Small branch welcomes visitors in Canadian park

BANFF, Canada — Nestled among the breathtaking mountains of Canada's Banff National Park

is a small LDS branch with large issues.About two dozen members of the Banff Branch, Calgary Alberta West Stake,

attend Sunday meetings each week, according to Branch President Mark

Yawney. But total attendance often swells to three, four or even five times

that on a regular basis as tourists drop in.

During a Church News interview, President Yawney said with a smile, "I

feel like a visitor every week here because I look out and I don't know

anyone."

The visitors are welcome and the active branch members accommodate them

as best they can.

"We grow closer together because all the members are striving for this

common goal: to be able to provide visitors with a proper place to worship,

with good instruction, where they feel comfortable," President Yawney said.

He added with a grin, "Most Sundays it works out OK, and some days you have

a wheel fall off."See the rest of this story at ldschurchnews.com.

This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.