New Grouse Creek Ward Building

Dedication Day 6 May 1984, 11:00 A.M.

For many this was the first time they had seen or entered this beautiful building. The exterior and interior and particularly the chapel was so outstandingly beautiful, it was breath taking to most. The building is certainly a credit to the community and the church. It should be the very heart and soul of social and spiritual life for all who attend. Of course, many former ward members, Family members, church and business associates, and friends were in attendance. Over 300 were counted at one time during the day.

The building has actually been used since Christmas Day and has been a great blessing to the Saints since they have just survived a very severe winter with as much as three feet of snow on the level. Since this is cattle country, needless to say, it was hard on cattle and calves as well as people. But the Saints stood it well; the day was a beautiful spring day, like it was ordered specifically for this occasion.

Priesthood meeting was held in the chapel, Relief Society and Primary were held in their separate rooms each filled to overflowing. Guest speakers somehow involved in the building process occupied the time for Priesthood meeting. President Rex Gerratt Presided and Bishop Douglas Tanner conducted. Elder David Haight arrived in time for the Sacrament meeting.

Sacrament and Dedication Meeting   12:00 noon

Elder David B. Haight, of the council of the Twelve Apostles, representing the General Authorities of the Church, presided.

Bishop Douglas Tanner of the Grouse Creek Ward, conducted.

The Oakley Idaho Stake Presidency, President Rex Gerratt, Robert N. Sagers, and C. Dallan Elquist were seated on the stand. Members of the High Council, former Stake Presidents Wade Baker and Grant Wyatt, Patriarch Alton Hatch and John A. Clark, and other church officials and their wives were in attendance.

Opening song page 213: “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning.” After the first verse, Elder Haight stepped to the pulpit and stated ..”He was impressed to interrupt to inform us that this song was written for the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. The sisters donated their China which was crushed and blended in the mortar of the Temple which makes it sparkle. There is a similarity in that occasion and today. He recently sang this song in the Kirtland Temple and felt the same strong feelings. His tour guide was Mrs. Lord of the Reorganized Church who asked him to offer a prayer in the temple. He felt the spirit of the Lord there and was impressed to ask, “That the building be preserved and cared for, and bless those who care for it since it is presently owned and cared for by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints”. After these timely remarks we finished singing the remaining verses with increased feeling.

Archie Toyn offered the Invocation.

Bishop Tanner recognized the dignitaries, the Stake Presidency, High Council, Patriarchs, representatives of the Church building Committee, Contractors and others. He then introduced the Sacrament song page 288 “Ye children of Our God”.

The Sacrament was administered and passed to the Saints.

Bishop Tanner introduced three of the Senior Members of the Grouse Creek Ward.

Annie Kimber age 96, she was assisted by Lyman and Emily, her children. She told of her being converted in England and came to Grouse Creek at age 9, and some of the hardships and changes she had witnessed, from a dirt floored cabin for a church to this beautiful building. Through all of these experiences she never went hungry and had gained a strong testimony of the Gospel, and still had it, even though she could not come to church often.

Herbert Tanner, has been blessed over the years and was glad he was still here to see this building dedicated. Satan works to get us to find fault with one another but he had a testimony which has been strengthened by his experiences and association with others, many of whom are here today.

Winfred Kimber, was a self appointed inspector of this new building and seldom missed a day of checking to make sure things were being done right. He stated, “The thing the contractor forgot was to take the “shake” out of this pulpit”. He was grateful for his friends and family and the testimony he had of the Gospel.

The Primary sang a medley of songs.

Bishop Tanner, in his remarks told of planning meetings, and differences of opinion about remodeling or building new. There were arguments on both sides, finally it came time to fall in line and get behind the project, and make it work. The building is a great blessing and the finished product will further unite the ward and its people. He has a testimony of the Gospel and is grateful for all his responsibilities and the blessing he enjoys.

President Gerratt, This is the Lord’s house, it is a gift from him. If you will come with a proper sprit and accept the learning, educational and other opportunities this building will provide many great and wonderful blessings for all who fully indulge. The Grouse Creek Ward leads the Stake in all areas except Home Teaching. I challenge you to continue to improve. Will you good wives, tell your husbands, they are needed in their patriarchal priesthood responsibilities at home and in the Ward.

The Relief Society Sister’s sang, “Oh, That I Were an Angel”.

Bishop Tanner, introduced Elder Haight and presented him a Plague which contained pictures of the old and new building with significant dates.

Elder Haight expressed his gratitude and gave some family background and how he was acquainted with the Grouse Creek Ward since he was raised in Oakley, Idaho. His response to the gift, to the Gospel and his church callings, he stated “There’s always someone reaching out and helping me, this is particularly true when we allow it to happen, and are willing to recognize it”.

DEDICATORY PRAYER…………………GROUSE CREEK WARD CHAPEL

GROUSE CREEK, UTAH, OF THE OAKLEY STAKE, delivered during the SACRAMENT MEETING held at 12:00 noon.. 6 May 1984. By..

ELDER DAVID B. HAIGHT, Member of the Council of Twelve Apostles. The congregation was asked to bow their heads..

OH GOD, OUR ETERNAL FATHER, Hallowed be Thy Name, we have assembled in this new lovely building in Grouse Creek, Utah, to dedicate it and to sanctify it unto Thee. We thank Thee, Holy Father, for the knowledge we have of Thee as our Father and the knowledge we have of Thy Son who is our Savior and Redeemer. Father, we express our love unto Thee and our love for Thy Son.

We thank Thee for the knowledge that we have of the restoration of the gospel, in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. We thank Thee for the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, for his valiance and his determination, to be the instrument of the restoration. We thank Thee our Holy Father, for Thy appearance to the boy prophet, Joseph Smith in the sacred grove, the little grove of trees, near Palmyra, New York. For Thy appearance and of Thy Son, ushering in this work. We thank Thee for those sacred words spoken to the Prophet Joseph.

We thank Thee for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and those people who joined the church. Those who raised the funds and assisted in the translation of the Book of Mormon, from the plates  and the printing of the Book of Mormon at the Granden Press in Palmyra, and of that sacred record and other testament of Jesus Christ coming forth. We thank Thee Holy Father, for all of these events, and for the knowledge we have of the on rolling of this work, line upon line, precept upon precept, which we witness still today. Of events taking place in the world today, and which will continue to take place, as Thy work continues to roll forward. As the stone cut out of the mountain, that it will cover every nation, kindred, tongue and people. Holy Father, we know this will happen.

We thank Thee Heavenly Father, for the Presidents of the church, and the Prophets, since the Prophet Joseph Smith, all of them down to and including President Kimball, who is our Prophet today. We thank Thee for President Kimball and for the members of the church throughout the world, who are faithful in the paying of their tithes and of funds unto the church, which made it possible to build this building.

We thank Thee for the saints in Munich, Germany or in Paris, France or in Buenos, Argentina or in the Philippines or in Hong Kong or in Toronto, Canada, as well as others through out the world, who have paid their tithes, making it possible for buildings like this to be built. We thank Thee Holy Father, for all of them, and their faithfulness.

We thank Thee for the leadership that came into this valley under Thy direction, and those stalwart pioneers who settled here in Grouse Creek and in the surrounding hills and valleys. Through their faith and their steadfastness, they built a little log meeting house near here, so that now we are here to delicate a third building in Grouse Creek.

We thank Thee Father for all that has transpired for … End of tape.

Heavenly Father, bless us with a grateful heart.

Now Heavenly Father, I have had the opportunity to look at this building to examine it. I am honored and as directed by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, who indicate the building is prepared to be dedicated. It has been paid for, and I have visited all of the building, the rooms are well laid out, the construction is on a beautiful site with the green grass. It is an honor unto the on rolling of Thy work. Heavenly Father, we dedicate the ground that this building is on. This ground has been dedicated previously, but we reconfirm the blessings that have been announced here before. We dedicate the land, we dedicate the foundation, we dedicate the structure of this building, the walls, the ceiling, the roof, and we dedicate all of the mechanical equipment that is here. We dedicate the rooms, the classes, and the chalkboards and all the area where the gospel will be taught, and we dedicate the electrical equipment and the lights and the fixtures, the organ and the piano and the pulpit and the choir seats and all other parts of this building.

We dedicate unto Thee our Holy Father that Thy gospel will be preached and no unclean or untruthful messages will be uttered. We bless every piece of the meeting house, that Thy work will be preached and the youth will grow up, to develop testimonies of the truthfulness of the work and that they will want to go out and so declare.

We bless the families, the mothers and the fathers and children, who come here and all their posterity.

We bless the Stake President and his Counselors who are here, such great and wonderful men, and the Bishoprics, and all the leaders of the women’s organizations, and of the priesthood, and of the youth. Bless all that will assemble here in the meetings that will be conducted.

Heavenly Father, we know that babies will be blessed here, funerals will be conducted. May all that transpires to be in accordance with Thy holy mind and will.

Now, Holy Father, we dedicate unto Thee and ask Thee to accept this building, physically and all the equipment that is in it. Accept along with our love and devotion, our dedication to be more faithful, to be more diligent, to get up a little earlier, to study the scriptures, pray with our families and hold family home evening. To know that our children must go out into the world, to become the salt of the earth and they will teach others of the truthfulness of the gospel, as it has been restored to mankind.

Father, accept this building and all that has been prepared. We dedicate it unto Thee and pray Thy acceptance, from the bottom of our hearts and with our souls touched on this day.

Thanking Thee, for the valleys and the grass and also praying Heavenly Father, that the elements will be tempered, that the floods in part of this stake, over in the Oakley Valley and in the Salt Lake Valley and other places, that the Saints and others, may not experience serious flooding. We pray Heavenly Father, that Thou will hear our pleading and hear our prayers, that the weather might be steady, in such a way that the snow will not melt too fast, and the water will be able to be taken care of. Bless all here that they may have good crops this season. Bless the livestock. Bless the homes, every one of them.

Holy Father, we dedicate this building unto Thee, and pray Thy acceptance, doing so in the Power of the Priesthood  that I hold, in the sacred name of our Savior Jesus Christ, we so dedicate unto Thee, with all the love we possess, in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Amen

Reese Warburton offered the Benediction at 2:30 P.M.

After the meeting everyone was invited to the School for lunch.

380 people ate… Ham, Salads, Chips, Relishes,
Cake and Ice Cream.

Provided by: Eula Kimber September 2014