New Presidency Named In LDS Logandale Stake

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

The LDS Logandale Stake Presidency was reorganized on Sunday morning, May 6 during a general session of Stake Conference held at the LDS Stake Center in Logandale.

President Matthew Messer, who was called as Stake President on August 12, 2009 was honorably released from his service, as well as his two counselors in the Presidency: Mendis Cooper and Wilbur Frehner.

Called as the new Stake President was Brandon Leavitt of Logandale; with Overton resident Darren Leavitt called as first counselor, and Chuck Burt of Logandale called as second counselor. The new Presidency was sustained with a unanimous vote of the membership at the Sunday morning conference session.

Presiding at the conference was Juan A. Uceda, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Uceda, who was assisted by Area Seventy David J. Harris, had been tasked with overseeing the selection process of the new Stake Presidency.

The two men said that they had spent much of the weekend prayerfully interviewing candidates for the position before determining who would be called to serve in the position of Stake President.
Uceda cited a statement once made by the late President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church, Elder Boyd K. Packer. “Elder Packer used to say that if there is a moment in the Church when revelation has to come, it is at the calling of a new Stake President,” Uceda said. “That is because that person will impact the lives of so many people for so many years.”

“The Lord spoke to us,” Uceda continued. “We heard His voice in a simple but clear way; a peaceful confirmation that this was the right thing to do. It has been a wonderful experience!”

Brandon Leavitt has served in many positions in the Church. For the past three years he has served as the bishop of the Logandale Third Ward. Before that he served as the Logandale Stake Young Men’s President.

During some brief remarks made during the conference, Leavitt admitted being overwhelmed by the calling he had received.
“The difficulty in a moment like this, that is so knee-buckling to me personally, is to realize that it really has nothing to do with me personally at all,” Leavitt said. “Rather it is about doing the will of Lord Jesus Christ and about His order here on the Earth.”

Leavitt acknowledged his own personal weaknesses and asked members of the Stake to be charitable and patient toward the new Presidency as they learn their new roles.
“I don’t know what I have to offer,” he said. “But I do know that I can put my shoulder to the wheel and move forward with all my might. And I pledge to do that.”

In his final address as Stake President, Messer voiced strong support for the new Stake Presidency. “I sustain these good men wholeheartedly!” he said. “If I had two right arms I would raise both to show my undying support. I know that these three have been called at this time to watch over and care for you good people. I am excited for the future of the Stake!”

An LDS Stake President is called to preside over a large geographic area including a number of local congregations, called wards or branches. The Logandale Stake President oversees 12 wards and one branch located in the greater Moapa Valley area. The LDS church has a volunteer lay ministry. LDS Stake Presidents typically serve for a period of about nine years before being released.