Welcoming Young Women into the Bishop’s Office | An Interview with Jennie and Dave Blaser

Jennie Blaser is the ninth of 11 children and has lived all over the world: Hawaii, Utah, California, Arizona, Argentina, Slovenia, and Hong Kong. She served an 18-month mission in one branch in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and speaks English, Spanish, and Slovenian. She graduated in International Finance with a minor in Spanish from Brigham Young University, returning to earn an MBA. Jennie has taught early morning Seminary, Marriage and Family Relations, Relief Society, Sunday School, and Gospel Doctrine. She has also served as a second counselor in a Young Women presidency twice and second counselor in a Relief Society presidency five times. Jennie is currently the second counselor in her stake Young Women presidency.

Dave Blaser grew up in an Air Force family and also lived all over. He served a mission in Mendoza, Argentina, graduated from BYU in Construction Management, and has worked in commercial construction management for 24 years. He is currently the executive vice president of operations for Layton Construction in Arizona. Dave has served as an elders quorum president, Young Men president, in a bishopric, and as a stake executive secretary. He currently serves as the bishop of his ward.

Jennie recently published her first book, a short novel entitled One Plus One Equals Three. She was an adrenaline junkie until her body literally stopped producing adrenaline—one of the health challenges she deals with daily. Dave runs nearly every day and has finished multiple marathons. He is a parrot-head (Jimmy Buffet fan) and a Swiftie. The Blasers live in Gilbert, Arizona, and have three children.

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Highlights

2:00 Kurt introduces Jennie and Dave and their callings.

3:20 Jennie shares how and why she got started researching the Church handbook. She has been on a journey of learning and has written a few articles about the youth programs.

6:30 Dave was a previous priesthood quorum advisor before he became bishop. He shares what he learned from the handbook and tried to apply it in his calling.

8:15 Always start with the handbook when beginning a calling.

9:20 Helping the young women have more interactions and feel comfortable with the bishop. The bishopric needs to be spending regular time with the young women.

10:40 The bishopric is not the Young Men presidency. Since Doctrine & Covenants 107 was written they have always been the presidency over the Aaronic priesthood and nothing has changed.

12:40 There are four different people that are critical to buy into the new system for the youth to make it a success. The first is the bishopric. They need to balance focus between Young Men and the Young Women programs.

16:10 The responsibilities of the bishop have changed in the past five years with the new focus on the youth. To help him focus on the youth, the Relief Society president and elders quorum president can step in and help with people that need help in their organizations.

18:30 Dave’s ward has begun support groups in the Relief Society for people struggling. It helps take some of the load off of the bishopric and allows them to d...