bounciness and willingness to help any and all in need along her path. She was particularly well known for her SCREAM, her squeals, and infectious giggle.

Graveside services will be held Friday, September 2, 2022, 10:00 a.m. at Tonaquint Cemetery, 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah. There will be a social hour Friday at 12:00 p.m. at the Bloomington Country Club, 3174 South Bloomington Drive East, St. George, Utah.

CATCHING UP: Isaac Halgren is baptized

The sometimes shy but always charming, handsome and happily social Isaac Halgren, youngest of Jared and Rachel Halgren’s four kids, was baptized and confirmed by his dad on Saturday, August 6 at the Bloomington Stake Center to become the newest member of the Bloomington 7^th Ward. 

Home schooled for the past two years, Isaac has a fun imagination and loves, loves, loves to draw, according to his mom.  He is currently enjoying school as a student at Mt. View Montessori School in Washington City.

 

In addition to his family and friends, Isaac shared his special day with his grandparents who flew in for the occasion from Vancouver, Washington and his uncle, aunt and cousins from Eagle Mountain, UT.

 

From “Preach My Gospel” we are reminded, “Before baptism we show our willingness to enter a covenant to keep all the commandments for the rest of our lives.  After baptism we show our faith by keeping our covenants.  We also regularly renew the covenants we make when baptized by partaking of the sacrament.  Partaking of the sacrament weekly is a commandment.  It helps us remain worthy to have the Spirit with us always.”

 

Isaac, we are happy you have made this commitment to join our ward family and are committed to helping you learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

CATCHING UP: Lennon Cox is baptized

On Friday, July 8, 2022, Lennon Cox, daughter of David and Leigh Cox stepped into the baptismal font at the Bloomington Stake Center to receive this sacred covenant from her Uncle Cade Stephens, who flew in for this special occasion from the Tri-City area in Washington State.  Lennon was then confirmed by her Grandpa Larry Stephens – both ordinances witnessed by her Dad and her other Grandpa David Cox.

Lennon, who is named for one of two singing sisters in “Nashville,” one of her mom’s favorite TV shows, is a 3^rd grader at Bloomington Elementary School.  She loves school but after school and in the summer months, she also enjoys cheer and tumbling, drawing and art classes and is a fashionista who loves playing golf with her dad and brothers.

 

President Lorenzo Snow taught us, “To obtain religion which will save us in the presence of God, we must obtain the Holy Ghost, and in order to obtain the Holy Ghost, we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then repent of our sins … that is, forsake them, then go forward and be immersed in water for the remission of sins, then receive the laying on of hands.” 

 

Lennon, every member of this Church has made the same covenant you have made and we are ready to help you keep the commandments of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

E minamina mākou iā ʻoe i kou hele ʻana, Sister Jara Galvin

Jara Galvin, the oldest of Brian and Kim Galvin's four children, has been called to serve in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission, one of two missions in America's 50th state (aka "Paradise"), where surfing was invented, where there are no snakes, from where you can mail a coconut (yes, JUST the coconut) ... and where everyone takes off their shoes before entering your home.  

Sister Jara, who is super excited about her mission call, spoke in Sacrament meeting on Sunday, July 31 then began a week of "at home" MTC on Monday, August 1, 2022 followed by two weeks in Provo.   

In 1850, when the first Latter-day Saint missionaries reached Hawai‘i, the islands were still an independent kingdom with a mostly native Hawaiian population. George Q. Cannon, one of the early missionaries to the islands, was particularly eager to learn the Hawaiian language. In the early 1850s he and an early Hawaiian convert, Jonathan Nāpela, worked together to translate the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian, which was the first time the book was translated into a non-European language.

Many Hawaiians embraced the gospel. By the 1870s, more than 4,000 Hawaiians had joined the Church. Because the death of many Hawaiians due to disease had led to laws restricting emigration, instead of gathering to Utah the Hawaiian Saints established gathering places on the islands—first in Lāna‘i, then in Lā‘ie. The first stake outside North America was organized on O‘ahu in 1935.

As Hawai‘i’s population became more diverse, so did general Church membership. In the early 20th century, for example, a Japanese mission was established in Hawai‘i, and work among Japanese Hawaiians flourished. In the 1950s the Church established a college—now Brigham Young University–Hawaii—in Lā‘ie with a mission to bring together students from around the world. A second temple, in Kona, was dedicated in 2000. By 2018 there were nearly 75,000 Latter-day Saints in Hawai‘i, organized into 16 stakes, the highest concentration of LDS members after those states bordering Utah.

The Hawaii Laie Mission, the church's 408th, opened in January 2022 with missionaries assigned to the Temple Visitor Center and/or at the Polynesian Cultural Center. 

The Laie Hawaii Temple, the oldest operating LDS temple outside of Utah, was dedicated in November 1919 by Heber J. Grant. The Kona Hawaii Temple, the islands' second temple located on the "Big Island" of Hawaii was dedicated in January 2000 by President Gordon B. Hinckley.

E minamina mākou iā ʻoe i kou hele ʻana, Sister Jara Galvin. Enjoy your time in the islands and return with honor.