LDS Yuma Stake celebrates milestone

There is curiosity, questions and misunderstandings when it comes to the Mormon church, said Colleen Whitmer, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

"There has been a lot in the press with Mitt Romney running for president and this mess in Texas, and sometimes people's opinions can get colored," she said.

Today, LDS church members invite the Yuma community to come to the Yuma Stake's 50th anniversary celebration and find out for themselves exactly who they are and what is important to them.

"I think the biggest benefit to be gained (by the community) would be just that understanding of who we are and what we believe. And that we are just regular people trying to do the best we can - trying to make Yuma a better place to live for everybody," Whitmer said.

Whitmer and members of the church will be celebrating the stake's anniversary today starting at 3 p.m. at the LDS Yuma Stake Center, 4300 W. 16th St. Entertainment will include booth activities, food, musical performances, handicraft and quilt displays, historical displays, dinner and a dance.

Craig Colvin, high counselor at the church and committee chairman of the event, said the anniversary celebrates the organization of the Yuma stake, which is the church. Taken from the Old Testament, "the term stake comes from the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied that the Latter-day Church would be like a tent, held secure by stakes ... Each stake is presided over by a stake president, assisted by two counselors," explained Colvin.

Under the stake "there are wards, which are individual congregations of the church. There are nine wards and three branches in the Yuma County ... Each of them will put out a booth," Colvin said.

The history of the church began when "the first Mormons in the Yuma area came in January 1847 with the Mormon Battalion," explained Whitmer. But the first record of a members meeting in the Yuma area was in the early 1940s, when they came together for a Sunday school class that was held each week, she said.

The first LDS building in Yuma was completed in 1950, and in 1958 membership had grown to the point where "church apostles decided it was time to organize wards and create a stake ...," explained Whitmer. An apostle named Elder Mark Peterson "came to Yuma and held a conference of all the members in the Yuma/Imperial Valley area. He created the Yuma Arizona Stake - it was the 263rd stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

"It's satisfying to know that we are still here, and we are still trying to help the community grow," Colvin said. "The church and the church members have been an integral part of this community since the very beginning.

"Anyone interested in who we are, and what we've been doing here in the community for the last 50 years, can certainly come and walk through and see all the different areas and displays."

"Come and let us show you what we here in Yuma are doing and what is important to us," said Whitmer.

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WHAT'S GOING ON

- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Yuma Stake will host a 50th anniversary celebration today starting at 3 p.m. The event will take place at the Yuma Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4300 W. 16th St. For more information, call Craig Colvin at 329-1011 or Rebecca Moss at 341-0701.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

- 3-6 p.m. - Booths such as the Arizona Historical Society as well as displays, entertainment, family, fun, ice cream and more.

- 3:30-5:30 p.m. - Dinner and more ice cream.
- 6-6:45 p.m. - Program on the history of the stake.

- 7- 8 p.m. - Family dance

- 8 p.m. - Visiting time and reminisce.

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Jennifer Lovell can be reached at jlovell@yumasun.com or 539-6849.