The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints SPIRITUAL Leaders

Lovell 1st Ward

Bishop Bruce Morrison expresses appreciation for family

Bruce Morrison was born and raised in Lovell. He was the youngest of eight children, five boys and three girls. 

“It was good for me to be the youngest member of the family because I had the opportunity to know each one of my siblings,” he said. “They all helped to raise me. My time at home, after they had all graduated from high school, was not difficult because they continued to influence and support me in everything I did.”  

He graduated from Lovell High School, where he played basketball, football and track. He also played baseball. After graduation he attended the University of Wyoming for one year, studying accounting.

In 1971 Bruce served  a two-year mission in Peru. Spending time in a third-world country made him appreciate being born and raised in this country, he said. 

“I really learned to care for the people of Peru and all the struggles they had. They were a kind, caring and gentle people. I learned so much from sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.” He added, “It was quite a different culture. Everyone should get the experience of going somewhere.”

Returning from his mission, he continued his study in accounting at BYU. There he met his future wife, Linda, on a blind date. She was from Idaho Falls. They married Aug. 1, 1975.

Bruce’s father had an accounting business in Lovell. Bruce and Linda returned to Lovell to 

work in the family business. After a few years, he decided to go a different direction.

“I didn’t mind the figures and the work,” he said. “I just didn’t like being inside at a desk all the time.” 

In 1982 he opened his own business, Pioneer Service Center, selling electronics  and servicing TVs, car stereos and such.

After selling his business, Bruce worked for the school as the groundskeeper. This sparked his interest in installing sprinkler systems, which eventually turned into the full-time work he does today.

Bruce has been driving school bus since he started in 1988.

“I thoroughly enjoy the kids,” he said. “I’m still driving after 32 years.”

Bruce has been active in the sports community for many years. He was boys basketball assistant coach with Dan Wolvington under head coach Dave Scheffler from 2001 to 2004. They led the boys teams to state championships in 2002 and 2003. 

Bruce was girls basketball assistant coach with Scheffler from 2009 to 2013 under head coaches Bob Geiser and Chris Edwards. The 2011 and 2012 girls teams also took state championships.

Bruce has also refereed football and basketball for 40 years.

He and Linda have two children. Natalie, married to Chris Wardell, has three children, Miranda, Trey and Oakley. Their son, Ryan, is a custodian at the Lovell High School gym and owns a lawn business.

Bruce said it is a joy to see spiritual growth in people.

“Ever since my mission, I have had various callings. All have helped to prepare me for this calling as bishop,” he said. “The one thing I have enjoyed in all my callings is seeing how people’s lives improve as they make spiritual changes.”

Bruce expressed his appreciation for his parents and family.

“Mom and Dad raised us all to be very independent. Being a part of the church was always a choice for us. We were allowed to make our own decisions. Since I’m the youngest, all my brothers and sisters have been great examples. They have mentored me,” he continued. “I was taught to be the same person every day of the week. That was our goal. It’s something I strive for every day today.”

Bishop Bruce Morrison has served Lovell 1st Ward since Nov. 19, 2017.

Cowley 1st Ward

Bishop Casey Crosby enjoys being bishop of his boyhood ward

Casey Crosby was born into a family with deep ties to Cowley. His great-great-grandfather, Jesse W. Crosby, was one of the first pioneer leaders to the area, becoming the first mayor of Cowley. Casey is the second oldest of four boys.

“The Lord knew better than to send a girl to this family,” he said, laughing.

He played football and basketball for Rocky Mountain High School and enjoyed music. 

After high school, Casey attended what was then Ricks College, now BYU-Idaho, for a short time, but left to go on a mission.

He served his mission in the St. Louis area from 1998 to 2000, covering most of Missouri and part of Illinois.

“Talk about culture shock,” he said. “It was the first time I was on a plane, the first time I was in a traffic jam. Not to mention the fact that the greater St. Louis area has about six times more people than the state of Wyoming. 

“It was a unique experience in several other ways. St. Louis and the surrounding area is kind of a buffet of different religions and cultures. My first area, after I arrived in my mission, was way out in the sticks of Northern Missouri and half the county was Amish. It was amazing what they could farm with just horses. 

“The city of St. Louis, itself, was predominately Catholic, and the rural areas of Missouri were mostly Baptist. However, there were also a lot of Lutheran and Pentecostal influences there, and in one of my areas, while serving in St. Louis, we had a very large Orthodox Jewish population that we worked with. Without a doubt, it was a great experience working with, learning from and teaching these different faiths. My mission made a huge impact on my life and still does.” 

After his mission, Casey returned to BYU-Idaho and then went on to BYU to earn a B.S. in animal science and a Master’s in Business Administration. He came back here and “bought a little farm and couldn’t be happier.”  

He met Julia Burton while he was working on his MBA. They attended the same singles ward and served together as co-chairs for the activity committee. In 2009 they were married in the Salt Lake Temple and now have three children, Annie, 9, Kate, 7, and Luke, who is 5, “my irrigators, cowboys and cowgirls in training,” Casey commented.  

Casey said he considers his experience as a bishop to be unique, also, in that he is bishop of the same ward he grew up in.

“I love the opportunity to interact with everyone and help them. It’s like being a part of a big family. We learn from each other and come closer to Christ, and I get to do that with friends,” he said. “Another great thing is serving closely with and ministering to people that I wouldn’t have experienced if I weren’t a bishop.” 

When asked to tell of someone who had an impact on his life, Casey answered without hesitation, “Definitely, my wife. No doubt about it. I somehow convinced her to move to Cowley. She quickly fell in love with the farm/ranch life and has happily supported me in every way. Couldn’t do it without her.” 

Casey concluded by saying that it’s a blessing wherever you’re called, whether it’s being bishop, teaching primary or whatever it might be. 

“I am grateful to have this opportunity to serve,” he said.

Casey Crosby has served as bishop of Cowley 1st Ward since July of 2017. 

Byron Ward

Bishop Bret George impacted by small community

Bret George was born in Powell. He grew up on the farm on Heart Mountain that his grandparents homesteaded in 1946. He went to school in Cody, graduating high school in 1991. 

After high school Bret was called to a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Macon, Georgia. He loved his time there.

“How awesome that experience was. I was a rural boy, so it was a complete culture shock, but I loved it. I loved the southern people. They were so nice. I’d go back there to live if it wasn’t so hot,” he said.

When he returned in 1993 he attended Northwest College in Powell, where he received his associate degree. He continued his education in Chadron, Neb., earning a B.S. in education in industrial technology in 1999 and a Master’s in Adminstration, secondary school, in 2008. 

Bret student taught under Scott Caturia at Lovell High School, which afforded him the opportunity to move on into a teaching position. He has taught industrial technology for 20 years and “has loved every minute of it,” he said wholeheartedly.

Bret and Rachel Sanders of Byron were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1994. They have seven children. Their firstborn Ammon, 23, has cerebral palsy. 

“Having Ammon has been such a blessing to us,” he said, adding, “and a challenge, too.”

Their next child is Afton, 21, who is married to A.J. Dickson. They are living in Rigby, Idaho, and are expecting their first child this summer. Macey, 19, is a student at BYU-I and was preparing for a mission until the coronavirus hit. Next are the twins, 17, Ethan, who attends Rocky Mountain High School, and Aaron, who is attending Lovell High School. Lily is 13 and a sixth grader at RMMS and Aiden is 6.

 Bishop George has found great joy in serving as bishop in Byron.

“What I have enjoyed most is seeing people change. That is what being a Christian is. We are born and continually strive to be better. I love working with people who are willing to make changes that are hard,” he said.

Living in a small community has its impact, he said.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to live in a small town. People know a lot more of you than you would like; you know more than you want to know about other people. However, serving here as bishop has given me opportunity to heal wounds that I’d never known how to do myself,” he explained. 

Bishop George was called to serve the Byron Ward in July of 2014.

Cowley 2nd Ward

Bishop Josh Haslem desires to turn people toward the Savior 

Josh Haslem was born in Monticello, Utah. His family of two girls and two boys moved to another location in Utah when Josh was very young. His childhood was spent bouncing back and forth from Utah to Wyoming, living in Basin for a while, then back to Utah. They settled in Greybull when Josh was in sixth grade, allowing him the opportunity to finish school at Greybull High School. 

Josh went on a two-year mission to Santiago, Chile, in July of 1997. He had various experiences. Part of his time there was spent “out in the sticks” away from the city. The end of his mission was in the heart of the city with people everywhere. He said it was the hardest thing he’s ever done but also the most rewarding thing he’s ever done.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done because I had been dating Stacey (his future wife, also from Greybull), and leaving her behind was very hard,” he said. “I’d never had the opportunity to serve people on the level that was possible as a missionary, and that was the extremely rewarding part. Whether I was sharing the gospel with people or doing physical work to help someone, I felt free from the cares of the world. I felt free to just serve. The change I saw in people as they turned to God was a wonderful life experience.”  

His fears about Stacey were realized, and the two drifted apart halfway into his two-year mission. Upon his return, she was headed to California, and he was headed to Idaho.

After his mission, Josh did various things for a while, including landscaping work and carpet cleaning. He decided to go to Idaho Falls to a dental school to become a dental technician, specializing in making crowns, bridges, veneers and the like. It was a very intense one-year course. About halfway through he realized it just wasn’t for him. 

So he contracted with a company to sell pest control services door to door in San Jose, Calif. After a successful summer, he had found his vocation, he said. 

“I loved it and knew pest control was what I wanted to pursue as a career,” he said.

He soon opened his own business in Modesto, Calif., called Insect IQ, which he has run for 16 years.

“That was when AOL instant messaging started,” he explained, still thinking of Stacey. “So I messaged her, and we started talking and eventually dating again.”

They were married June 16, 2001, in Shell, Wyo. They now have five children, three boys, ages 17, 15 and 13, and two girls, 10 and 3.

In 2016 Josh’s family was visiting his sister from Lovell. They were on Frog Rock looking out over Cowley. He said it was a picturesque summer evening. 

Stacey said, “That’s where I want to live.” And so in June of 2017 they moved to Cowley, having lived the previous 16 years in the California Central Valley.

Josh has continued to oversee his pest control business in California from Cowley. About a year ago he and his brother, Jacob, started Kodiak Pest Control based in Cowley. 

“Jacob is the boots-on-the-ground person,” he said. “At this point, my role is mostly a consultant and financial backer, Jacob performs the field work. We chose the name Kodiak for our pest control business because, although there aren’t Kodiak bears here, they are the biggest and baddest bear.” 

“My wife has impacted my life greatly,” Josh shared. “She makes me want to be better without even having to say anything. She is full of goodness. Her support has meant the world to me. When I think of my wife I think of a quote from President Nelsen, ‘If the world loses the moral rectitude of its women, the world will never recover.’ I want to be a man worthy of her respect.”

Turning people toward the Savior is most fulfilling about being a bishop, Josh said.

“I am thankful to play some small part in turning people toward the Savior. People are struggling -- maybe with an addiction, or in their marriage or with self-confidence. In sharing what I know to be true of the Savior, I have felt God’s love for them. I know He loves them. And then I know He loves me, too,” he said.

Josh Haslem has served as bishop in the Cowley 2nd Ward since November of 2019.

Lovell 2nd Ward

Bishop Ken Grant changed by daily scripture reading and prayer 

Ken Grant has lived in Lovell all his life. He is number six of eight children.

“I was the baby for 12 years until Keith and Guy came along and stole my glory,” he said jokingly.

He grew up playing at Midway Motors, his father’s auto body repair shop and salvage yard.

 “Dad bought Midway Motors in 1968, the year I was born,” he said. “I loved going out to Midway and playing in the junk cars, then learning to fix and paint cars and resell them. Then do it over and over through my high school years.” 

When Ken turned 18, he decided he needed to get serious about preparing for a mission. He began to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it to find out for himself if it was true.  Over the next few months, he felt like his heart was changing, and it was becoming easier to make better choices and follow Christ’s commandments.  

“I was being changed on the inside and soon gained a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon,” he said.

A year after graduation from Lovell High School, Ken went to San Jose, Calif., on an LDS mission from 1987 to 1989. He said it was a great experience.

“It made me realize I didn’t want to live in a big city. I realized the freedoms we have in a small community and what good people we live with. I learned I didn’t want to spend half my life in traffic,” he said. “I learned a lot and grew a lot. My testimony of the gospel grew exponentially.”

Ken had been dating Darece Croft six months before he left on his mission. They were engaged six days after he returned and married two months later on Aug. 18, 1989. They have six children, Bo, Kenny, Nathan, Whitney, Kaitlyn and Talon, each 2 to 2 1/2 years apart.

“We had the pleasure of changing diapers for 12 years straight,” he quipped.

They now enjoy seven grandchildren, also.

 Ken related the events that led to him owning Midway Auto Sales in Lovell. 

“After my mission, for around a year and half I rented a shop from Jay Wardell. I would go to the auction and buy wrecked cars and rebuild them to sell.  After that, I managed the body shop at Midway for Dad for three years. I knew I didn’t want to do bodywork all my life, so I was keeping my eyes open for something else. I began to think that if I can rebuild and sell rebuilt cars, then why couldn’t I just sell cars that had never been wrecked? I started Midway Auto Sales with seven cars. I knew I needed to sell seven cars a month to pay the bills. I sold 14 cars the first month. It just took off.” He added, “It has been a blessing to be able to provide for my family.”  

He later opened stores in Cody and Worland, but has recently sold them to his younger brother Keith.

Being a bishop is a lot of responsibility, but also has caused him to gain a lot of respect for others, Ken said.

“When you’re called to do something, I guess you never feel adequate. I spend a lot of time on my knees. I have so much support from all the members in my ward. And my two counselors, Travis Nichols and Mark Mayes, I can’t say enough about them. They ought to be the bishop. They are tremendous support to me.” He continued, saying, “Good members reduce the stress of responsibilities. The people of this ward take on a lot of the responsibility, and it all works together. Giving people the opportunity to serve brings blessings into their lives and other’s lives.”

Ken explained about a time when he struggled that actually became a time of growth.

“There was a short period of time that I struggled spiritually – letting my mind wander, questioning things. This gave the adversary a chance to work on me. My wife knew something was going on. Finally, I talked to my bishop and stake president and began to read the scriptures and pray constantly. It was amazing how quickly that made a difference. Daily scripture and prayer put me back on track. Instead of focusing on myself, I realized how I could help others. You have to put yourself in a position where the spirit can work in you or Satan will try to take over.

“I love Lovell, and the people in Lovell. We’re not perfect. We have issues. But the people here are such good people. I am grateful for my calling. It stretches me. I feel responsible for other people, and, therefore, I must be even more in tune to the prompting of the Lord’s spirit,” he concluded.

Bishop Ken Grant has served Lovell 2nd Ward since June 2019. 

Lovell 3rd Ward

Bishop Neil Mayes enjoys spiritual experiences working with youth 

Neil Mayes has lived his whole life in Lovell. He was the only boy with two sisters, Carol and Mona, who are both gone now. His father, Denver, was from Tennessee. During WWII, while he was in the Navy, he won a farm near Cody in a lottery, which brought him to this area. 

In 1953 Neil’s father and uncle Deloy built Mayes Brothers body shop in Lovell, so Neil has grown up with an interest in cars. After high school graduation in 1975, he went to Provo Technical College for a year before coming back to Lovell to work at Mayes Brothers.

He served a mission in the Norway Oslo Mission from 1979 to 1981. That changed his life, he said.

“Lots of things happen when you’re out teaching people. The spirit of the Lord is with you,” he explained. “I was raised in the Church, of course, but you need to go out and find out for yourself. That experience changed my life.”

Neil studied general education for 2 1/2 years at Ricks College. In 1988 he earned a B.S. in health and human performance and worked on a teaching endorsement in secondary education from BYU. After doing his student teaching, he knew he didn’t want to teach, he said. However, he stayed at BYU and worked with Coach Stiggens, training athletes in strength and conditioning.

While he was at BYU, he met his future wife, Lesa, which is an interesting story, he related. “My roommate showed me pictures of five girls and asked me which one I would like to meet. I picked Lesa. That’s how we started dating,” he said.

He came back to Lovell and worked for two years in his father’s shop before he and Lesa got married Aug. 15, 1992. They have two children, Jacob, who lives in Salt Lake, and Amber, who is married and attends BYU-Idaho.

Neil has made a living doing the work he enjoys at the same shop his father and uncle built 66 years ago. He does bodywork and mechanics. His favorite part is restoring old cars.

“I love the finish part, bringing it (an old car) back to new again. That’s my favorite part,” he said.

Neil said that one of the greatest experiences he has had is serving on the Lovell Volunteer Fire Department.  He said that being able to serve the community and give back has meant a lot to him. As he put it, “No one ever complains when the fire department shows up; they are always happy and relieved to see you.”  He has served on the department for going on 28 years, and he stated that he will miss it when he is finally too old and has to retire.

Not only has he served on the fire department, he spent 10 years working with the Civil Air Patrol.  Serving in that capacity was also a blessing to him, he said, as he met many wonderful people who share in his passion for service and aviation.

He said he’s had lots of spiritual experiences, some working with the elderly, but he really enjoys the youth. Listening to the choir is another of his pleasures.

“We’ve taken the kids to the Martin’s Cove (Muddy Gap) area where the pioneers came across the plains with handcarts. And we go on temple excursions. I like watching them grow to become good young men and women,” he expressed. “That’s the joy of life.

“Lots of people have problems in our world. Being able to help them through scriptures I’ve learned has been a blessing,” he said of the opportunity to serve as bishop. “We’ve all had miracles happen in our life. The Father that created us knows each of us. When we ask Him and pray for things it’s amazing how willing He is to help.

“A couple scriptures have made an impact on me,” he continued. “My favorite is from the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 32:3, ‘Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.’ The other scripture is in James 1:5 from the Bible, ‘If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.’

“My testimony has been an ongoing thing. It didn’t happen all at once. It comes little by little. That’s how faith grows, like a tiny grain of mustard seed,” Neil concluded.

Bishop Neil Mayes has served Lovell 3rd Ward since June 29,2016.

Lovell 4th Ward

Bishop Matthew C. Bassett influenced by people of this community 

Editor’s note: Bishop Bassett submitted this statement in answer to our questions.

I’d like to start out by thanking Teressa and the Lovell Chronicle for making the effort to contact all the leaders in the various churches in our community. Religion plays a big part of who we are as a nation and a people in this community.

I was born and raised and have lived my whole life here in Lovell. Actually, I was born when my parents, Joe and Iris Bassett, lived in Kane. I have many memories of Kane. When I drive across the causeway, I see farms and homesteads and remember the May, Howe, Nebel, Tilley, Asay, Hoffman and Ellis families. There were 40 to 45 families that called the Kane area home.

I graduated from Lovell High School in 1974. The next year I had the privilege of serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was called to serve in the New York, New York City mission. My mission was headquartered in Manhattan, so that was quite a cultural change but proved to build and broaden my life in many ways – not only spiritually but socially and intellectually, as well. My mission was very challenging, but it undoubtedly helped to grow and mature me and aid in the building of a solid foundation in my life. 

After returning home, I found opportunity to get involved with the family farm and ranch. I guess it stuck because that is what I am still doing to support me and my family today. When we moved from Kane, Mom and Dad had the opportunity to buy what we call the home place from my mom’s parents, Jim and Velma Stringham. My mother, who is in her 90s, still lives in the main house with my sister. My roots run deep here in our community.

I was lucky and caught the eye of a girl also born and raised here in Lovell – Tracy, the daughter of Del and Mary Jo Preuit. We were married in 1984 and moved into the same house we still live in and raised our three daughters. Our three daughters are married all to young men that also grew up in Lovell. Two of them, Bob and Danielle Weber and Richard and Katie Walker, are living and raising their families here in Lovell. Nick and Lindi Anderson live and work in Billings. We have eight grandchildren with three on the way. My family is the centerpiece of my life and my greatest accomplishment.

When asked about someone who has been my mentor and had a great influence on me, my thoughts turn to the old adage – it takes a village to raise a child. I am a product of the people and influences of this community. I was raised and taught in schools, church, primary, youth groups, scouts, sports and FFA, and I work by the example and lives of the people in this community. I would have to say I stand on their shoulders, and anything I am today would have to be attributed to their influence and example. I would be remiss if I did not give a center place in my upbringing, teaching and who I am to my parents, Joe and Iris Bassett. 

The call and opportunity to serve as bishop is a privilege. We are called as bishop to be the administrative and spiritual leaders of a ward. I am bishop of Lovell 4th Ward, which consists of the northeast corner of Lovell and most of east of Lovell to the Big Horn Mountains. We live and work right amongst the people we serve. I like to think it is similar to as the Savior did. He dwelt with the people. He lived among them. He knew of their dreams, lives, sorrows and their triumphs, and He celebrated those things with them. When any of us work with people to encourage them, cause them to stand or give them a hand up, we are doing the work of God.

I believe in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. I believe we are His children, His sons and daughters. They love us, are deeply involved in our lives, and have put in place a plan to return to live with them.     

Lovell 5th Ward

Bishop Richard Walker learning to reach his potential through Jesus Christ 

Richard Walker is a Lovell native, playing football and wrestling in high school. He is the youngest of seven children, four girls and three boys.

Richard went to Perth, Australia, on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from January of 2005-2007 where his testimony grew, he said.

“My testimony grew as I was able to see people’s lives change for the better as they accepted Jesus Christ and his teachings,” he said.

He married Katie Bassett of Lovell March 14, 2009, in the Billings Montana Temple. They have three children, Harper, 8, Thayne, 5, and Boyce, 2, with a third boy expected in June.

Richard has worked in the family construction business, C & C Builders, since 2007. Besides general construction, he has a plasma cutter to create signs, and he also builds decorative timber trusses.

Bishop Walker has a unique situation in that he was called to serve in February of 2020, which was only one month before the coronavirus caused the closure of the churches. However, that hasn’t kept him from reaching out to the members he serves. 

“Before the virus I could visit with people at church meetings and in their homes. This has changed because of the social distancing requirements that have been put into place,” he explained. “The church has a reporting system, a ministering program, in which we can be made aware of those with needs and be able to help where we can. For now, I send emails to share a brief message, let people know that I am thinking about them and send my love and the love of Jesus Christ to members.”

Family has been important and influential in his life, and his wife is a great support to him, but more influential has been Jesus Christ and His teachings, Richard said. 

“A lot of people can help you out,” he explained, “but only the Savior knows us well enough to help us in everything.”

Richard spoke of his calling as a bishop, expressing his view that the Lord didn’t call him because of what he’s accomplished, he said.

“It’s what He can make me become because of the call by relying on Him. I have more potential than I ever knew before, and I can better help others recognize their potential. Jesus Christ taught the way to reach our potential; Jesus Christ is the way to reach our full potential. No one is perfect. It is important to realize that’s where grace kicks in to allow us to work in His name. We are not on a higher level. God puts us in positions to serve.”

As one of the most recently called bishops, Richard said he feels honored.

“I feel He wants me to become more than I am now. Through study of the scriptures, prayer and service I will become more of what He wants me to be,” he vowed. “Every calling is an opportunity to become more like Jesus Christ.”