“I grew up Catholic, so I was very much into faith, praying and God,” said JoAnn Stevens. She’d always gone to mass on Ash Wednesday regardless of whether she was going every Sunday or not. “That was just one day that I did not miss.”
So, on Ash Wednesday, 2016 she was going to go on her lunch hour to the Cathedral in downtown San Antonio, but she just didn’t feel right. “I started to question my religion and I just didn’t go to Mass that day. It was an awful feeling! I had a belief and I knew about God and truly believed in Jesus and prayer, but something just wasn’t right.”
At that time, she was dating Todd Stevens, who later became her husband. Todd was raised a Latter-day Saint but became inactive. Sister Stevens told him about her feelings later that day. He said his nephew wanted to study with the missionaries and he volunteered to set up a meeting with her, but she objected.
Adoption day with Judge David A. Canales, Amelia, JoAnn and Todd Stevens
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have been invited to join other Christians around the city to unite our voices in prayer. The invitation from “Pray SA” is for “All people … to pray for San Antonio and South Texas and seek God in this time of turmoil, uncertainty, and change.”
On August 9th and 16th, at 7:00 pm in the parking lot of the Freeman Coliseum, Christians will join together “with one voice to pray, wait, listen and respond to God.” In person attendance is limited, so you must register for the event. https://www.praysa.org/home The event will be streamed so you can also attend virtually at home.
UnicitySA is an interfaith alliance in San Antonio in which members of the Church have been invited to participate. UnicitySA has endorsed a call by Max Lucado, and Christian leaders in our city to come together in a time of prayer. The Video Invitation
In 2 Chronicles 7:14we learn: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” The organizers of this event have said: Let’s offer prayers of repentance and humility, waiting on Jesus and speaking words of life over our city… Facilitators will guide us, using Scripture and prayer prompts. This is not a preaching or political event. It’s not a concert. It’s not about one person or group – simply Jesus!”
In July many of us are inclined to think of the early pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When we think of pioneers we typically think of covered wagons and a long trek across the plains and mountains to the Salt Lake valley. But not all pioneers are of that era. Pioneers exist in every era. The following is an account of a very, very recent pioneer.
In October 2019 Sister Lynn Irvin was at a low point in her life. She was going through a separation and a custody battle. Her oldest daughter wouldn’t talk to her and finally moved out. She was unhappy at work. “I was really struggling with life and I guess one afternoon I finally took it out on my brand-new vehicle that had a tiny scratch on it. I was trying to clean it off by sanding it and using rubbing compound. But nothing seemed to work.”
Front row: Zephaniah, Felicitas Irvin, (Sister Irving’s mother). Back row: Xavia, Marinda, Sister Irvin, Brayden.
So, there she was taking out her frustrations on this car. Meanwhile here come two Sister Missionaries into her neighborhood and they’re very discouraged as well. All their plans and backup plans had fallen through for that afternoon. Sister Irvin continued, “So, they took a break, got off their bikes, sat on the curb and prayed. They asked Heavenly Father ‘Who do you want us to talk to? Please guide us and direct us to who really needs to hear from us at this moment.’ Then they got up, went around the corner, and saw me working away on my car and they asked, ‘Can we help you? Is there anything we can do for you?’”
Sister Irvin said that she just unloaded on the missionaries. “I told them about all my troubles and that I didn’t know what to do with my life or how to deal with all my problems.” The Sisters replied, “We can help you with that!”
The missionaries pose with a bulletin board filled with notes of encouragement or scriptures for Sister Irvin to read after her baptism.
Most members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are familiar with the stories of hardship and heartbreak that characterize much of the pioneer trek across the great plains and into Utah. Their stories become part of a shared heritage and legacy as we marvel at the many miracles and mercies that helped them start anew in the desert conditions of the Utah territory.
Seventy-two years after the vanguard company of Saints entered the Utah Valley, San Antonio’s “this is the place” moment was about to begin.
Rudolph John and Lucia Cord Bremer, December 22, 1896
In 1919, San Antonio was part of the Central States Mission. The first converts reported were Rudolph John and Lucia Cord Bremer, along with their son Rudolph on April 13, 1919. San Antonio’s first branch was organized, December 2, 1921 in a member’s home, with 15 members present. Rudolph Bremer became the branch president. The branch then began meeting in a rented hall above a bar. As could be expected, members did some necessary tidying up before Sunday services began.
José Pedraza
José Pedraza, born in Monterey, Mexico in 1900, is believed to be the first Mexican American member of the Church in Texas. José first heard the missionaries preaching in the street in San Antonio and felt the truth of their words. He was unable to get to them because of a crowd of hecklers. Later he received a pamphlet left on his doorstep by the missionaries, which confirmed his feelings. He couldn’t track down the missionaries, so he wrote a letter to the author of the pamphlet in Salt Lake City.
The Missionary Pamphet left on José Pedraza’s doorstep
The letter was passed around until it finally reached the missionaries in San Antonio. The missionaries then began their search for José. When they finally got together, José embraced the gospel and was baptized June 24, 1924 in the San Antonio River. José left a legacy of missionary work, he never hesitated to share the gospel.
The First Spanish Branch in San Antonio
With the number of Saints quickly increasing, the mission secured two small frame buildings in 1928 that had belonged to the Prospect Hill Christian Church on Buena Vista Street. One building was the chapel with a back room that had a baptismal font and a couple of small classrooms. The other building had a large cultural hall and a small two bedroom dwelling area where the preacher and his family had lived. In order to get insurance on the two structures, the insurance company wanted someone to live on site. The missionaries lived there for a short time, but since they were also serving as district presidents over Corpus Christi and the Harlingen Valley, they were often not home. When a representative of the insurance company stopped by and found it unoccupied, they pressed President Bremer to get it occupied.
The San Antonio Branch in front of the Buena Vista Chapel. Leonard Parsons, front row far left, behind him is his sister Anilee Parsons and mother Lillian Parsons. Lucy Bremer, wife of President Rudolph Bremer is in the middle of the third row.
Missionary Zone “social distanced” Sister Higley is on the far right
“Starting out my mission right now has been pretty tough…. But I have learned that I can push through all those feelings and accomplish the work, because through Christ, I can do anything.” said Sister Alyssa Higley currently serving in the Arkansas Bentonville Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sister Higley is one of 15 missionaries that has left or will leave between May and September from the Church’s San Antonio North Stake.
Sister Higley
It’s a very unique time for missionaries entering the mission field due to COVID. Mission Training Centers worldwide have been shut down along with temples and Church services. When the virus began impacting missions there were 12 missionaries from the North Stake who had received calls. They had a decision to make, go forward with their call, or defer and go to school for a year. “All 12 who had calls made the prayerful decision to move forward with a reassignment.” said North Stake President, Greg Neuberger. He continued, “That surprised me…. They are all excited to serve and have a great understanding of what Elder Bednar taught about the call to serve and the assignment given.”
Clay Cummings with a Mandarin Chinese Book of Mormon
Clay Cummings, was called to serve in the Taiwan Taichung mission, and will enter the online MTC later in July. He said “I was really discouraged when I learned I had to make a decision whether I would leave when assigned or wait another year…. I knew I needed to make it a matter of prayer. I fasted and prayed … I read my patriarchal blessing, and studied scriptures…. it just felt right. I knew this was the Spirit telling me that it was okay and a good thing for me to serve when I was first assigned. There’s still plenty of things that are less than certain…. but I know that the answers and feelings I have gotten are from God and that there is a plan for me. That gives me enough confidence that the Lord knows what’s best for me.” Continue reading “Missionary Work Goes “Viral” in 2020″
By Marci McPhee, Just Serve Specialist, San Antonio East Stake
It takes more than a global pandemic to stop the big hearts of our Young Women. Girls throughout the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ East Stake collected 247 bags of sanitary supplies for refugee women and girls. Each of the 247 bags contained fifteen assorted sanitary pads, enough for one month for one refugee (some heavy pads, some light).
The bags are distributed by the Center for Refugee Services, which is the only independent nonprofit agency in San Antonio that works exclusively to promote the successful community integration of legally resettled refugees. The refugees come from Burma (Myannmar), DR Congo, Eritrea, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, etc.
Some of the young women decorated the bags, to make the refugee women feel special, transmitting love and support as well as needed supplies. Some enterprising young women sewed 28 small cloth bags for the refugees, especially young girls who are getting used to having periods, so they would have a discrete, cute way to carry the pads. Continue reading “Young Women “Help a Sister in Need”– Sanitary Supplies Collection for Refugees”
An “18-wheeler” from Salt Lake City stops in San Antonio to drop off a load of food before departing for Houston.
For the past 18 years Lars Shivley has worked as an over-the-road truck driver for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Deseret Transportation. It’s his responsibility to deliver Bishop’s Storehouse commodities throughout the United States and on a limited basis into Canada. “In addition to that, I pick up supplies to restock the Central warehouse based in Salt Lake City. I’m also part of an agricultural fleet that’s responsible for hauling fresh bulk commodities into the canneries and grain supply stores throughout Utah and Idaho.”
Truck from Deseret Transportation is being unloaded at the San Antonio Food Bank
But on this day, he pulled into San Antonio with his truck full of food to be distributed to several different organizations responsible for getting food into the hands of those who need it. 40% of his load would go to Catholic Charities. The remaining 60% would be divided between the San Antonio Food Bank, West Avenue Compassion, Coker Methodist Food Pantry, and the Bulverde Food Pantry.
Lars Shivley, an over-the-road truck driver for the Deseret Transportation, knows he is delivering far more than just cargo. He brings opportunity and hope.
“It is a great gift and blessing to be Christ’s hands,” Shivley said. “I feel in a very real sense that for me this is a calling not just a job. I have the opportunity to help my brothers and sisters wherever I go to bring needed supplies to help them so that they will be able to have the things that they need and to help them know that our brothers and sisters love them.” Continue reading “Organizations Working Together to Get Food to San Antonio’s Underserved”
“We went from feeding 60,000 people a week to 120,000,” said Eric Cooper, President and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank and member of the Summerglen Hills Ward, Hill Country Stake. That simple statement regarding the increased need for food during the pandemic has resonated with many in greater San Antonio. The challenge is clear, to find ways to keep enough food coming into the food bank to keep it operating.
Enthusiastic youth direct traffic into the Indian Springs chapel in north central Bexar County.
One of many people who resolved to help was Bishop Thayer Rogers, also of Summerglen Hills Ward. He proposed a service project that would invite stake members to bring groceries to a central location where volunteers would collect the food, put it in bins and turn it over to the Food Bank.
More than 80 young women and young men as well as youth leaders and missionaries worked to transfer food from vehicles to Food Bank bins.
Stake and ward leaders realized the project was a good one. However, they knew they not only needed many volunteers throughout the day but they needed to ensure that the project was carried out in a manner that protected the health of the volunteers.
The Hill Country Stake Presidency saw a way to get the volunteers as well as help with another problem. “The last activity we had with our youth was the Trek from March 12 to 14,” said President Freeman. “It was on trek that we received word about the pandemic closures for all our church meetings. Over the past few months, we have become increasingly aware of the needs in our communities as well as the sense of isolation our youth felt as a result of on-line school, on-line seminary, and stay-at-home orders.” Continue reading “Food Drive Brings in Over 7,000 Pounds of Food”
By Marci McPhee, Just Serve Specialist, San Antonio East Stake
An astonishing amount of food – more than 4,763 pounds, or almost 2½ tons of food – was collected by the San Antonio East Stake for our partner, Catholic Charities, on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Catholic Charities feeds thousands of people through various programs, including the monthly visit of the mobile food pantry to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Buena Vista building). Although many Latter-day Saints are struggling to make ends meet, their generosity in responding to the needs of the community was incredible.
Some food donations from High Country Ward
Lizzy Perales, Tracy Ladgenski, Brenda Beltran and Eduardo Rocha of Catholic Charities (CC) said, “Thank you friends! The amount of food we received is a major blessing. We are so blessed by your generosity!!” Antonio Fernandez, CEO of CC, soberly remarked, “Coronavirus has been very tough on all of us. The pressure to serve, protect clients and ourselves, fundraise, and be creative to provide for more and more who seek assistance is taking a toll on all of us. Despite the ongoing matters of this pandemic, we will continuously focus on serving all with love, respect, and dignity. We will do what needs to be done to ensure that we have enough food for those who come to us vulnerable, hungry and in crisis.” Continue reading “Sharing Food and Faith: Food Drive for Catholic Charities”
