By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Anticipation was in the air as hundreds of local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered at the Logandale Stake Center on Sunday afternoon in a special meeting to announce major new changes in the Stake. On the agenda was a redrawing of several ward boundaries and the announcement of new names for all of the wards in the Stake.
The Church organizes its membership into wards, or congregations, which are designated by geographic area. Each is led by a bishop. A larger geographic area, made up of a number of wards, is designated as a Stake and led by a Stake President. The last time there was an adjustment to ward boundaries in the Logandale Stake was in 2005.
Logandale Stake President Brandon Leavitt began the meeting by giving some explanation on why the change had been deemed necessary. Over many years, a significant inequity had grown in the membership of various wards in the stake. Some wards, mainly in the Logandale area, had grown drastically in membership; while others in the Overton area had languished in numbers, Leavitt said.
“We have been operating with some ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ in the Stake,” Leavitt said. “There is a difference of more than 180 members between our biggest ward and our smallest. That is huge in the operation and staffing of a ward.”
Leavitt said that the Stake Presidency had sought to add strength to the membership of smaller Overton wards by extending their boundaries northward. But in order to do that, sacrifices in existing ward boundaries had to be made, he said.
“Of course, there are all different kinds of sacrifices,” Leavitt said. “It’s like the old saying about the bacon and egg breakfast. The chicken has to make a sacrifice to provide the egg. But nothing like what the pig has to make in providing the bacon.”
Under that illustration, Leavitt explained that it was the Logandale 3rd ward which would sacrifice “the egg” in giving up a large portion of its geographic area and membership.
“But it is the Overton Fourth Ward who will sacrifice the bacon,” Leavitt said. “The Overton Fourth Ward will be dissolved in this change.”
The Overton Fourth Ward, led by Bishop Troy Shiozawa, had encompassed a swath of territory running east and west across the valley with the Moapa Valley Blvd/Lou Street alignment to the north and roughly the Catherine Ave. alignment to the south. In the proposed re-alignment, that territory would be divided up and reassigned to three existing wards.
President Chuck Burt, 2nd counselor in the Stake Presidency, announced new names for all 10 of the remaining wards. Burt explained that all ward names had been changed in an effort to bring greater unity to the stake. Rather than the focus being placed on old township names, which were full of traditional rivalries, the new names along with adjusted boundary lines would allow a new emphasis on equity and unification, he said.
“The Lord has said that ‘by small and simple means great things are brought to pass,’” Burt said. “I testify that something as small and simple as a name change can make a huge difference in unifying our stake.”
President Darren Leavitt, 1st counselor in the Stake Presidency, then detailed the specifics of the boundary changes.
The boundaries of the newly named Mormon Mesa Ward (previously Overton 1st) would extend northward east of the Muddy River flood channel, to take in the eastern portion of the former Overton 4th Ward. It would then extend even further north as far as Wittwer Avenue, taking in the neighborhood east of Yamashita Road which had formerly been part of the Logandale 3rd Ward.
The newly named Cottonwood Ward (Overton 3rd) would also extend northward to take in the southwest portion of the former Overton 4th Ward. The new northern boundary would follow Cottonwood from the west to roughly the Zubia alignment where it would jog north to WillowAve. It then proceeds east to State Highway 169, where it jogs north to the Muddy River flood channel.
Finally, the newly named Hinckley Ward (Logandale 6th) would extend its boundary southward to take in the former Overton 4th ward area south of Moapa Valley Blvd. and north of the above described Cottonwood Ward northern boundary.
All other ward boundaries in the stake remained unchanged. (Detailed ward boundary maps are available at the links below)
In a brief address to the congregation, Overton 4th Ward Bishop Troy Shiozawa, voiced full support for the change, though he acknowledged it was difficult to see his ward disbanded.
“I love this little flock and it is difficult to see my children being divided up,” Shiozawa said. “But I have been involved and consulted throughout the process. And I know that it is what the Lord wants to strengthen His people – and that is what is important.”
Shiozawa made an impassioned plea to all members of the affected wards to embrace the changes and welcome new members of existing wards. “I’d just ask you all to be kind,” he said. “For those accepting new members, please reach out to them in fellowship and love. And for those going to new wards, be open and patient. Please just love one another.”
In closing, President Brandon Leavitt presented the proposal to the entire congregation for a sustaining vote. The vote appeared unanimous in approval. There were no dissenting votes.
All of the changes will be effective immediately.
To see the Cottonwood Ward boundaries, click here.
To see the Hinckley Ward boundaries, click here.
To see the Lake Valley Ward boundaries, click here.
To see the Mormon Mesa Ward boundaries, click here.
