A lesson in humility

We moved downtown on February 9th and the next day went to our new ward, the Ensign 18th ward. We meet in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Here are some facts about this ward:

-Two days after Brigham Young entered the Salt Lake Valley they camped at North camp. This area later became the Eighteenth Ward.

-Two years later (1849) the city was divided into wards.  Although the Eighteenth Ward had over 200 members, there were only three famnilies in the beginning: the families of President Brigham Youg and Heber C Kimball, who were members of the Frist Presidency of the Church, and Newel K Whitney, the Presiding Bishop of the Church who also became the bishop of the new Eighteenth ward.

-The Eighteenth Ward started many traditions that were later incorporated into the church as a whole: *The first sacrament service in which individual cups were used. *The first missionary farewell where the missionary spoke in sacrament Meeting. *Two wards sharing the same building (this wasn't until the 1930's)

-The Eighteenth Ward has been home to every modern-day prophet with the exception of Joseph Smith.

 

As we went to church that first Sunday I learned that two of the members of the Twelve and their wives are in our ward, along with a member of the Seventy and his family.  Also, many prominent authors, community and church leaders.  So yeah, I was kind of excited.

 

Looking out of the classroom in Sunday School there was an awesome view of the temple.  The building is so elegant and beautiful.  I was loving it.

 

Fast forward to the middle of that week.  We get a phone call asking us if we can meet with President Ames, the Stake President, that Saturday.  To make a long story short, we are called to be in the Rio Grand Branch.  (This is the branch for the homeless people that live in "The Road Home" homeless shelter.)  Dave serving as ward clerk and a member of the Branch Presidency.  And me as piano player (they had just been singing with a cd player up to that point) and member of the Relief Society Presidency.

We still get to meet in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for now.  (Through this door seen here).  They are working on finding a new place, however, because Church security is worried about people meeting here.  (Not to be rude, but the homeless peoiple  bring their sleeping bags, backpacks, etc. with them to church and like to hang out in the bathrooms if they can and it makes some people nervous with it being such a nice building and everything)

So, it's on to a new adventure.  We feel like we are needed, that's for sure.  It is a small branch with about 30 members.  The full time missionaries come and are teaching several people, so that's good, too.