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Show Church Activity Rapidly Increasing In Yellowstone By DELL VAN ORDEN Church News Assistant Editor t urch Services, read the notice, tacked to the outside wall of a lodge at Lake Village In Yellowstone National Park. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints Norman Potter, left, Paul Reynolds and J, . . Four locations were listed and behind the listings Is a story of the Church in action missionaries holding cottage meetings, group presidencies conducting Sunday services for as many as 500 tourists, members following the admonition of every member a missionary, and firesides attracting upwards to 50 alike. youths, member and non-membe- rs Church activity In the park has really grown the past few years, reported Don Cordingley, from Ashton, Idaho, who was set apart this year as the presid- ing elder of the Church In Yellowstone. Mr. Cordingley and his counselors and clerk attend meetings in the park each week, but the nucleus for the activity comes from Church members who are employed for the summer. This year there are 150 LDS employes. A group, presided over by a presidency, is organized at Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake and Grant villages. e In addition, six missionaries from West Central States Mission, headquartered in Billings, Mont., are serving in the park and In neighboring Jackson Hole, West Yellowstone and Macks Inn. full-tim- The missionaries operate nearly entirely under the referral system. Federal regulations prohibit us from initiating a conversation with tourists, said Elder Rodney Bushman of Gridley, Calif. If they ask us questions then we can answer them. However, we cant make the first contact. We arouse a lot of curiosity by going around in suits, white shirts and ties. Most everybody wears Informal clothing around here and they wonder why were all dressed up. Many people have asked us what were doing here and it gives us an opportunity to explain something about the Gospel, he said. Contact are usually obtained by LDS employes R. Ross leave lodge after Church services. friends to meetings and inviting their asking them If they'd like to meet with the missionaries. non-memb- er Last year, five employes were baptized into the Church through this system. We ought to double that this year, Mr. Cordingley said. One of last years converts, Margaret Grochocki, Medford, Ore., is back again this year working as an inspectress at Lake Lodge, and is serving as MIA president. She was baptized in the Yellowstone Lake on a cold, overcast day. She tells her story this way: My roommate was LDS and she Invited me to go with her to Church, she said. The first meeting I went to was a fast and testimonial meeting. I was really impressed that people would stand up and express themselves in public that they were thankful for their blessings. She was asked if shed like to meet the missionaries and she indicated that she would. She began receiving the missionary lessons in July and in August she was baptized. The discussions were extremely interesting and logical. Everything seemed to flow. On the fifth discussion, I decided to be baptized, which was the best thing that ever happened to me. I dont think I could live now without the Church, she declared. Services at Lake Village are usually the largest of any held in the park. We average about 150 reople at. sacrament meeting each Sunday, reported the group leader, Jewel R. Ross, who is a seasonal ranger from Salt Lake City. However, weve had as many as 500 people attending a sacrament meeting at one time, he continued.. Each week there are usually several investigators in the congregation. A fireside is held each week at Lake Village, which attracts many employes in the area. Firesides are one of our main tools to create interest in the Church, Mr. Ross said. Usually about half the participants are Many of the firesides, weather permitting, are held outside around a camp fire. All of the events e great tools for fellowshipping, Mr. Ross reported. a-- Services throughout the park are held from the first week of June until the middle of September. The assignment to conduct Church services in was the responsibility for 18 years of the 113th Quorum of Seventy of Yellowstone Stake, headquartered in SL Anthony, Idaho. Several years ag the group presidency program was put into effect and this year, Mr. Cordingley, who had been one of the seventies presidents, was given the assignment ?s presiding elder. round trip to Lake Villa c He makes the one week and the round trip to Old Faithful the other. His first counselor, John Blackburn, is in charge of the services at Old Faithful; his second counselor, Tim Bird at Canyon Village, and his clerk, Dick Egbert at Grants Village. Mr. Ross summed up the activities of the Church in Yellowstone this way: Its .very much like being ' . on a mission. 250-mi- le 200-mi- le Elder Kenneth Henrie, Ogden, Utah, and Elder Rodney Bushman Gridley, Calif., visit with Mormon ranger, Jewel Ross, at Fishing Bridge. . . m .t t WEEK ENDING AUGUST 30, 1969 W , S .V 'v CHURCH- -7 |