Clark and Leah Burbidge
Clark and Leah Burbidge have been serving as Service Missionaries for approximately the past 3 1/2 years. Our initial call was to facilitate the local Woods Cross Addiction Recovery Meetings held on Sunday evenings at the Woods Cross High School Seminary Building. We loved this calling. Clark facilitated the men's addiction recovery class and Leah facilitated the related meeting for spouses and support persons held at the same time. We functioned in this capacity from Spring of 2021 to the end of 2022.
In April 2022 we were called as Service Missionaries to serve in one of the six branches (Current Branch) serving the Utah State Prison inmates at the old facility at the point of the mountain. We approached this calling with intrepedation and some anxiety but soon found that the inmates were wonderful and striving to change their lives and come unto Christ. In August of 2022, we along with all the inmates moved to the new prison
located on the shores of the Great Salt Lake west of the International Airport. As of the start of 2024, we facilitate the Men's Saturday Addiction Recovery Group each week for the male geriatric and mental health inmates. We also attend their worship services and class meetings held each Sunday along with Branch Council meeting. In addition, we facilitate a Saturday Self-Reliance meeting in the women's mental health area as well as conduct a Sunday morning worship service in the women's mental health unit. We have the opportunity to minister to approximately forty to sixty brothers and sisters each week and there are always new faces to meet and love. Our mission in the Current Branch is technically a three-year call which would have us serving until Spring of 2025. However, when we were originally called, we were told it was for 3 years to life 🙂.
We love our callings, and the opportunity they give us to minister in this often overlooked, but much needed, area of the vineyard. Best of all, we love serving and ministering together as companions and with the other wonderful volunteers in our branch. There are now currently seven fully functioning branches in the Utah State Correctional Facility District.