It has been said that a proselyting mission is life in miniature. That has proven true in some respects for four men who served in the British South Mission from 1967 to 1969.
LaMar "C" Hatch, Joel Zabriski, Loren Mansfield and Larry Gibson all served in the mission under President J. W. Child.After returning from their missions, as might be expected, the four scattered to different areas for a while. Then, coincidentally, they began moving to Highland one by one.
In time, all four were called as bishops in the stake and served simultaneously for a while.
Brother Zabriski moved to Highland in 1978, followed by Brother Hatch, then Brother Gibson and finally Brother Mansfield.
"We had been living in Orem [UtahT and needed to find a larger house, so we bought a half-acre lot in Highland," Brother Zabriski related.
Brother Hatch said he came to Highland because of the rural, uncongested atmosphere. Brother Mansfield moved to the area in part because of his friendship with Brother Hatch, formed when the two were missionary companions.
As for Brother Gibson, he said: "I didn't even know the others were there. We had been living in New Jersey after I graduated from BYU, and were looking to move back. We looked all over Orem and elsewhere, and finally purchased a home in Highland."
"I don't think Pres. Richard Stowe, who was our stake president at the time, really knew that we had been missionaries in the same mission," said Bishop Hatch of the Highland 9th Ward. "It's kind of amazing that it worked out that way."
The Highland Utah Stake was divided last November, and now, Larry Gibson, formerly bishop of the Highland 10th Ward, is first counselor in the stake presidency, and Joel Zabriski, formerly bishop of the Highland 3rd Ward, is first counselor in the new Highland Utah East Stake presidency. Loren Mansfield is still bishop of the Highland 11th Ward, and LaMar Hatch of the Highland 9th Ward.
When Pres. Zabriski first entered the mission field, Pres. Gibson was his district leader, so the two formed a close relationship then.
But the mission-life metaphor has a particularly striking application with Bishops Mansfield and Hatch. They were companions while serving in the mission office, with Bishop Mansfield as mission printer, and Bishop Hatch as secretary to the president. Today, they are partners in a printing business.
"I handle the business and he handles the production," Bishop Hatch said. "It's kind of like being back in the mission office."
