Mississippi Mayor Speaks on Family at Stake Conference
Contributed By By Gina Thorderson, Tupelo Mississippi Stake director of public affairs
From left to right: City councilman Jonny Davis with his wife, Sherry; Mayor Jack Reed Jr. with his wife, Lisa, holding his family history; and Tupelo stake president Gary Pettus and second counselor Nels Thorderson.
The Tupelo Mississippi Stake has been building bridges of friendship within the community and has worked for three years with the city of Tupelo during the “Week of the Family.” When Tupelo Mayor Jack Reed Jr. was asked to speak in stake conference on the importance of families and their role in the community, he gladly accepted because he has gradually become familiar and pleased with the stake’s members.
Mayor Reed said this was the first time he had ever visited The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Prior to his talk, he was presented with his family history prepared by Carol Thorderson, a local family history consultant. The mayor said, “I am overwhelmed by your gift! It is extraordinary.”
In his address to the stake, he quoted Elder L. Tom Perry’s latest general conference talk, “Becoming Goodly Parents”, and the eleventh article of faith.
Lisa, his wife, said she had heard him give many talks, but none like this one. She said she was touched by his sincerity in sharing personal experiences.
Jim Thorderson, visiting CES director, said the mayor’s talk was a “home run.”
“I really enjoyed the morning and was blessed by it. Thank you for the invitation. It was good for me to think seriously about the topics you asked me to address,” Mayor Reed said after the conference.
“You never know how something like this will go, but it was a great experience. My wife and I have gotten to know the mayor well over the past few years, and we wanted the Saints to know him like we do and we wanted him to love the Saints also. I think it all came together well and we all were edified,” said Nels Thorderson, second counselor in the stake presidency.
