Now is the time (still)

 Fantastic friends, breathtaking brothers, and spectacular sisters,

I'm late this week but better late than never! :)  I am SOOOO excited for the upcoming weeks! There is just so much. Also, it's embarrassing to say but, I'm already getting excited for Christmas! As I look forward to the upcoming activities and hear of your excitement and energy, I just know that our community is going to be so full of faith, hope, love and the Christmas spirit. That's because of you!

Here are some of the things getting me so excited;
- Primary Program this Sunday! 
- 10/29: Trunk or Treat plus Chili Cook-off
- 11/01: Youth/Ward/Stake/Everyone Temple Night!  Baptistry is reserved at 6pm. Come as you are, ALL visitors welcome :) 
- 11/02 - 11/03: Stake Conference
- 11/23: Missionary Blitz Activity
- 12/13 - 12/15: Arlington Nativity Festival

Do you see how exciting it is!?

In General Conference, President Nelson said, "now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority". As I've studied 'Come, Follow Me' this week, I've been reflecting on a specific verse. Nephi said, "they had all things common among them". I've wondered, 'what exactly was common among them?' and 'can we be similar?'  The same verse says that they were all partakers of the heavenly gift. I've wondered how to bring that commonness to our ward. How can we stand united with each other? How can we make sure that we are all equally committed to Christ?

I just really, truly believe that we too can have mighty miracles among us and be free of envy, strife, and lies. We can be as the Nephites were - we really can be. I'd like to suggest that at least part of the answer is found in 4 Nephi 1:15. "There was no contention in the land because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people."

As we come in to this marvelous season, let's replace our anger with love, our bitterness with meekness, our pride with humility. Let go of your hurt.  If there is something in you that is keeping us apart, come to church this Sunday and be healed by Christ. Come and wrestle with the Lord. I promise that there will be angels in Sacrament Meeting this Sunday that will heal your wounds. I invite you to come and let them minister to you. I will be there with you, asking for my own weaknesses and frustrations to be eased and lightened. Let's look to the Lord together and receive His Heavenly Gift.

With unimaginable amount of love and adoration,

Bishop Kienzle

PS. Don't forget, we have the Linger Longer after church (bring your favorite comfort foods!). We also have a special Bishop's Youth Discussion. We'll be watching the worldwide youth devotional at 7pm at Brother Wiggins' home. 

Days Never to be Forgotten

 Awesome, amazing, and awe-inspiring associates,

I love you all so much! It appears that I'm going to be authoring these messages on a weekly basis. It's official. I feel out of place with this goal of mine, many of you are so much more inspirational than me. I'm confident the work will go on without my wondering thoughts put to e-mail. Nevertheless, the Spirit continues to prompt me incessantly that it needs to happen and I feel constrained to listen. Some of you have certainly contributed to those promptings. I'm going to work on making the messages come around the same time of the week and I hope you'll be patient with me. 
I truly believe that we are commencing an era of our lives, the ward, the stake and The Church that will be unparalleled. I'd like to share with you why I absolutely believe that to be true. Coming to know each of you reaffirms that to be true. Other things that have been reaffirming that faith include; seeing you in sacrament, witnessing your love for each other, feeling the spirits of the youth in the temple and as they speak in sacrament meeting, and sharing revelatory experiences as a ward in marvelous and miraculous sacrament meeting. As I listened to Elder Kearon's talk in General Conference, I knew that the Lord was happy with our efforts exemplify his Church of Joy. Do you believe it? Do you feel it? Do you feel to sing the song of redeeming love with me? Perhaps that's why I love musical numbers, so we can all sing that song of redeeming love...

What will make this next era be the greatest? What will make us experience an era never to be forgotten? I watched a video from the Church this past week that filled my heart with hope. I'd like you to watch it. It's about the perfect balance that should co-exist between the Lord's greatest commandments; that we shall "love the Lord [our] God with all [our] hearts... and the second... like unto it, [that we] we shall love [our] neighbor". On those commandments, hang all the laws and the prophets. As we balance that struggle, I promise that all the rest will fall into position and will support even the weightiest of burdens. As we allow the Lord, through His love, to bear those burdens, we will be able to be cross the bridge that exists between where are now and the potential he sees in us. We will be able to live up to our privilege and be partakers in our noble birthrights. 

As we cross that bridge, held up by our love of God and his children (our neighbors), we will live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, have compassion for those in need, share the gospel, and make sacred covenants in the House of the Lord. 

I so so so look forward to seeing you all in Sacrament on Sunday. The momentum continues to build. I'm confident that the upcoming stake conference will also be absolutely amazing.

With so much love and adoration,

Bishop Kienzle

PS: I just had a prompting. Let me know your thoughts. I propose we all go to the temple together on Nov 01. The youth will be doing baptisms. If you're not sure about endowments or initiatory, go to the baptistry with the youth. If you're not sure about the baptistry, come have a picnic on the grounds. If you're not sure about being on the grounds, we should meet for pizza after. ;) Truth is, I just love you guys and we should be together. <3.

PSS. I'm sorry I wasn't there last Sunday but I heard those amazing talks and that absolutely spectacular musical number and it filled me with joy. This sacrament meeting will also be revelatory, I'm sure. 

Now is the time

 Mighty friends,

I hope this Tuesday morning finds you well. I hope that General Conference provided you with a needed weekend of rest and nourishment. I've already begun re-listening to general conference talks. I have found that, for me, most of my learning comes as I listen a second time. I felt so unified with all of you as we gathered in our homes to listen to a prophet's voice. What inspiration did you receive? Which was your favorite talk? Which questions did you have? I ask that with sincere interest, I'd love to hear your responses!

For me, the message I received most clearly is that joy is found in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. All the things I do at church and in the Gospel is or should be with the sole intent of focusing my heart (and the hearts of others) on Jesus Christ. I hope that our ward activities and culture can reflect a similar sentiment. I received some other specific instruction as well and I look forward to putting it into action in the upcoming months.

As we approach this upcoming season, I invite you to reflect on the messages you received in General Conference and allow your faith to inspire action. These upcoming months are FULL of opportunities to minister, to unify and serve, to build Zion, and to focus our hearts on Jesus Christ through covenants. October is full of fall activities and festivities. In November, we'll have family focused events and Thanksgiving as well as starting to prepare for the Festival of Nativities. Finally, December will come and we'll spend the entire month celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Let's start preparing for Christmas now.   

I hope we can take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. Please be aware of the following: 

Oct 11 (Friday)- Temple Cleaning assignment in the evening for endowed members. Please respond to this e-mail for details. We do need volunteers for this.
Oct 11 - Youth Temple Trip, meeting at the church at 4:45 PM.
Nov 01 - Youth Temple Trip + Adult Stake Temple Trip
Nov 02 - Stake Conference with visiting general authority
Nov 23 - Ward Missionary outreach activity
Dec 13-15   Festival of Nativities

Friends, I really do love all of you so much. I hope you continue to be patient with me. I hope you can feel how much I love you. I was impressed by President Nelson's comments, "Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority." and "every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find him in the temple". Please, please join me in mighty prayer and strive with me to make our discipleship our highest priority. Let's pray mightily to soften our hearts, sanctify our souls, cleanse ourselves of pride and anger and to be sincere Christ seekers.

Thank you for always inspiring me and praying to make our ward Zion. 

With love and adoration,

Bishop Kienzle

PS: Remember to let me know if you're interested in helping with a cleaning assignment in the temple this Friday evening.