Hunter South Stake Discontinued

 On Sunday, September 16, we had stake conference. President Hall, President Gustafson and President Carlson were released as our stake presidency, President Hall, and President Gustafson had served for 9 1/2 years. President Carlson had served for three.  Elder Jorge Alvarado presided at our state conference.  Hunter South Stake was dissolved at Stake Conference.  Deerfield Ward and my beloved Colony West Ward were combined into the new Woodgrove Ward.  We are in Hunter Stake.  Woodledge Ward was combined with an award from Hunter Stake and is now the Early Duke ward.  The singles Ward remains the same, but is now in Hunter East Stake.  Westpoint and Valley View wards were combined into the new Cherry Blossom Ward and are now in Hunter East Stake.  Our Stake has been “small but mighty” for quite some time.  Our wards  are small and have struggled to get people to accept callings.  I feel certain that this change was needed and inspired, and I have many friends in the old Deerfield ward, and I am so excited for my new ward.  But it is all bitter, sweet as well. I loved our stake presidency, and they have blessed my life.  They are all still in my stake but I will miss being taught by them. I loved teaching Sunday school, and I loved, loved, loved being in the stake young women’s presidency.  It was sad to be released.  And I have dear friends, who now reside in a different stake.  People I have served with, and grown to love and learned from.  And while a change in stake and ward boundaries doesn’t mean that love ends, I know that because people are busy and we are at different stages of life and we won’t be at state conferences and girls, camp, and other meetings together that I just won’t have the same opportunities to interact with and learn from and be blessed by these men and women in the same ways. And that makes me sad. And I am atypical but I really love speaking in church and teaching, and having multiple opportunities to serve and so for me personally, it really was a blessing to be in a small stake and a small ward.  I won’t have as many opportunities to speak partly because I don’t think I’ll have a stake calling, which allowed me to travel to other wards and speak. 

Our new bishopric was sustained in Stake Conference.  Our bishop is Craig Hamilton , our first counselor is Chris Harding, and our second counselor is Craig Fjelstrom.  Yesterday in church, they sustained the presidents of each organization. I didn’t write all of them down, but I did get those for the women’s organizations.  The primary president is Kathy Light, young women’s is Sara Harding, and relief society is Darla Hukill.  They will all do a great job!  I received a text from our executive secretary last night, asking me to meet with Chris Harding on Tuesday evening and to bring Alfredo.  Alfredo will actually be out of town but they said that will be ok.   So I am sure I am getting a calling and I am thrilled about that.  Also President Carlson was called into the stake presidency yesterday so I will still be taught by him.