The annual conference of the Soledad Branch (Correctional Facility) of the Monterey Stake was held at Soledad California, on 29 April 2012, within Correctional Training Facility (CTF) of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitee (CDCR).
In attendance from the Monterey California Stake; Stake Presidency
President Brent T. Green
First Counselor Kerry L. Varney
Second Counselor Stuart J. Dong
Stake Clerk Brother Dan bowman
Stake High Counselor Brother Doug Humble
In attendance from the Soledad Branch; Branch Presidency
President Arthur E. Romero
His eternal companion Sister Barbara Romero
First Counselor David M. Shipley
Second Counselor Edward H. Fischer
Branch Clerk Ronald P. Vitzian
Prior to the first session of the conference the aforementioned attendees held a brief meeting in the North Yard in which they received the Sacrament.
The first session of conference was held at the North Yard of the (CTF).
Presiding: President Brent T. Green
Conducting: President Arthur E. Romero
Pianist: Brother James Nielsen
Chorister: Enrique Behena
Opening hymn: Come, Come Ye Saints
Invocation: Bruce Roberts
Welcome: President Art Romero
Speaker: President Art Romero (subjects) Love of God for His children; The love President Romero has for each inmate; and the organization of the Church and the Branch.
Branch Choir: Lord, I Would Follow Thee
Speaker: President Brent Green (subjects) Obedience, faith, repentance; The love and concern President Green has for the inmates and his desire to meet with them again.
Speaker: Sister Barbara Romero (subjects) History of the prison ministry and her love for all the inmates and how they have affected her family: the Father wants all to return to Him.
Speaker: Villi Valu His growing up in the Church; foundation of prophets and apostles.
Speaker: Levi Makasini The Priesthood
Speaker: Enrique Behena Family; growing up in the islands; his love for the Church.
Speaker: David Cook Church experience; life in San Quentin; faith and repentance.
Speaker: James Nielsen Learning to pray; receiving revelation
Spontaneous remarks by Carl: God is texting you
Benediction: Gilberto Alejandre
Attendance for the first session was 29 inmates and 10 visitors
President Dong had to leave to take care of other business.
Lunch Break
The second session of conference was held at the Central Yard of the (CTF).
Presiding: President Brent T. Green
Conducting: President Arthur E. Romero
Pianist: President Art Romero
Chorister: President Dave Shipley
Opening Hymn: I Am a Child of God
Invocation: Jim Sailor
Remarks by William Robert Foster Jr., Central Native American Council; our Native American friend Billy specifically thanked President Romero for helping find a contact on the outside who will hopefully be able to provide a spiritual advisor for their group for which there has been no one assigned at Central for a long while.
Speaker: President Art Romero Love of God for His children. Book of Mormon
Guitar number, Danny Plunkett, Be Still My Soul
Speaker: President Brent Green 5 steps of repentance; power of the Atonement; love of God
Speaker: Mike Anderson Pure Testimonies
Speaker: J J McLaurin (John John McLaurin) I matter; The Good Samaritan; a vessel for God;
blessing each other; a beautiful poem he wrote.
Speaker: Danny Plunket Pure Faith; love of the Church; earliest remembrances of Primary
Spontaneous remarks by Jose Hay of the Protestant congregation; Jose is a non-member, but he specifically wanted to thank President Romero for his 14 years of caring for those men who have attended, whether it be one or many, and for faithfully coming on a weekly basis all these years. He said he could not help being touched by President's dedication and example.
Closing prayer: Terry Billingsly
Attendance for the second session was 20 inmates and 9 visitors.
The third session of conference was held at the South Yard of the (CTF).
Presiding: President Brent T. Green
Conducting: President Arthur E. Romero
Pianist: President Art Romero
Chorister: President Dave Shipley
Opening Hymn: I Am a Child of God
Invocation: Mark Johnson
Speaker: President Art Romero Preparing for a new life; love of God for His children;
The organization of the Church.
Intermediate Hymn: I Need They Every Hour
Speaker: President Brent Green Prepareing to reenter society; obedience.
Speaker: David Murphy Commitment to choose the right, avoiding trouble and violence.
Speaker: Mark Johnson Love for church; overcoming mistakes.
Speaker: John Bankston Oatmeal Testimony, written proof that the church is true, thanks
to Ron Vitzian’s letter containing a talk from an Apostle. “The
Blessing of Scripture,” “The central purpose of all scripture is
fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus
Christ.” By Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Closing Prayer: Sebastian O’Neil
Attendance at the third session was 8 inmates and 9 visitors.
Total attendance for the Branch Conference was 57 inmates and 10 visitors.
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Here is the poem J.J. McLaurin penned
Is this your experience?
I knelt to pray when day was done,
And prayed “O Lord, bless everyone,
Lift from every saddened heart, the pain,
And let the sick be well again.”
And then I woke another day,
And carelessly went upon my way.
The whole day long I did not try
To wipe a tear from any eye.
I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on the road.
I did not even go to see
The sick man just next door to me.
Yet once again when day was done,
I prayed “O Lord, bless everyone.”
But as I prayed, unto my ear
There came a voice that whispered clear,
“Whom have you tried to bless today?
Whom have you helped along the way?
God’s sweetest blessings always go
To hands that serve Him here below.”
And then I hid my face and cried,
“Forgive me God, for I have lied.
Let me but live another day,
And I will live the way I pray.”
By J.J. McLaurin
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