Show History of Mormon Church History Of Community Are Linked in Moab Inseparable from the history of 01 Moab's growth is the history of the L. L D. D S. S church here In many phases the story of the church and the story of the community are the same It was the Mormon church that sent the Elk Mountain Mission here years ago When the first cattlemen began coming In two decades later official of the church loll followed owed closely Quoting from Faun McConkie McConkle Tanners Tanner's History of Moab Utah In 1881 Bishop Randolph H. H Stewart of Huntington was called to locate at Moab for lor the purpose of taking charge of the settlement settlement settlement set set- and at a meeting held Feb 15 1881 at the home of A. A G. G Wilson at Moab the Saints residing in Moab or Grand Valley were organized as a ward Christen G. G Larsen president of the Emery Emery Emery Em Em- ery stake was present as were Stewart and Orange Seely Stewart was confirmed as Bishop with A. A G. G Wilson as first counselor and O. O W. W Warner as second counselor William William Willlam Wil Wil- liam llam A. A Peirce was made ward clerk Wilson earlier had served as presiding elder for the community Auxiliary organizations and their organization organization organization dates Included Sunday school Aug 7 1881 Relief Society Feb 19 1883 Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association and I Primary 1883 and Young Mens Men's M. M I. I A. A Nov 16 10 1883 Even before the Moab ward was organized the Grand Valley area had been included in the fhe L. L D. D S. S organization Orange Seely In 1875 had been designated bishop over all the country east of San Pete In 1885 a branch of the ward was organized ed at Bueno Dueno in the upper valley with George W. W McConkie as president of the branch and Sunday school Church meetings first were held In a log meeting house houe on the southwest corner of the present courthouse block built in 1881 That building 24 by 30 feet was used for all public gatherings until it burned in 1887 In 89 1888 an adobe church building was erected on the east side of the courthouse square It still stands today used by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Randolph Stewart was bishop at the time that church was built built he he was bishop of the ward in fact for 17 years from the time it was organized The little adobe church served the ward until 1925 Many of today's Moab residents still sUll remember when they worshipped there Then a new church was built costing over Now the Moab ward again is outgrowing its quarters Plans have been drawn for a anew anew anew new building to be erected on a alot alot alot lot already purchased two blocks south of the high school Glen Carlson the present bishop of the ward says construction will start as soon as sufficient money is raised |