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Latter-day Saint Earth Stewardship
Mike Maxwell

“Bishop Waddell invites Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint members to take action to restore the Great Salt Lake”

(Salt Lake City, Utah, March 17, 2023) - Latter-day Saint Earth Stewardship (LDSES) celebrates today’s address from Bishop W. Christopher Waddell of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Presiding Bishopric at the University of Utah Stegner Symposium on the Future of the Great Salt Lake. Bishop Waddell stated, “As a church, we are committed to being part of the solution to help the Great Salt Lake.”.

This commitment falls squarely in line with Latter-day Saint teachings and practices. The commitment is demonstrated by the many water conservation efforts Bishop Waddell shared, including the March 15, 2023 announcement that the Church would permanently donate water shares representing an annual 20,000 acre-feet of water to the Great Salt Lake. The donation of water shares is an important example of the Church’s continuing effort to promote positive earth stewardship practices, based on Latter-day Saint doctrine.

In the address, Bishop Waddell reminded us that in addition to prayer, we must engage in works to demonstrate faith. He said, “we invite others to join us in reducing water use wherever possible. As the Apostle James teaches us, we must show our faith by our works, for ‘Faith without works is dead’ (James 2:26).”

Bishop Waddell also invited church members to reduce individual water consumption and support legislative changes to preserve the Great Salt Lake, in addition to prayer and fasting.

“I celebrate the Church’s leadership and guidance on the central importance of stewardship of natural resources, especially water. Their generosity in announcing the donation of significant water rights to the Great Salt Lake shows the way. I embrace Bishop Waddell’s call for all members to do what we can to reduce water consumption,” said George Handley, a Latter-day Saint Earth Stewardship founder and Advisory Board Member.

LDSES accepts the invitation to follow the Church’s example and guidance. We will engage our membership and our communities in activities to restore the Great Salt Lake. In addition to prayer, other specific actions include upcoming Earth Day service activities, discussions on water stewardship in our ongoing “In the Company of Sewards” webcast series, and our Y-Talk campaign to promote one-on-one conversations. In addition, we encourage our members to act as voices for water conservation to our church congregations, friends, neighbors, and elected civic leaders.

After three years of leading LDS Earth Stewardship as our Executive Director, Rebecca Bateman is stepping down. Her farewell gives us a moment to gratefully reflect on how far LDSES has come under her leadership.

Rebecca led the organization to mature internally and expand externally. Board member Peter Ashcroft likened the organization’s growth to a butterfly’s transformation. “It's hard for me to think of something that we're doing now that would exist without Rebecca,” he said, “Everything that she did was either the first time we had done it, or better than it had been done before.” With the increased focus and professionalism she brought, Rebecca raised the profile of the organization and improved communication and trust with the Church. “We have a place within the Church now that we didn't have when I started,” she said, “Leaders of the Church are mindful of us, they are mindful of the need to be taking care of the earth, and they're mindful that the members of the Church want this.” Church members all over the world are discovering LDSES: our community has extended beyond Utah to Switzerland, Scotland, Uganda, Australia, and Japan; one Company of Stewards meeting this summer included both a Samoan missionary and a German citizen!

Our worldwide reach was amplified by the major project of getting a new website. “It needed to be this place where people come, feel inspired, and then can go and do,” Rebecca explained. Choosing the right words, images, and elements were crucial to providing an effective resource for Church members. “The look and feel of that website is vastly superior to what we had,” said founding member George Handley. To augment the resource library housed in the updated website, Rebecca created topical family home evening lessons; the process was often full of inspiration and she’s happy to know that families will be using, enjoying, and learning from those lessons for years to come. Above all, the highlight for Rebecca of her website work was finding a new logo that would be meaningfully symbolic. “After noticing the circle and square symbol on many temples, I drafted an image, wrote our name next to it—and felt like this is what it's supposed to be,” she recalled, “and I am so thrilled that I got to be the vehicle.” 

Rebecca’s passion for planning dignified, connecting, and uplifting events led to some incredible experiences, from major events with BYU leaders and famous farmers to service projects near rivers and petroglyphs. She has a gift for identifying opportunities and facilitating them into successful events. Still, she outdid herself last October. “The Fall Forum and the Yale conference put us right at the center, and in the exact role that I hoped we would play,” board chair Brigham Daniels explained, “building people's faith, focusing on gratitude, and inspiring people to be better.” All agreed that having Sister Sharon Eubank speak for our annual meeting was a peak moment for LDSES. “This was a major accomplishment: we had a major Church leader giving a really seminal and important talk,” said George, “That was a coming-into-our-own moment as an organization.” For Rebecca, the most remarkable part of Sister Eubank’s participation was her expressions of love, interest, and approval towards LDSES; we look forward to having her with us again for this year’s Fall Forum.

“I can think about all the things we accomplished but what it comes down to are relationships with people,” Rebecca said. Knowing that change happens when there’s movement both top-down and bottom-up, she took time to cultivate connections on all levels: from Church leadership to everyday members, from community leaders to student volunteers. Her previous experiences working at the Capitol and with interfaith groups sharpened her ability to constructively collaborate with people of vastly different backgrounds. “Consensus is really important to Rebecca,” said board member Chip Oscarson, “She values that process of bringing people together, and I think it's one of her talents to be able to bring people together.” Patient listening and a focus on common vision were key elements of her leadership.

LDSES benefited immensely from Rebecca’s polished, courteous, and confident manner in representing the organization. Peter, who was part of the hiring committee, noted, “She impresses people favorably when she first meets them, and that's an impression that we wanted associated with LDS Earth Stewardship.” Chip, who joined the board last year, added, “When you want to represent your organization to someone who doesn't know anything about it, Rebecca is a great person to do that.” George distilled what makes her such an effective ambassador when he said, “She conducts herself with graciousness and professionalism.” Her credibility fostered trust in the organization as she built relationships with partners, donors, and volunteers.

Similarly, Rebecca helped our credibility by helping the organization represent itself accurately. The unique mission of LDSES links together religion and environment without involving politics, requiring a clear vision and sense of nuance to communicate and enact accurately. Our contribution is the scriptural, moral, and faithful principles of the restored gospel. “We're promoting and celebrating; our message is one of positivity and encouragement and education,” George articulated, “and Rebecca helped us stay right on point.” Building on the messaging groundwork laid by board member Darren Hawkins (which she credits as invaluable), Rebecca drew on two guiding stars to navigate well. The first was to follow the pattern of the Church. “That was number one,” she said, “I wanted people to feel like anything we did was in tune with what the Church would do.” The second came from her nonpartisan work at the legislature, a practice of seeing things from many sides and finding the middle ground. “One of her real contributions to the organization was to help us understand how to articulate ourselves to get a response from both sides of the political spectrum,” said Chip. Though deeply considered and weighed, Rebecca’s application of these guidelines came off as natural and intuitive. 

Rebecca could share the LDSES message with authenticity because she is a Latter-day Saint earth steward. “She is directed by personal values about earth stewardship,” said Peter, “and that guided her administration of the organization.” When Rebecca spoke of earth stewardship, she spoke with her whole heart and her sincere passion was contagious. Her testimony has its roots (fittingly) amid soil and plants. “When I am out working in the garden, I have these spiritual experiences of feeling like God is with me,” she shared. Her love of gardening endears her to the teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, such as his affirmation, “Even if the tomato you eat is a $2.00 tomato, it will bring satisfaction anyway and remind us all of the law of the harvest, which is relentless in life. We do reap what we sow. Even if the plot of soil you cultivate, plant, and harvest is a small one, it brings human nature closer to nature” (source). The law of the harvest means a lot to Rebecca because of its universality; it applies to our relationships, our talents, and “taking care of the Earth: what we put into the Earth, how we treat the Earth, is going to come back to us.” In her time with LDSES, Rebecca has improved her own earth stewardship by reducing her consumerism, plastic use, and food waste, as well as reusing items and eating in season more. “The principles I’ve been trying to share with others have affected my life for good,” she remarked, “and that makes me so happy!”

“I have felt God's hand in this work,” Rebecca said, “and it's proved to be such a blessing in my life.” She looks forward to staying connected with LDSES to help maintain the many relationships she forged as Executive Director and to continue spreading our message. We are so grateful for the kindness, warmth, and generosity of her personality as well as the dedication, expertise, and passion she gave this organization. “Rebecca deserves a great deal of thanks that we are where we are,” concluded Brigham, “What she leaves behind is an organization that's pointed in the right direction and has a lot of potential, promise, and credibility.”

The following quote is one of Rebecca's favorites from our Resource Library: 

“I wish to contemplate the works of nature, and to know something of nature's God, and my destiny. I love to view the things around me; to gaze upon the sun, moon, and stars; to study the planetary system, and the world we inhabit; to behold their beauty, order, harmony, and the operations of existence around me. . . . Whether you look at birds, beasts, or the human system, you see something exquisitely beautiful and harmonious, and worthy of the contemplation of all intelligence.”

— John Taylor —

We still feel the absence of board member James "Jim" Holtkamp, whom we lost in March at the end of his fifteen-year battle with cancer; you can read his obituary here. 

Jim’s love for Creation was rooted in childhood outdoor wanderings, years of cycling and hiking the Wasatch, and a lifelong fascination with all things living. He became the first environmental lawyer in Utah in 1977, contributing to solutions that resulted in “good for society and the environment.” Jim generously volunteered his law expertise to organizations that fostered earth stewardship, from playing a negotiating role for Pax Natura Foundation’s rainforest preservation efforts to helping LDSES secure the copyright for “Every Saint A Steward.”

Jim joined our board in October 2018, blessing us with his clever wit, deep testimony, and inspiring commitment. Rather than let his difficulty walking keep him from LDSES events, he simply planned in the extra travel time and always arrived early. During his hospital visits, he attended board meetings virtually and promoted the work with his vast network of friends. Jim was a shining example of prioritizing earth stewardship to the very end, no matter the challenges.

Over the course of three years, Jim sharpened his understanding of the doctrinal underpinnings of caring for Creation by drafting a written document on the subject. “It is an attempt to articulate what I believe is a profound relationship between the earth as a living entity, the life that infuses Creation generally, and the Atonement,” Jim described in 2016, “I am trying to make the point that our own individual sanctification will depend not only on our adherence to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, but also on how we carry out our responsibilities as stewards over divine creation.” Until it can be published somewhere, we share a few excerpts of Sanctification of the Earth, of Life, and of the Environment: The Infinite Reach of the Atonement below:

“The Atonement works not only to sanctify men and women, but also all of God’s creations, including the Earth. Therefore, our stewardship obligation, originating with God’s charge to Adam and Eve, is tied to the sacredness of the earth as a future sanctified entity, and we have an obligation to treat it as such.”

“If we earn the blessing of Eternal Lives in the Celestial Kingdom, our dwelling place will be right here—on this same world where we live now, not on some other sphere. Indeed, modern revelation explicitly speaks of the need for the Earth to ‘be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for celestial glory.’ . . . It follows, then, that we have a Gospel-centered moral obligation to assure that our actions, our lifestyles and our ‘footprints’ are consistent with the sacred nature of the earth.”

“The role assigned by God to Adam and Eve and their progeny to have ‘dominion’ over all things on the earth imposes a very serious responsibility of stewardship. The cleansing power of the Atonement in the lives of men and women is effective to the extent that we are obedient to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, including obedience to the stewardship mandate. As we exercise our stewardship responsibilities to care for the earth and God’s life-creations on the earth, we become partners in the sanctification of the earth, and we will enjoy eternity on the Earth in its celestial state.”

“If the earth is a living entity and if all life on earth has a spirit component, it follows that there should and would be a spiritual interconnectedness between God’s mortal children and God’s creations which comprise our mortal home.”

“The Restoration has clarified and amplified the concept of stewardship of the earth and pervasive interconnectedness between the earth and Adam’s progeny who carry the divine charge of stewardship over earthly creations.”

“A core element of our stewardship responsibility for the earth is the obligation to care for the poor and needy. . . . Are we following God’s law if we slip beggars a few coins while knowingly or negligently living in a manner that degrades this earthly home that we share with them? . . . When God said ‘the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare,’ He was not speaking metaphorically. There is sufficient for our individual and collective needs, but there is not sufficient for our individual and collective greed and envy. The goals of growth, improvement in quality of life, and protection of the environment can be realized together if we understand and carry out the stewardship that we inherited from Adam and Eve.”

“It does not require any philosophical or theological contortion to realize that if the earth and all things above, on, and under it testify of God, we should take care to treat them with the respect due their Creator.” 

Jim prominently displayed this quote photo in his hospital room and home library during the his few months.Jim, his wife Marianne, and their daughter smile in front of a snowy mountain peak.

This is a historic year for Earth Day, and we want to help you make the most of it! We have curated seven challenges over the next two weeks intended to help you and your loved ones have a meaningful celebration. Please participate and share with us (via email or social media) what you do!

Here are the resources our LDSES members recommend for making face masks:

• Beginning pattern
• Anne Urry's favorite pattern and a video tutorial of it
• How to find where to donate masks
• Louella R. Stone shared how a strip of t-shirt can help nurses

The culminating event will be a presentation and discussion led by George Handley on Wednesday, April 22 at 7 pm MDT. After hearing his brief presentation, "Anxiously Engaged: How to be a Steward as a Saint," he will lead a discussion so we can learn together about how to wisely and effectively cultivate earth stewardship in Latter-day Saint settings. To tune in, use this Zoom link (or call in using your local number and meeting ID 982.5143.6027). This information is also on the Facebook event, which you can RSVP to here. 

One of the other purposes behind our challenges is to draw attention to our Food Fundraiser. Because this year's Earth Day is happening in the midst of a pandemic, we felt inspired to find ways to help those in need by sharing what abundance we have. An important part of our stewardship of the Earth is sharing with others (D&C 104:13-18), and you can offer help in one two ways:

• If you have money to give, we invite you to donate. Your contributions will support food banks. All of the funds raised will go to helping the less fortunate have food to eat.
• If you have time and soil to give, we invite you to garden for others. With your family or friends, work together to cultivate an edible garden this season and commit to sharing a portion of your yield with the poor in your area.

Together as stewards, we can help the Lord provide for His children by sharing our abundance. Share what abundance you can offer at this link.

SHARING OUR MESSAGE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL

On the Sunday before Earth Day, LDS Earth Stewardship will be sharing a message of earth stewardship as part of a collaborative Multi-Faith Earth Day Service. Tune in to be uplifted by prayer and song in honor of Creation.

When: Sunday, April 19 at 2 pm EST (12 pm MDT)

Where: www.cathedral.org/earthday 

RSVP to the Facebook event by clicking here.

We are sad to announce the passing of Par Rasmusson. Par has been with LDSES since its founding and was currently serving on the board of directors. His love of service represented and guided a core purpose of our organization. The weekend service trip in Zion National Park (held in 2018 and 2019) happened because of Par's planning, collaboration, and organizational efforts. Par was the liaison with the Utah Lake Commission in coordinating and executing our successful Adopt-A-Shoreline clean-up of Sandy Beach in 2016. He was a dedicated attendee to any LDSES service project, where his kind and genuine demeanor made everyone feel welcome and valued. Additionally, he freely contributed his photography and video skills to LDSES to capture experiences and promote events.

Par closed his emails with the phrase “Let’s Do Service” which served as a continual reminder of the centrality of service in Latter-day Saint life. In his honor, we named our service mini-grants after him and his catchphrase. We are grateful for his years of devoted effort with LDSES and are humbled that he would name us for donations in lieu of flowers.

Read more about Par's life here or watch this video about his testimony of earth stewardship.

LDS Earth Stewardship was a proud sponsor of a successful LDS Student Association conference in October. Over 140 young adult latter-day saints from across the east coast traveled to New Haven, CT, to gather and learn. The beautiful campus of Yale University set the stage for an enjoyable and enlightening experience.

The bulk of the events took place on Saturday, starting with morning service projects done in partnership with the Urban Resources Initiative. One group went to Cherry Ann Park to add wood chips, move concrete chunks, and remove invasive plants. Thanks to the vision of local resident Miss Connie Vereen, what was once an unkempt dumping ground has been transformed into a beautiful local park. This service event was part of a continuing effort that has been going on for years. The other group went to Wilbur Cross High School, which is bordered by the Mill River and East Rock Park. They cleaned up 200 pounds of trash from the school grounds and riparian area.

The afternoon featured two remarkable visitors. First, George Handley (one of our founding board members) gave the keynote lecture on gospel-centered earth stewardship. Starting with a photo of his childhood backyard, where Handley had some formative spiritual experiences, he invited us to expand our love for those type of natural places into a love for all of God’s creation; this process is similar to how we grow from loving our family to loving all humankind. He highlighted what the Church has published on earth stewardship (which we’re celebrating with our Duty, Love, and Stewardship campaign), then discussed 10 unique doctrines of the restored gospel that are particularly insightful (check those out on our Instagram highlights). He finished by encouraging us to find ways to honor the Creator by honoring His creation in our daily life, actively choosing to safeguard our precious earthly home.

The other presenter was Erik Jacobsen, president of Deseret Ranches. Located southeast of Orlando, FL, this diverse ranchland includes cattle, crops, sod, mining, and solar panels. He shared the history of this agricultural investment of the Church, emphasizing that getting a return requires 50 to 100 years; since it’s a long-term investment, sustainable practices that preserve the land are of paramount importance. “Our livelihood depends on our sustainability,” said Jacobsen. As he discussed their long-term planning process, a common theme was protecting and caring for their water resources. All their sustainability initiatives also benefit the local wildlife, particularly the waterfowl that nest at the reservoirs. This video he shared gives a beautiful glimpse of the Deseret Ranches.

In the evening, Rebecca Bateman—our Executive Director—recounted what Sister Sharon Eubank talked about at our Fall Forum just a couple nights before. The attendees then split into groups to discuss and formulate responses to Sister Eubank’s three questions. They summarized their ideas on posters, which were delivered to Sister Eubank after we returned to Salt Lake City, 

We were inspired by the hardworking LDSSA leaders that pulled this conference together, and are so grateful that they chose the topic of “Stewardship and Consecration.” It was inexpressibly exciting to see so many young, vibrant saints draw the connection between our doctrine and caring for the earth for the first time.

The tone for our Fall Forum was set by the historic and venerable location of White Memorial Chapel. Every pew and seat were filled by eager listeners, ready to hear what Sister Sharon Eubank came to share. After introducing our Board of Directors, presenting the Steward of the Year award, sharing highlights from the past year, and announcing the Duty, Love and Stewardship campaign, the majority of the evening was left to our special guest.

Sister Eubank opened graciously, explaining that she hadn't written down her thoughts because she wanted to have a conversation. Her first topic was how humanitarian work and environmental stewardship intersect: the migration of displaced people. Environmental degradation is one of the top three reasons that people leave their home. Long-term environmental changes such as saltwater intrusion from rising sea levels and increasingly extreme weather patterns like droughts and hurricanes force desperate departures that are perilous and risky. Sis. Eubank pointed out that the scale of the migration happening right now hasn't been seen since World War II. Naturally, our response needs to cover the immediate needs of the displaced, but it's equally important to address the root causes of migration—which include environmental concerns.

The second topic centered around Zion. Sis. Eubank highlighted the strange choice that Joseph Smith made after establishing the Church; of all the things he could have put his time and effort into, Joseph translated the Old Testament. She proposed that it indicates how important the experiences of Moses and Enoch are. After reading some of the verses in Moses 7, she asked us to seriously and thoughtfully consider what preparing the earth to be Zion—of one heart and one mind, dwelling in righteousness with no poor among us—has to do with stewardship of the earth. "Are they not linked so inextricably that we can't do one without caring for the other?" she asked.

For her testimony, Sis. Eubank closed by leading the attendees in singing Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah. The Spirit swelled with the sound of beautiful voices. After finishing, she added, "I pray that Jehovah . . . will guide me so that little tiny drops of action can somehow flow together . . . and finally create Zion." She acclaimed the work of LDS Earth Stewardship by lauding our Resource Library, appreciating how we stay true to Church teachings, and explaining that her attendance at this forum was approved by Church leadership. "There is no question: we are stewards of the earth and we care for the earth," she affirmed, "It is a godly and holy work."

With hope of continuing the conversation at future events, she asked three questions that she wants us to help her answer. We list them below, with some context from the evening’s discussion, for you to ponder:

1. When we waste what others desperately need, what physically happens to unity and our hearts?

Reflecting on the hand-carved pews we sat upon in the chapel, Sis. Eubank brought attention to how it feels when we're familiar with the process of how something is made. She expressed the weighty seriousness of wastefulness by tracing the "value chain" of resources required to get a package of raspberries into her fridge. We are indefensibly culpable when we waste something that could have benefitted someone else; if we all reduced our waste, we could fulfill many of the needs of our poor without even sacrificing. When we look at the processes that God designed in the natural world, there is no waste; that is a divine pattern.

2. Why do we feel God in His creations? What do others feel in our own creations?

In discussing Zion, Sis. Eubank shared a handful of quotes about individuals' experiences in Zion National Park. They all touched on the physical reactions and deep feelings that come from being in nature. One possible explanation for this phenomenon Sis. Eubank suggested is that the obedience of the natural world to its Creator has an uplifting influence. In her words, "It makes us better people; it raises and lifts our spirits so that we treat ourselves and our fellow beings differently."

3. What would move our hearts to swell "as wide as eternity" (Moses 7:41)?

Noting that the way we often talk about environmental issues is polarizing, Sis. Eubank identified the need for a new framing that can open the conversation up again. However, she warned that the position of a ‘moral high horse’ is unlikely to be constructive. Instead she encouraged creative persuasions that appeal to others’ practicality and humor. Because “we are the Church,” we don’t need to wait for Church leaders to give direction before enacting eco-friendly practices in our wards and stakes.

The transcript was first shared with the members of LDSES via the newsletter,

but is now freely available to read here.

We were thrilled to present our Steward of the Year award at our Fall Forum. The recipient, Sarah Bateman, has clear vision on how helping people and caring for the environment are congruent. She carries this vision with her as a contributing member of myriad organizations, including the UVU Sustainability Committee, Utah Valley Clean Air Task Force, and Orem Bicycle Coalition. As president of Utah Recycling Alliance and Co-director of Feast Utah, she has become a guiding leader in the local community.

Her most long-standing project is the semiannual Community Free SWAP event. Since 2008, Sarah has organized the gathering of donations to be offered free of charge. People often confuse it for a yard sale, asking volunteers for an item’s price only to be astounded when they’re told they can have it for free. It’s an especially tender moment when the person asking is a refugee or unemployed. For Sarah and her crew of volunteers, the intersection of hundreds of people and their stories creates an uplifting feeling of community that they cherish most of all. The added benefit is giving stuff a second life, expanding its usefulness before it goes to the garbage. What would have been wasted can become revived, reused, or reinvented.

Sarah became involved in local government to cultivate more mutual benefits for her community and their nature. After much perseverance, she founded Orem’s Natural Resources Stewardship Committee, which focuses on fostering “recycling, water conservation, bicycling, gardening and … good air quality” for residents. Earlier this year, she founded the Sustainability Coalition of Utah County to expand the conversation around sustainable practices as the county anticipates the challenges that will come with an expected explosion of growth. Her gentle diplomacy and sincere love for people sustain continued communication through difficult problems.

When asked by Sister Eubank to help answer a question from the audience, Sarah shared that "conservative and conservation are only two letters different, so there is a lot in common there"—more than people realize. Because her work requires so much communication and persuasion, "patience and persistence are my ever-present companions. . . . It takes a lot of faith and optimism."

Sarah has a firm testimony that Creation is divine, and therefore caring for it honors the Creator. Her work is a testament that good earth stewardship is true service to our brothers and sisters.

[SALT LAKE CITY] LDS Earth Stewardship (LDSES) welcomes Sharon Eubank, Director of Latter-day Saint Charities, as the keynote speaker at the annual LDSES Fall Forum this Thursday, Oct 10, at 7 pm at White Memorial Chapel in Salt Lake City.

Sister Eubank will discuss how the environment affects the poor and vulnerable and share her first-hand knowledge of what people throughout the world are facing by way of pollution, displacement, and poverty. “We are so honored to have Sister Eubank talk with us,” said George Handley, LDSES Trustee and Professor of Interdisciplinary Humanities at Brigham Young University. “Her love and compassion can serve as an example to us for what we can do to help serve our neighbors.”

At the Fall Forum, LDSES is also launching the “Duty, Love and Stewardship” campaign, asking Utahns to sign their names online in praise and support for the growing number of earth stewardship efforts undertaken by Saints throughout the world. People can add their name here. People can also share the campaign by using the hashtag #DutyLoveAndStewardship.

“We hope people learn about the campaign and are excited to sign their names in praise of all that’s being done to honor the Creator through earth stewardship,” said Handley. “This is a simple way to say thank you to our leaders and fellow Church members, and to inspire more stewardship.”

The Love, Duty and Stewardship Campaign showcases an infographic celebrating key earth stewardship acts led by Latter-day Saints in the last 10 years. Highlights include powerful guidance from leaders, including President Nelson's conference talk titled "The Creation,” in 2000, and “The Moral Imperative of Environmental Stewardship” by Elder Steven E. Snow in 2018. The leadership of young Saints is also highlighted, such as Clayton Kearl’s massive trash clean-up effort in Peru, which reached 93,000 social media followers, and green projects by BYU students, such as clean energy solutions for communities in Mongolia.

“If you look back over just the last decade, more and more Church members are connecting the dots between our doctrine and earth stewardship,” notes Rebecca Bateman, LDSES Executive Director. “We are seeing a groundswell of Latter-day Saints connecting with gospel-centered earth stewardship and doing meaningful acts of service.”

Capacity is limited for the LDSES Fall Forum this Thursday, and seating will be offered on a first come first serve basis. After the event, LDSES will also provide a transcript of Sister Eubank's words on their web site.

In a combined celebration of National Public Lands Day, 20 volunteers from LDS Earth Stewardship and the Sierra Club worked together on a service project during the last weekend of September in beautiful Zion National Park. Tasks completed included removal of Russian Thistle (commonly known as Tumbleweed), gathering of seeds such as Side Oats Grama, roof netting removal, plant tube washing and stacking, and native plant seed sorting and cleaning. Altogether, they volunteered the equivalent of one staff employee working four 40-hour weeks!

A definite highlight was a presentation by Nathan Waite, an editor on the Joseph Smith Papers Project and an editor of A Zion Canyon Reader. Nate is a native of the area and gave a history of Zion and how it was first “discovered” and named and re-named. Anecdotally, he included his misadventures in having to be rescued by helicopter when he was canyoneering and mistook Missed It Canyon for Mystery Canyon!

Prayers were answered and the weather was perfect to enjoy some hard work, good food (food always tastes better outdoors!), and the making or renewal of great friendships. Join us next year in Zion National Park on this annual service project to enjoy Creation at its finest with us!