Provided by Lance Oviatt Afton Wyoming Stake Communications Director

The Afton Wyoming Stake held its semi-annual conference on August 23 and 24, 2025. The conference was presided over by Elder Stephen J. Larson, an Area Seventy from Meridian, Idaho. Elder Larson is a partner with Grow Rasmussen LLP, an accounting firm in Boise, Idaho. Before serving as an Area Seventy, Elder Larson served as a Bishop, Stake Presidency Counselor, and he and his wife were mission leaders in Peru.

The Stake Youth Council requested to hold a special session of conference with Elder Larson, which was held Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. before the general session ofconference. At that meeting, local youth Vinnie Roniger and Ross Hilton spoke, as did Afton Stake President Scott Milne and the meeting concluded with remarks from Elder Larson in which he answered several questions posed by local youth.

Vinnie Roniger spoke about the importance of developing a person relationship with God and Ross Hilton talked about how attending church services for the right reasons brings us closer to Christ.

President Milne gave the youth four truths to remember as they go through life.
1. You are known to God. Look for His tender mercies in your life.
2. You are loved by God no matter what. Like the father of the prodigal son, God will never give up on us.
3. Remember who you are, a child of God with divine potential.
4. You are good. You are better than you think you are. Do not let the world beat you down.

Elder Larson shared with the youth a photo of a strangler fig tree, a tropical tree named for their pattern of growth upon host trees, which often results in the host’s death. He encouraged the youth to be on the lookout for the world’s strangling influence. God has given us the choice to be a host for His influence which will help us grow or to be a host for the adversary’s influence which in the end will strangle us like the strangler fig tree.

A question posed to Elder Larson was how to know if what I am feeling is the Spirit of God or just me? Elder Larson answered this question by reminding the youth that all good comes from God. If what you are feeling leads you to do good and draw closer to Christ, then we know it is from God.

The day before the conference began on Friday the 22 nd a small forest fire began in timber southwest of Smoot. This fire continued to grow throughout the conference, eventually engulfing thousands of acres and impacting the lives of many people in the southern end of Star Valley. People had to evacuate their homes and livestock grazing in the forest were missing.

Throughout the conference there were many prayers offered to God for His divine help to lessen the effects of the fire. In his final remarks of the conference Sunday afternoon, President Milne asked the members of the Afton Stake to join together on Monday for a day of fasting and prayer that the weather would be tempered and that our valley might receive rain to help control the fire. He also asked the members of the stake to pray for the safety of those fighting the fire and for those whose homes and livelihoods were at risk.

On the following Tuesday after the close of the conference President Milne sent the following message to the members of the Afton Stake:

“Thank you for your prayers and fasting regarding the fire.  It has been such a special and sacred experience to witness the hand of the Lord in this great blessing and miracle.  It has been amazing to watch the weather tempered and moisture come in response to our faith and prayers.  It has been incredibly humbling to see the community come together to support those affected and willing to help in any way they can.  Let us give thanks to God for the bounteous blessings and miracles we have received and use this as an opportunity to teach and testify to our children and others of the power of faith and drawing upon the powers of heaven.  We also want to thank those who have been fighting this fire and working so hard to protect people and property.  We are so blessed to live in such a wonderful community and among such great people.

THANK YOU! May the Lord continue to bless us and bless those who continue to fight this fire.”

In his closing remarks Elder Larson also encouraged those in attendance to fast and pray as President Milne invited us to do. He also reminded us of the principle contained in Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…” Elder Larson encouraged us to remember that even difficult or seemingly bad experiences can work for our good if we rely upon God.