From one stake come 489 congregations
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve traveled to the state of Washington for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Seattle Stake, visiting a stake originally organized in 1938 by President Heber J. Grant and Elder Melvin J. Ballard, Elder Ballard's grandfather and one of his predecessors in the Quorum of the Twelve.
Accompanying Elder Ballard at the anniversary celebration and stake conference was Elder Kevin Pearson, current President of the Tacoma Washington Mission and newly called member of the Seventy.
When Elder Ballard arrived in Seattle on May 30, he was first interviewed by Michael Medved on his syndicated radio talk show, broadcast from Seattle radio station KTTH. Elder Ballard was also interviewed by a reporter for the Seattle Times.
That evening, Elder Ballard hosted a dinner of local dignitaries and individuals who had attended the 1938 meeting when the Seattle Stake was formed. After the dinner, a musical tribute to the restoration of the gospel was performed by a multi-cultural stake choir, a small orchestra and several quartets.
In 1909, Melvin J. Ballard was called as the president of the Northwestern States Mission. During the 10 years that followed, he helped build the first mission home and assisted President Joseph F. Smith in the dedication of the first Church meetinghouse built in Seattle. He was called to the apostleship in 1919 by President Grant.
In 1938, when Elder Melvin J. Ballard assisted in the organization of the Seattle Stake, there were fewer than 5,000 members of the Church in the region. Today, Church membership in Washington has grown to more than 253,000 members in 489 congregations. Some of those original pioneering members attended the 70th Anniversary and shared their personal experiences.
Six of the 10 presidents who have presided over the Seattle Stake attended the celebration, and Elder Ballard honored their sacrifices during "hard times," especially during earlier years. Descendants of the other former stake presidents and mission presidents also attended as special guests. Noting that the message of the restored Church was "essential" and "critical" in today's world, he asked members to be "wonderful neighbors, loving and kind and be willing to share the gospel when people are ready to learn."
He said that no amount of money would have persuaded him to sacrifice all he has throughout his life of service in the Church, but he has done so because of his conviction that the gospel is true and because of his love for his Savior.
Meetings over the next two days included a historic tri-mission conference for full-time missionaries, plus young single adult, priesthood, adult and general stake conference sessions.
Another feature of the celebration was a display of historical photographs of the early buildings and members of the Seattle Stake, many being seen for the first time by those who were present at those historic occasions.
One member, Laura Bateham, remembers being baptized in 1917 in the first Church building in Seattle. Another member, Alice Montgomery, who was baptized in 1936 in the Queen Anne Branch, later served with her husband, Merlin (Monte) Montgomery in the Seattle Washington Temple. Jeanne Martenson remembers meeting President Heber J. Grant. Cloetta Hoffman remembers President Grant's and Elder Melvin J. Ballard's visit in 1938 and met with Elder M. Russell Ballard at the 70th anniversary celebration. Her uncle, Harold Clawson, became the first bishop of the Queen Anne Ward.
