Creating a Chick-fil-A Ward | An Interview with Scott Rasband

Scott Rasband worked 15 years in medical device sales and leadership before transitioning to Chick-fil-A, and has spent the last 10 years operating the Chick-fil-A in Spanish Fork, Utah. In the Church, Scott has served as a Young Men president, elders quorum president, bishopric counselor, and bishop. He is the father of five and currently serves as the bishop of a Young Single Adult ward. Links Share your thoughts in the Leading Saints community Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights Scott Rasband wears two significant hats: he is both the owner of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Spanish Fork, Utah, and a YSA bishop. He describes the values instilled by the Cathy family, owners of the Chick-fil-A brand, and how these values shape the experience for both employees and customers. He emphasizes the importance of local ownership and how it fosters a sense of community and connection. Scott talks about "second mile service," a principle derived from Matthew 5:41, which encourages going above and beyond for others. He illustrates this concept with anecdotes from his restaurant—moments that create emotional connections and leave a lasting impression on customers. Scott shares insights into his role as a YSA bishop, where he applies similar leadership principles. He discusses the importance of being present, allowing young adults to lead, and connecting them to a higher purpose. Informal gatherings, like "Straggler Sundays" at his home, foster community and build trust among ward members. Scott's approach to leadership is characterized by vulnerability and accessibility, as he actively reaches out to members through texts and personal interactions. He highlights the significance of mentorship and the power of creating a culture where young adults feel valued and empowered. 00:02:14 - Chick-fil-A Culture and Leadership 00:04:03 - Scott's Background and Experience 00:05:10 - Positive Perspectives on Young Adults 00:06:24 - Connecting Youth to Jesus Christ 00:07:13 - Chick-fil-A's Unique Organizational Culture 00:09:25 - The Importance of Sunday Closure 00:11:22 - Mission to Be the World's Most Caring Company 00:12:22 - Translating Mission Statements into Action 00:13:41 - Servant Leadership in Action 00:14:56 - The Impact of Chick-fil-A's Values 00:16:05 - Local Ownership and Community Impact 00:17:02 - The Role of Personal Connection in Leadership 00:18:10 - Examples of Chick-fil-A's Customer Experience 00:20:10 - Core Four Principles for Employee Interaction 00:22:36 - The Origin of "My Pleasure" 00:23:09 - The Significance of Culture in Organizations 00:24:26 - Retention and Employee Satisfaction 00:25:38 - Patterns of Gathering in the YSA Ward 00:27:44 - Straggler Sunday Concept 00:28:59 - Informal Gatherings and Building Relationships 00:29:20 - Digital Relationships with Ward Members 00:30:48 - The Importance of Availability 00:32:06 - Mentoring and Leadership Development 00:33:11 - Involving Spouses in Ministry 00:34:05 - Creating a Culture of Vulnerability 00:35:09 - The Role of Surprise and Delight 00:36:11 - Letting Young Adults Lead 00:39:29 - Delegating Responsibility in Chick-fil-A 00:40:39 - Building Trust Through Delegation 00:41:26 - Adapting to Change in the YSA Ward 00:42:18 - Embracing New Traditions in Worship The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson,

Episode Transcript

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(01:48):
Alright. In this Leading Saints episode, we're talking
about chicken. That's right. I'm not getting Chick
fil A. Now this episode may sound like
an advertisement for Chick fil A, but it's
not. They're not paying us other than a
few, free sandwiches that, that Scott, my guest,
has has offered me. But
really fascinating, Scott Rasband was introduced to him

(02:09):
through a mutual friend, shout out to Christophe.
And
he runs a Chick fil A in Spanish
Fork, Utah. And as you know, if you've
been if you've experienced the Chick fil A
culture, it's something different. It's not your typical
fast food chain and experience.
And Chick fil A does a remarkable job
with leadership training, culture development.

(02:30):
And so
Scott, being an owner of a location of
Chick fil A, receives a lot of this
experience, a lot of this training, and he's
a YSA bishop. And so I wanted to
bring these worlds together.
What it does a Chick fil A ward
look like? You know, what how do the
principles translate,
or what has he learned as a bishop
that he translates to his professional life? And

(02:51):
it led to a phenomenal discussion with so
many, like, just nuggets in this episode as
far as, like, how to gather, you know,
gather your award in a very informal way,
but a very effective
way. How do you delegate
some of the heavy
connection points of when people need to talk
and communicate?
How do you use a mission statement or
a vision to stimulate really effective culture? And,

(03:15):
it doesn't even require you to say
my pleasure when they say thank you. But
as you know, inside joke for those Chick
fil A lovers out there, but let's jump
into it. Here's my interview
with Scott Rasband,
Bishop and owner of Chick fil A.

(03:37):
Alright. Welcome back to the Leading Saints studio.
Another episode
to share with you all, and I have
the opportunity to sit down with Scott Rasband.
How are you? Great. Good to be here.
Awesome. Now let's get clear the name up
here. So Okay. You are elder Rasband's son.
No. I'm just kidding.
The funny thing is my dad's name is
Ron Rasband. Oh, wow. So you are Ronald
Rasband's son. I am Ronald Rasband's son, but

(03:59):
my dad was an optometrist in Murray. People
may know him for his photography. He's always
on KSL. Like Oh, really? Yeah. But there
was a Thomas Rasband in Heber who had
11 sons. And so elder Rasband's over here,
and we're over here, and we've never crossed
paths. Right. So he's just a just an
apostle to you. Yeah. So but Cool. I
still say our family is great. We do

(04:20):
good things and but it's fun to be
associated with the name. Awesome. Awesome. And you
are a
YSA
Bishop? I am. Yep. I've been with them
for about a year. Awesome. And you also
run a Chick fil A. Yeah. So Yeah.
I own and operate the Chick fil A
in Spanish Fork, Utah. Nice. Yeah. Very cool.
So what's the story about behind,

(04:41):
getting a Chick fil A or going into
that business? Yeah. You know, like so Chick
fil A is just this amazing organization. Everybody
asks how to get into it. But before
we start, I just wanted to, like I
just had a couple impressions that I just
wanted to share. Right? So I run a
Chick fil A. I'm dealing with young people
constantly. Right? And I'm also a YSA Bishop.

(05:01):
And one of the most common questions I
get, people come to me and they they're
like, that must be so hard,
like, dealing with young people Oh, yeah. Like
young adults. Mhmm. And the stigmas of the
fast food industry or whatever. Right. Or or,
like, in the ward even. And,
I've just had this impression that I just
need to correct the narrative around this.

(05:22):
So everywhere I go, everybody I talk to,
I talk to how good these young adults
are. And so
I just wanna say, like,
they are so amazing.
It's really an honor to
serve with them, to serve them, to work
with them. There's leaders in my Chick fil
A, like, we'll get into it, but I

(05:42):
spent fifteen years in medical devices. I would
put them against leaders in the medical device
industry. Wow. They're so solid. They're so committed.
And, you
know, in the YSAs, they're just so good.
Like and so if you have the thought,
like, hey, this generation, we're in trouble. They're
always on their phones. They're looking at pornography.
Whatever it is,

(06:03):
like,
they're rock stars. And That's cool. And I
just wanna get that out there. Yeah. That's
really important to me. Love it. Love it.
And and you get an opportunity to work
with them on Sundays and, for ten weeks.
Right? Yeah. And, you know, and and everything
I do as a bishop and in my
business
is to connect with them
so that I can speak into their life.

(06:23):
Yeah. Right? And so my purpose as a
bishop is, like,
everything we do, every strategy we do is
we're connecting them to Jesus Christ. Mhmm. There's
a lot of things we do. And some
people are like, well, that seems really strategic
or that's like is that really genuine? And
it's like, no. Everything we do has intention,
and we are connecting with them, and we're

(06:45):
being with them. And, ultimately, that allows me
to speak into their life and connect them
to Jesus Christ. And in the business, it's
connecting them to a higher purpose. Like, whatever
that purpose is for them, my goal is
to get them to where they wanna go.
And and that's what we do. It's amazing.
It's so awesome to be a part of
it. So
Is there anything I'm curious because the temptation

(07:06):
with, like you know, I'm I'm gonna go
back and forth from your word into the
Chick fil A experience, but constantly. Like, is
there anything Chick fil A does as an
organization? Because, I mean, there's an obvious culture,
you know, and anytime you experience a Chick
fil A. But I would imagine
running a restaurant and one that's almost like
this,
you know, constant

(07:26):
busyness and Right. Like to kinda go tyrannical
and and really, like, you know, get to
work, you know, do this. You're not you're
not moving fast enough. You know? I mean,
is there something that the organization does to
really make it more of a positive experience?
Yeah. And, really, it starts with Chick fil
A and the the Kathy family.
Right? So if you know Chick fil A
was founded by Truett Cathy in 1946,

(07:49):
the Kathy family is fantastic.
I always tell people, like, take what you
all the positive things you think about Chick
fil A and times it by 10. Wow.
Like, they are that good.
Like, they are so good. And I can
just get into some stories of things they
do that really institute culture within me. And
then that allows me to put culture into

(08:11):
my team
where they wanna follow these leadership principles. Right?
And so we all know, like, you know,
people are like, I think Chick fil A
is religious and, like, you know and so
I would describe the Kathy family as evangelical
Christian. Mhmm. And I've learned so much from
them by being a part of them and
partnering with them and just seeing how they
model behavior

(08:31):
and really what's important to them. You know?
So I mean, the first thing people are
always like, closed Sunday. What's that all about?
Right? Mhmm. The Kathy family literally made a
decision early on, Truett specifically, that they were
gonna be closed
Sunday.
And
he taught
bible school, the young men, like, you know,
and then it was just really, really important

(08:51):
to him to have that day of rest.
And because he preserved that, like, I get
to experience that today in my business. Like
and I think
about hiring. Like, it's so much easier to
hire people when they get a day of
rest. Like,
everybody's rejuvenated.
Everybody's like you know, if my restaurant was

(09:12):
open seven days a week, I don't know
if my brain would ever turn off. Right?
And so I'm super grateful
for what they instituted there. And I I
think it helps the business. Like, a lot
of analysts might be like,
oh, another seven another day. Right? Just think
of how much sales you could get. Right?
This is one reason Chick fil A will
probably never go public

(09:32):
because Wall Street will say you gotta open
on Sunday. There's there's opportunity that preserving that
culture, and they're just like it's really, really
important to them. So it's a privately held
company run by a family.
You know? It's just this amazing family that
just has these values. And so And even
if I remember, you said that I mean,
Chick fil A will outpace a lot of

(09:53):
the other competitors that are open seven days
a week. So I mean, without getting into
the numbers, like, we do three to four
times the volume of most of our competitors
Wow. On one less day a week. Yeah.
So it's amazing. They're great. You know? But
it it goes back to there's a lot
of stories. You know? Like, so back in
1982,
Chick fil A came out with a corporate

(10:14):
purpose,
and it was a time where the business
was struggling.
Back then, they used to take on more
debt, and, like, they were a little bit
scared. And they all all the executive team
kinda locked themselves in a room, and they
came out with a corporate purpose.
And what they came up with was this.
It's to glorify God
by being a faithful steward to all that

(10:35):
is entrusted to us and to have a
positive influence on all who come in contact
with Chick fil A. So in their deepest
struggle,
in their times when they're like, is this
business gonna work?
They turn to God. Mhmm. And they came
out with this corporate purpose. And you read
that, you're like, who does not wanna be
a part of that? Right? Yeah. That corporate
purpose is so amazing. Right? And so they

(10:57):
teach it to everybody. They teach it like,
they we say it. It's on plaques. It's
everywhere. Right? So Chick fil A knows exactly
who they are. They know exactly what they're
doing,
and it's amazing.
And then a couple years ago,
they came out with this mission that we
just rallied behind. And so, you know, we're
in food. Like, you you think our mission

(11:17):
would be, like, serve as many guests as
possible. Right? With the freshest meat or whatever.
Right? You know? And they came out with
this
to they want to become the world's most
caring company.
And this is a quick service
fast food restaurant,
and they wanna become the world's most caring
company.
Wow. And I'm just like I remember sitting

(11:37):
in the meeting just listening to this. And
I'm like I I turned to my wife
and I'm just like, just we just had
to pinch ourselves. We're like, how do we
get to be a part of this? Right?
You know what I mean? And then Yeah.
And then I get to go back to
my team
and be like, guess what? We're gonna be
the most caring company in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Mhmm. That's our goal. That's our mission. Like,
that's what we're gonna do. Right? And that's

(11:57):
something that people can really rally behind just
because there's purpose behind it, and there's meaning,
and it's more than, like, a paycheck. Like,
you know what I mean? You're showing up,
and you are literally,
like, changing people's lives as they come in
the restaurant. Like, we're looking for opportunities to
have moments with people
because of that mission that Chick fil A

(12:19):
set
for us. Yeah. And so it's just really
neat to be a part of it. Is
there anything like, how do you get that
from the kinda
abstract
mission statement on the wall
to employees actually stepping into that? Right? Because
I'm sure there's some like, hey, man. Listen.
I just need a job. Like For sure.
I I I appreciate I'm sure I wanna

(12:39):
care for people, but, you know, I just
wanna get the the fries out to For
sure. Like, is that how how does that
translate or is there anything specific?
There's some things of, like, Chick fil A
really believes in local ownership, which is me,
the operator. Right?
And so we do that through servant leadership.
We model behavior. Mhmm. Right? And so

(12:59):
if I'm doing those things
and I'm in the restaurant and I'm talking
to guests or I'm taking care of team
members or mentoring leaders,
like, they're gonna naturally wanna do that. So
you you share the message,
but then if you just share the message
and do nothing, it doesn't do any good.
And so it needs to be modeled by
everybody, including the owner. And so it's really,

(13:21):
really important that as the owner, we do
that. And
our leadership team does it. And it trickles
down and everybody gets excited about it. You
know?
And I mean so I mentioned servant leadership,
another example of Chick fil A of them
just teaching
what they really care about.
Like,
if you go to Atlanta, anybody can go
to Atlanta and visit Chick fil A. You

(13:42):
can do a corporate tour. Like, you can
go through all the facilities. It's this beautiful
campus.
And the first thing you see when you
walk in the door is a life size
statue
of Christ washing the disciples' feet. Wow. That's
cool. And so you just see this and
you're like,
what is going on here? Right? You know,
there's something different about this place.
And it's just really amazing to see that.

(14:05):
But you can see there's a thread of
everything they do is very intentional
to teach their purpose, to teach their mission.
And when they look for operators, guys like
me,
they're looking for people who have those same
values. Mhmm. So people are always like, well,
how do you get a Chick fil A?
Like, well, you apply, but then they're gonna
talk to you for, like, two years

(14:25):
and really, really get to know you. And
anybody I know who has gotten a Chick
fil A franchise, it was almost like they
were called to it. Mhmm. It's like you
just felt this pull. It's like a ministry.
Right? And then and then, like, you're
talking to them and all of a sudden,
like, you're feeling it and they're feeling it
and you're like, are you feeling this? And
they're like, yeah. You know what I mean?

(14:46):
And and, like, it's, like, almost like
a confirmation that it's, like, supposed to be
right. And it's kinda weird to say that
in the business world. Mhmm. But I think
that's really how they select people is, like,
it's not
all your I mean, experience matters. Right? Leadership
matters. But it's, like,
what is your why?
And
what's your heart behind wanting to do this?

(15:08):
And are you gonna be a guardian of
our brand? Yeah. Like, that's what they really,
really want. They wanna protect the brand and
the culture
because that's what's made it what it is
today. So there's
two, three thousand operators out there that all
feel called to Chick fil A, and they
feel this, like,
just gratefulness to be a part of it,
and we carry out their mission. Yeah. So

(15:30):
I imagine I mean, this isn't like you
can't just be some investment firm that wants
to have 15
restaurants in their portfolio, Chick fil A, you
know Yeah. It's like locally. Most Chick fil
A owners have one restaurant. That's another common
question. How many you got? I got one.
Yeah. There's a couple people who have two.
And but, like, they really are like local
ownership. Mhmm. You

(15:52):
are in your community.
You're in your restaurant. You're making an impact,
and that's what makes it so special. They
actually call it their secret sauce. Like, you
know, it's like local ownership, local operators who
care about the community and their people. Yeah.
And I think there's some parallels there with
our lay leadership model. You know, there's something
about
having the local guy. Right? Like, because they

(16:13):
could say, well, we will actually want the
top notch of business people running our restaurants
or the guy that has a finance background.
But to say no. Let's focus on the
local. Right? Even though the all the training
isn't there, all the Right. Skill sets maybe
aren't there upfront. But and we experienced that.
There's something about that local leadership that For
sure. Can Yeah. So so, like, if you're
interested in a Chick fil A and you're

(16:33):
like, hey. I'm an anesthesiologist and I just
wanna keep being an anesthesiologist. That just doesn't
work. They're not even gonna talk to you.
Right? You know, not that you couldn't do
it. Right. But you'd have to give up
being an anesthesiologist. Oh,
interesting. Which I would argue might be worth
it. Right. You know what I mean? Yeah.
But, like, I can't own any other businesses.
Interesting. I committed to Chick fil A. That's

(16:55):
what I do. And
it's very
strategic and specific in what we do. You
know? So that's cool. Yeah. Any other stories
or, Yeah. I mean, a couple stories. Like,
just some, like, you know because I think
everybody's, like, really
had these amazing experiences with Chick fil A.
And they're like, why is it always why
do I feel so good when I come

(17:15):
out? Right? You know what I mean? So
I'll just I'll just go through a few
here and just give you a couple another
examples. So I remember one year,
our annual conference, they call it Next. Right?
And another cool thing about that is, like,
culture wise, like, they have your spouse come
with you to next if you have a
spouse.
They pay for them to go. They involve
the family. Like, you know what I mean?

(17:36):
And so it's just very that's another culture
thing. It's like, it's not just you. We
know that
your wife
needs to and so there's classes for Courtney
about, like,
how to deal with a crazy business owner
or what you know what I mean? Or
whatever. Like or but, like, we are at
one of these meetings, and
the keynote speech, the very end
like, we're gonna have a talk on how

(17:57):
to improve your business. Right? And so they
put up on the board all the fruits
of the spirit. And they said,
just take a minute and just sit in
silence and
like, which one is speaking to you right
now? And
you're sitting there and you're just
like, what is going on? Right? Yeah. And
because I come from cutthroat medical device. Right?

(18:18):
It's like, what's your quota? Did you hit
your number? Do you like you know? And
they said, whichever word you chose,
that's your business plan for next year. Mhmm.
And that's what's gonna improve your business. Mhmm.
So that's the heart behind Chick fil A.
So they always talk about second mile service,
Matthew five forty one. Right? Going the second
mile.

(18:39):
And so
everything we do
and we teach, that I teach to my
team, is second mile. Right?
So some examples of second mile that you
may have experienced is, like, if it's raining,
there might be umbrellas by the door and
a team member walks you out to your
car. Wow. We do surprise and delights. It's
kind of a funny term, but, like so

(18:59):
one of my favorite things is if I'm
in the restaurant,
like, there's always a kid,
a four year old who spills a drink
all over the table and he's embarrassed. Sometimes
they're crying and and, you know, I walk
up to him. I'm like, guess what happens
when people spill drinks?
I'm like, the whole family gets ice cream.
And I take the four year old, and
I That's cool. Walk in behind the counter,
and we make an ice cream cone, and

(19:21):
we create this moment for this family
that they're gonna remember. Mhmm. Right? It totally
changed the narrative on this, like, mom stressed
out. You know, dad might be like, what
are you doing? And, like, everybody's taking pictures
and praising the four year old that spilled
the drink. Yeah. Right? So those are the
things that we do

(19:41):
every day, and we teach our team to
look for moments.
And moments create these emotional connections.
Right? And then it's like when you think
of Chick fil A, it's like,
I really feel good when I'm in that
place. Yeah. And, like, the food's good. The
food is great. Like, you have great food.
Right? But there's just something that people can't
describe about it that's it's more than just

(20:03):
the food, and these are the reasons why.
Mhmm. Right? Mhmm. So those are the things
we do. You know? And so
I'll share you with you one more thing
that we do with our team. So we
teach
core four, and this will apply in any
business,
any situation, in my YSA award or whatever.
So when we're interviewing people, we look for
four things.

(20:23):
So number one is create eye contact.
Number two is share a smile.
Number three is speak enthusiastically.
And then number four
is create an emotional connection,
which they've later turned into
always say my pleasure. Mhmm. They've added that
to it. But if you think about those
four things, right, like, think of, like, let's
say you have a son or daughter who's

(20:43):
going in for a job interview. If they
can do those four things, like, they're really
gonna be able to connect with people. And
so when we're interviewing people and tiny people
out joining our business, like,
we're judging them on those four things of
like, you know, if they're interviewing and they're
just staring out the window,
we know they're not gonna be able to
connect with people. Mhmm. Right?
Or

(21:04):
like,
did they ask an additional question in that
interview to somehow connect with you? Right? Did
you feel something other than, like, yes, no,
I did this and this and this. And
it's like, you know, we'll have people, like,
female leaders interviewing them. Somebody will be like,
hey. I really like your necklace. Where did
you get that? Right? And all of a
sudden, it goes into, like, this other conversation

(21:25):
Mhmm. And they're able to connect.
And so we really, really teach that. And
so
those might be some of the reasons why
you have a positive experience at Chick fil
A. Yeah. And so yeah. Is there anything
else to the my pleasure thing? I mean,
that's it's almost you know, you almost test
them when you ever go in. The my
pleasure thing, that was actually before my time.
I've done Chick fil A for ten years,

(21:46):
and Truett
just had this vision of, like, we need
to say my pleasure to everybody. And there's
videos of him,
like, at Chick fil A conferences
with the entire operator team, the entire support
center staff,
and he's making them say my pleasure
over and over. And they're just repeating
Mhmm. My pleasure, my pleasure. And they ingrained

(22:08):
it so much
that it stuck. Like, you know, and now
it's it's genuine and it's sincere. And, you
know, we'll have high school kids that come
in and be like, do you fire people
if they don't say my like, oh, we're
not probably not gonna fire somebody. Like, you
know what I mean? Yeah. But, like,
Truett really had the vision,
and it's really cool to see those videos.
And I I love seeing it. I wish

(22:29):
I could have been a part of that,
but my journey wasn't a part of that.
My journey is what it is, and I'm
grateful for where I'm at. But Yeah. I
think it's just an interesting concept because it
could come across, like, as a gimmick. Right?
Sort of like, for sure. Going through the
motions. But it can become a mantra. Right?
Of a Yeah. Sort of a touch point
of culture. For sure. And not that, you
know, every ward or every organization needs their

(22:51):
thing or phrase, but, like, what what can
we do where we're constantly sort of
resetting that culture, you know, and and it's
a statement that that doesn't just mean my
pleasure, but it's like we do things a
certain way here. We we show up differently.
We, you know, we we want to to
be sincere Yeah. As as we do these
things. Yeah. I don't know if you've noticed
other places kinda start to say it. Uh-huh.

(23:12):
You're like, really? Like, did you really mean
that? I'm a major supplier on Chick fil
A. Right? But but
yeah. And I'll say with our culture and
the things that I've shared with you, which
is a few of many,
people only interview with us who
really wanna be with us. Like,
the person that's like

(23:32):
I don't wanna be derogatory. Like like, the
person that's, like, going to interview at Burger
King doesn't come and interview at Chick fil
A. There's like a standard that people know.
We could just get really good people
that walk through our doors and they wanna
be a part of it and they wanna
be a part of the brand.
And, you know, it's my job to
bring them in to cultivate

(23:53):
their desires, to get them to where they
wanna go, and just really teach them these
principles
so that they can thrive and be happy.
And it goes into retention. So, like,
you know,
our retention is probably three times better than
the any other fast food restaurant. Like, people
stay.
You know? They'd make careers out of it.

(24:13):
There's a lot of people who grew up
in Chick fil A and become future operators.
And and so
it really helps on that side too. Yeah.
Because there is a, you know, at least
in The United States, a certain stigma of
working for fast food. It's like, is that
really all you could do? Right? Yeah. So
some of the numbers are like, there's an
average restaurant might turn over their team 300%

(24:35):
in a year. Wow. So if you think
about that, you turn over your entire team
three times in a year. Like, how are
you supposed to provide service and hospitality and
fast, safe food, like, in that environment, right,
where our turnover is way different than that.
Yeah. I opened ten years ago. I still
have people who are with me from the
start. My general manager's been there seven years.

(24:57):
You know, like,
I've got
my kitchen team is just, like,
so good.
And they all speak Spanish, and and they
have been there for
eight, nine, seven years. And it's just this
culture, and, like, it's just so amazing. So
I love it. Yeah. So It's cool. Maybe,

(25:18):
build a bridge to your experience as a
YSA Bishop. Like, I'm I'm always interested as
to what
feeds
sort of culture development for you on in
that for sure. Container. Right. Yeah. So
I mentioned to you, like, I don't remember
who created this. Maybe you know, but, like,
the old young men's like, working with the
young men and how to how to work
with them in the church. And it was
be with them,

(25:39):
let them lead,
and connect them to heaven. Mhmm. Those three
principles. Right? And so I apply that in
my YSA ward. I apply that in
Chick fil A as well. So with Chick
fil A, be with them is
your presence matters.
Right? That local ownership thing that we were
talking about. Right? There's this false narrative in
business where it's like, oh, you gotta build

(26:01):
a business that runs without you.
Right? Mhmm. You can go do whatever you
want and passive income and, like, all this
kind of stuff. And I'm like, you show
me that person, and I'll show you a
guy who's probably depressed and isolated.
Like, you can build it. But then it's
like, and then what? Right? Yeah. You know
what I mean? And so

(26:21):
it's you know, we had a talk at
Next
a year or two ago, and they're like,
have a CEO mindset and build a business
that can run without you
so that you can be on the front
lines, so that you can do the things
that actually matter. Mhmm. So they can have
that moment in the dining room with a
guest, or I have a leader who's struggling
and I'm sitting at a table with them

(26:43):
for half hour talking through something, right? And
so that's why your presence matters, right?
So in the YSA though, we are really,
really specific about being with them.
And so I kinda call it patterns of
gathering or building relationships.
And keep in mind, this is all in
the ward

(27:04):
to build a relationship so that they can
trust me
so that when they come to me,
I can connect them to Jesus Christ and
provide hope.
Yeah. That's what we do. So some of
the things we do that
which is love. Like, our ward is so
awesome.
Shout out to the pro at YSA thirty
eighth Ward. Yeah. Liberty Square Apartments. Right? So

(27:25):
we do something called Straggler Sunday.
And so
our ward is probably
70% return missionaries.
Almost all of them are out of state.
They don't have a home.
Right? And so
my wife came up with this amazing idea
of straggler Sunday.
We call them stragglers because they're just like

(27:46):
out in the world. Right?
And so about once a month on a
Sunday, we'll have straggler Sunday at our house.
And it's, like,
come over,
have a home cooked meal,
sit on the couch,
walk the dog. Yeah. And so, like, literally
home. Right? So, literally, like,
for three hours on a Sunday, we've had

(28:06):
20
people show up at our house. Wow.
And we sit with them. We eat with
them. We feed them. We serve them. They
literally go walk the dog. Like Uh-huh. You
know what I mean? So we got all
these YSAs like walking the neighborhood, you know,
and there's
50 cars at my house. And like, what's
going on at the Razavan's house? And it's
like, it's straggler Sunday. And like, and we

(28:28):
just built this culture around it that all
of a sudden people from other wards are
coming and, like and everybody just wants to
be in our home.
So what's the purpose of that? To gather,
to get together,
to connect,
to lead them to Christ. Yeah. Right? And
one part I like about this is these
gatherings, like, the more informal

(28:49):
like, the more longevity it seems to have.
Like, if you feel like, oh, we need
someone to give that, you know, fifteen minute
presentation. We need, you know, someone to do
this or that, but it's like, we're just
here. Like, we got some food. There's Like,
show up. There's literally no agenda. Mhmm. Yeah.
People are playing ping pong.
You know, if it's summer, they're outside.
They're walking the trails behind our house. Like,
there's just all kinds of just amazing things

(29:10):
that happen with that. So that's been really
beautiful.
Another thing that I've really decided to do
is, like, it's really important to meet them
where they're at. And so I've chosen
to have a digital relationship with all of
my members.
So people are like, oh, phones are so
bad, and you can't do anything over a
phone. And, like, you can do a lot
of good over a phone. You know what

(29:31):
I mean? And so
the amount of texts
I send and get every day with my
work, it's just going. But I'm
building relationships
with people.
And so, like,
every day I have an alarm that goes
off on my phone and I send three
texts.
Just who's on my mind, send three texts.
Right?
And that turns into four or five texts.

(29:53):
And, like, you know, in this conversation of,
like, what are you excited about today? Oh,
like, that's so hard. What's going on? Do
you wanna talk? Like, you know,
every member that moves into my ward,
you know, because he's a bishop, you've been
a bishop, you get the reports and stuff.
And and
I sent him a text. I'm like, hey,
welcome to the ward. It's Bishop Rasband. We're
so excited to have you here. I can't
wait to meet you. Make sure on Sunday

(30:13):
when you come, come up to me and
say hi.
And I'm just creating a window Yeah. Of
them to be able to be able to
come and feel like I'm available.
I think that's all I need to do
Yeah. Is, like, live worthy, be available.
Because I've realized
I can give an amazing speech from a
pulpit,
but my real work is done need any.

(30:34):
Mhmm. Like, you're sitting in that office,
you felt it, and you're just like,
you're need any. Yeah. And you're being vulnerable,
and you're having a conversation,
and
you're connecting them to Jesus Christ. Right? Yeah.
I really think there's this power in this
concept of level of access or perceived access.
You know? I think we've all been, like,

(30:56):
maybe in a corporate setting where the boss
mentions, oh, we have an open door policy
here. You can come in my office and
talk anytime. And and we assume that, like,
well, I said it. So does it didn't
that feed into the culture? But it it's
just these little things where people like, well,
I at least have my bishop's phone number
now or, you know, he's reached out to
me. Text them, and I'm like, you can
contact me Mhmm.

(31:17):
Anytime. Yeah. And some people tell me I'm
crazy,
but I'm like, a YSA Bishop is three
years. Mhmm. Like, my wife and I were
like, we are on a sprint. Yeah. And
we are gonna do as much good as
we can do
in three years, and I'm here for it.
Like, I'm, like,
all in. Right? And, you know, just some
examples of those texts. Like, I'll send it.

(31:38):
I've never met somebody, and I send a
text and be like, hey. Can we meet
this Sunday?
Probably
50% of those texts, I get a, hey.
Let's meet. Mhmm. And I wonder if that
meeting ever would have happened
or how long it would have taken for
that to happen if I hadn't proactively,
like,
reach out to them Yeah. And created that

(32:00):
space that I'm available. I'm here. Right?
And so we do that. Yeah. That's awesome.
That's awesome. Another thing, like
this is so good.
Here's the good stuff. It's coming. If you
thought that was good, this is good. No.
So
we really believe in mentoring
and
so developing leaders.
And so, like, yeah, you come in to

(32:21):
talk to the bishop, you know, sometimes you're
gonna confess things. That's an important piece of
it. Right? But half of my appointments aren't
about that. Half of them are, how do
I make decisions in my life? Like, how
do I and I just had this impression
of, like,
how do I involve sister Rasband?
You've been a bishop in a family ward.
Mhmm. That's a tough
Sure. Tough one. Right? Yeah. In a YSA

(32:43):
Ward, it's totally different. Yeah. It's a different
dynamic. Completely
love my wife. Mhmm.
And so from the beginning, I got this
impression that sister Rasband
needs to meet with people.
So from day one,
I've told
the ward, like, hey, you can meet with
me or you can meet with Sister Rasband.
And this is kind of unconventional. Right? You

(33:05):
know? And somebody may fire me, but, like,
you know, I think it's amazing. But, like
so
her name is on the program.
Her cell phone's there.
She meets with anywhere from two to four
YSAs
every Sunday,
and they're coming to her with, like, really
hard things. Mhmm.
And it's things that don't always have to

(33:25):
come to me,
but
they're in a situation or have something that
they just really wanna talk about. And, like,
she's there for them, and she's ministering to
them, and she's mentoring them. And sometimes it's
been a bridge to me of, like, I
don't know if I trust your husband yet,
but I trust you. Yeah. And it's a
bridge to me, and they've come to me

(33:46):
together.
Right? And so it's been just this amazing
thing, and
she is all in on that as well.
Mhmm. You know? And so that's another way
that we are being available and we're being
with them
so that we can
help them have a relationship with their savior.
I think this is really key insight with

(34:07):
there's this you know, especially with the shift
of
this idea that, you know, the more traditional
word, the bishop should be delegating more to
the elders' court and the least sided president.
Right? Dynamics I mean, still same dynamic definitely
in a in a YSA word.
But, you know, a lot of bishops are
like, they're they're frustrated. Like, well, I try,
but they keep coming to me. Right? And

(34:27):
so for you to it's just these little
things of putting certain phone numbers in the
program.
I tell my elders a lot, like, who's
the only person you can confess, you know,
share your sins with? And and, you know,
I wasn't the bishop. I say, anybody you
feel comfortable with. Right? We'll get to the
bishop part. I mean, that is a there's
keys there and a process there, but tell

(34:48):
somebody you're struggling. Open up to somebody. Yeah.
And then that sort of gets that momentum
going that then then leads to the bishop's
office or, you know, those appropriate channels.
And it offloads
you that maybe
would be 60 texts a day you'd be
receiving. But because of these
cultural cues, you know, it's it's getting spread

(35:09):
out a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. It's great.
Yeah. That's cool. And my wife is so
good.
She is amazing. So they just love her
to death, you know? That's cool. Another thing
that we do, like, there's a lot of
be with them kind of stuff that I
wanna talk about, but I think as the
bishop,
people wanna hear from you. Mhmm. I think
a lot of bishops are like, oh, I'm,

(35:30):
you know, I'm in the limelight. I don't
I don't wanna like, you know, and like
Don't wanna make it about me. Don't wanna
make it about me.
So I've always wanted to hear from my
leaders.
And so for me, like, another part of
being available to them is, like,
I speak to them often. It's not a
scheduled sacrament talk, but Mhmm. After sacrament, I'll
have an impression. I get up and I
say it. Like,

(35:51):
you know what I mean? And and I'm
like, hey, guys. I'm feeling this. Like,
I feel like I need to say this
to you, and then I'll say it.
And I think they really appreciate that, and
it creates it's like this they really respond
to vulnerability.
Like, if I'm vulnerable, they
can become vulnerable.
Right? And so that's really important. Yeah. And

(36:11):
I love that even this these little moments
of pattern interrupts of being like because you
could easily say, you know, I'll speak next
Sunday and say that. But to stand up
and be like, woah. Woah. Woah. Like, someone's
talking and it's the bishop. What is he
saying? Those pattern interrupts can can do a
lot. Yeah. Because it's kind of unconventional.
Right? Yeah. We do surprise and delights with
our award. Oh, nice. So, like,

(36:32):
a a good example of this is, like,
one night, Courtney and I, we were on
a date in Provo,
and
this thought hits my head because Liberty Square's,
you know, ten minutes from Rockwell ice cream.
Right? Mhmm. Like, let's go get some ice
cream. And this thought hits my head, like,
invite the ward.
And so, like, I throw out on the

(36:52):
group chat, sister Rosban and I at Rockwell
come have ice cream with us. And within
twenty minutes,
we had a line just down the street.
Love it. Right?
And we sat with them, and I I
don't even know whose ice cream I paid
for. I probably paid for, like,
all kinds of people. They just got free
ice cream that night. Right? That weren't even

(37:14):
my ward because we were fairly new at
the time. I was like, I'm still trying
to get to know everybody's names. But we
sowed them for two hours and just ate
ice cream and talked and got to know
them. And, like, we were with them. And,
like,
and things like that just really, really go
a long ways. Yeah. And that and that
we just do crazy stuff. Like, you know,
half the awards like running the Saint George

(37:35):
Marathon and like, Bishop, you gotta do it
with us. I'm like, k. I guess I'm
running a marathon. Like, you know? And and
so we're gonna go run the Saint George
Marathon, but I'm doing it to be with
them. Yeah. Because there's a higher purpose
to being with them. Like, I just genuinely
love them. I just wanna be with them
all the time. Mhmm. Yeah. And I just
appreciate the informality of of some of this

(37:56):
where, like, in our elders quorum, we have
a group that works out in the mornings
three times,
three times a week. We have a group
that
that does game nights. We have a group
that that goes shooting often. Right? That all
the gun guys wanna go and shoot. So
it's like or the pickleball group. Right? It's
like, wherever it is, like, go do your
thing and let's just just have to be
an official. Yeah. It doesn't have to be

(38:17):
official and that's cool. The pricing is worth
the best. Like, on moving days, I'll just
show up at the outside the apartments with,
like, 250 chicken sandwiches.
And I'll just sit up a table, and
I'll just be like, hey. I know you
guys are all working hard. Who needs help
moving a couch? And we got a bunch
of sandwiches and, like, everybody will just come
down, just flood. Yeah. Like, the we'll just

(38:38):
talk and hang out and sit in the
lawns and we'll help people move and, like,
it's
it's really fun. That's awesome. Yeah. So that's
the be with them part. The next part
is like the let them lead. Right? And
so
with,
I mean, obviously with Chick fil A, like
so to just give you an example, we
have
over a hundred employees in one restaurant.

(38:59):
There's a lot of people.
Like, 30 or 40 of them are in
leadership positions.
We are very specific about everybody does, but
we let them do their job. We have
a responsibility
matrix that we have that outlines
every single role, what exactly you do,
you know, what you need to care for,
and, like so we're very specific with that.

(39:20):
But I am curious with that question. Like
Yeah. With that leadership
portion, like, how how do you enable them
to
not just wait around for you to tell
them what to do or I just totally
get out of the way. Yeah. Like,
when I say, like,
I'm
delegating this to you, like, I literally am,
like, letting you do it Mhmm. And I'm
letting you fail. And, like, you know, if

(39:41):
if we're looking at speed of service in
our drive through and
somebody's got this idea,
I'm like, go for it.
Try it. See what happens.
Like, what's the worst that can happen? Yeah.
You know what I mean? Like, you know,
like, will they wait an extra two minutes
or whatever? But through them
creating it,
owning it, it's their idea.

(40:02):
Like, if I'm just like, you need to
do this, this, and this, and this.
There's no buy in. Right? So they create
the ideas. They create. And then and I'm
there
for strategic, like, hey. You maybe thought about
this or
maybe it requires some capital investment. Like, hey.
Like, yeah. I'll approve that. Like, we'll spend
money on that. Right? Mhmm. But just truly

(40:22):
letting them
own it, both the success, like, I'm not
stealing their success,
and
the failure. Right? It's like, oh, that didn't
work. I'm like, k. What are you gonna
try next? It's not like, oh, well, let's
do this now. I know how to do
it. It's like, what do you think we
should do? Yeah. I always put it back
on
them. And then they they I think they
realize, like, oh, he's serious. Like, he's not

(40:45):
literally not gonna tell me what to do.
After a few reps, they're like, oh, yeah.
He really does want me to to do
that. And then, like, my team at Chick
fil A now, man, like,
I would put them up against anybody. They
are so good. Head to Spanish Flight Team.
They are dialed in. Like, they are dedicated.
Like, they would jump through walls for me.
That's cool. And I often tell people, like,

(41:07):
I don't feel worthy of the team that
works for me.
I try everything I can to take care
of them and
to just really express my gratitude, whether it's
through compensation
or
personal time or whatever it is. But, like,
I often don't feel grateful because they're so
good.
Mhmm. That's cool. Yeah. So in the ward

(41:27):
with, like, letting them lead,
you know, obviously, you need structure. In a
YSA ward, that's always fluctuating.
Like, last week, we just changed our entire
ward council or I changed my second council
in the bishopric,
but I love it. It's like fresh energy
is
like newness. Right? And, you know, an example
of this,
this is kind of a cool one. So
when I first got called,

(41:49):
I walked in and I conducted my first
sacrament meeting and they're like, Bishop, you didn't,
like, do the sacrament pause. I'm like,
sacrament, but like, what are you talking about?
Like, I don't know. Is that an ambi?
Like, what is that? Like and I'm like,
no. Like, this is what you do. Like,
we take the sacrament.
And then afterwards,
everybody sits down. We just sit in silence

(42:09):
for, like, ten to twenty, thirty seconds.
Wow. And at first, I was kinda like
I was like I thought handbook.
Like, are we messing with the sacrament? Right?
And then I I started thinking about it.
I'm like,
they're wanting to focus on the savior. Like,
they're really wanting to have a moment. Right?
So the next Sunday,
we go back,
and one of my counselors,

(42:30):
who's a YSA, is
conducting
and he does the sacrament pause. I'm like,
this is a really long pause.
You know what I mean? But, like, I'm
like super, like, kind of like, I don't
know how I feel about this and, like,
is this right? And, like, you know what
I mean? But I could look
in the congregation
and I just see all these people just

(42:51):
having this, like,
really meaningful moment. Mhmm. And now, like, I
would love it.
Like, if you came to our ward
and you experienced
the sacrament,
so we pass the sacrament,
and then it's just like,
you know, like a twenty second just pure
silence, and everybody is in
deep prayer

(43:12):
connection.
And I'm just like,
okay, I get it. Like and this is
letting them lead. Right? Like, it like, what
if I would have been like, no, I'm
the bishop and, like, we don't do that
and, like, it's kinda awkward and, like but,
like, it's become this, like,
really, really meaningful thing to our ward. And
anybody who comes and visits now, they're like,
what was that? Like, I've never felt that

(43:34):
before. And it's been really cool. Wow. Yeah.
Yeah. I love it. I love it. You
know?
So Anything else with let them lead that
we haven't covered? Yeah. I mean,
ward council is really important.
So what I've learned there
is as the leader, don't speak too soon.
If you speak too soon, you shut them

(43:54):
down.
Right? Because you're the leader. You're the guy
in charge or whatever. And so
we have a new release site present. Ellen,
how are you? She's great. But
she had these ideas for ministering as she's
coming in. And she called me and she's
like, Bishop, I wanna bring this up in
ward council. Can I talk about it? And
I'm like, of course you can. Right? You

(44:14):
know?
And so she's read the handbook. She's done
all this research.
And she brings it up in ward council.
And,
you know, the whole word council like, we've
probably had a twenty minute just
this amazing discussion of all, like, the good
things of doing it this way or, like,
have you considered this and, like, you know,
and all that kind of stuff. And then

(44:36):
and I just let it all happen.
Like, it didn't speak.
I just let them work it out. And
then,
you know, it came to the end and
somebody's like, well, what do you think, Bishop?
You know? And and I literally said something
like,
Ellen has the calling and she's gonna figure
it out. And I'm totally confident it's gonna
be amazing.

(44:57):
So Ellen's sitting with that right now.
Right? Yeah. And so
that's letting them lead. Like, truly, like, letting
go. Now we have the handbook and we
have rule like, rules. I don't love that
word. But, like, you know what I mean?
Like, guidelines and guardrails and, like, if anything
was, like, crazy, obviously, you're gonna be like,
yeah. That's probably not a great idea. Right?

(45:17):
But let's talk about it. Right? But just
truly letting them own it, and I have
full confidence that whatever she
moves forward with is gonna be what our
ward needs
right now. Yeah. Yeah. That just those power
of the words of you'll you'll figure it
out. Yeah. You know? And Yeah. Let me
know.
So Yeah. That's awesome. That's awesome.

(45:38):
So connecting them to a higher purpose.
Yeah. So
on the ward side, it's connect them to
heaven, right, or Jesus Christ and Chick fil
A, it's connect them to a higher purpose.
So all of this is building a relationship
so they can speak into their life.
Right? So you can speak into somebody's life
through a title, like an owner operator.
I can tell people what to do. Mhmm.

(45:59):
As a bishop, you can be like, hey,
you should do this or you should do
this. But when it's accompanied by a relationship,
it just hits totally different.
Right? Yeah. And so this is where it
really comes to be. So
at Chick fil A,
it's kinda funny. People are like, we really
do that? But, like, I have a conversation
with them about

(46:20):
this is a tour of duty.
And I'm like,
you're coming into my business.
You're gonna give me your best. I'm gonna
give you my best.
And one day, you're gonna leave me, and
I'm gonna encourage you to leave my business.
Mhmm.
Like,
the best thing for you is to leave
me. But while you're here,
let's
give each other our best. Let's learn what

(46:41):
we need to learn,
and let's get you all the resources
that you can launch to wherever you need
to go. Yeah. Right?
So
from my restaurant, we have dentists, we have
physical therapists, we have attorneys,
we have,
you know, all kinds of people who have
done different things. But then also there's people
who choose to stay in the business

(47:02):
and thrive in my business, and we grow
them there. Or they, you know, go on
to be Chick fil A operators or work
at Chick fil A corporate.
And so
but what I found is, like, when I
have that relationship,
like, I can have those honest conversations
and really speak into somebody's life. Like, if
they know that, like, my intentions are good

(47:23):
and I'm I'm just not, like, using you
for, like, a person to make fries. Like,
I'm like I'm like, I actually really, really
care about what you're doing. Like, what do
you wanna do in the next five years?
Yeah. And I got awesome neighbors who do
all these things.
And I'm sending people to lunch with, like,
brother so and so and sister so and
so, and you gotta learn from this person,

(47:45):
actively trying to get people
to leave my business because that's what's best
for them. Yeah. Right? Yeah. And so I
when I think about this, I think about
Christ and the rich, young, young ruler.
Right?
Like, he went to Christ because he
loved him. He respected him. Like, he knew,
like, I wanna learn, like, you know and

(48:07):
he knew Christ knew him. And so I
look at it that way of, like, when
people come to you, it's a sacred responsibility
to tell them the truth. Mhmm.
And so I feel like I've gotten
really good. Not I have not I'm kind
of a people pleaser. Like, so it took
me a long time to learn this of
like,
you know what? You really, like, in your

(48:29):
development,
you need to work on this. Mhmm. And,
like, this is what you're missing. Like, if
you want to get in the Chick fil
A leadership development program, here's your gaps. Yeah.
Let's identify those. It's a different conversate. If
I have a relationship,
I can have that conversation to connect them
to that higher purpose. Mhmm. I don't have
the relationship. It doesn't work. It falls flat.

(48:50):
Like, you know, that kind of thing. And
so Another thing that stands out there is
this is gonna sound weird when I say
it, but, like, sometimes we hyperfocus
on, like, the key indicators or, like, the
ordinances of, like, well, what do we gotta
do to get you a temple right command
or get you sealed or what? Or
Or on a mission
or even, like, we wanna be a word
about missionary work. Right? Which these are all

(49:11):
good, but there's something about when you kinda
step back and say, well, wait a minute.
Like, where do you see yourself in five
years? Like, like, yeah. Right now, I'm kinda
really focused on school and getting into med
school or whatever. And then it's like,
oh, so I mean, missionary work maybe isn't
a super priority for you right now or
you know, I guess it gives you a
bigger picture that then people will lean in
because they're like, oh, I feel seen. Like,

(49:33):
my, you know,
direction and desires are being validated here. And
so I wanna step in and help this
community at large or this ward, you know,
because I feel seen. I want others to
feel seen. And as they lean into the
some of these things that which oftentimes are,
you know, callings from from heaven of, like,
no. This is where I feel drawn to

(49:53):
in the next five years, then they're gonna
naturally make covenants. They're gonna naturally show up
to church and participate in some of these
things. But no. It's amazing. And and, like,
on the church side, like, speaking to their
lives, like, there's obviously a lot of, like,
really special sacred moments with individuals where
you just invite them to do things,
you know? And I think that's

(50:15):
one thing that I've learned as being a
leader and a bishop is, like, I almost
feel like I'm on my mission again. Like,
all of a sudden, like, I can invite
people to do things. Like, it's it's you
know, but it's, like, when that relationship is
there and you extend that invitation,
they know
like, the spirit just tells them, like, yeah.
You're right because you know me, and you

(50:35):
put in the time and you care about
me, and I'm gonna respond to that invitation.
Mhmm. Like, whether it's the temple or the
priesthood, you know. And and I could tell
you every member of my ward who doesn't
have milk as their priesthood yet and or,
you know, who hasn't gone to the temple
and, you know, that kind of thing. But
it's like,
you just can't do a blanket, like,
invitation.
Right? Mhmm. But I've been putting in this

(50:57):
work with my ward. I I kinda mentioned
to you, like,
speaking,
like, just randomly, like
and so last Sunday,
just had this super powerful moment
where, like, we had these great speakers.
It was a youth high counselor,
which is amazing. And you know, and then
like that member from the stake release site
president, they were speaking on fasting.

(51:18):
Like nothing that I was like And in
my mind,
as they're talking,
the spirit's just saying,
you need to remind them
of the stake promises
about the temple.
I'm kind of like, well, we'll see what
time the meeting ends. And, you know, and
then again, it was just like hitting me
hard. Right?

(51:39):
So they're done talking. I get up. And
it's just one of those like, hey, this
is off script.
And I literally look at the word. I'm
like, the spirit is telling me to tell
you something.
And
our stake, President Swanson, he's amazing,
has challenged our entire YSA state to have
a weekly experience with the temple.
So what does that look like? Does that

(51:59):
mean you have to go to an endowment
every week?
No.
You can go do baptisms. You can do
initiatories.
You can go have lunch on the lawn.
You can just
like walk around the temple. Like whatever it
is,
like have a weekly experience with the temple.
And then
always have an appointment with the Lord.
Okay? And I think this is really wise.

(52:22):
And so
what that looks like is like let's say
you have an endowment appointment.
You go do your endowment.
When you get out of the temple,
you set your next appointment. Like, you always
have an appointment with the Lord. You're prioritizing
him. You're making time. And I stood up
and I just reinforced this promise
that President Swenson has given, which ultimately comes

(52:44):
from our prophet. Right? Yeah. And
it was so powerful.
And I literally
got probably
10 messages
later that day, whether it was in person
or text. It was like, hey, Bishop.
I know that was for me. Thank you.
Right? And so that was really validating. It
was like, I'm giving this everything I got.

(53:05):
I am connecting with them. And and then
and it's like, when I speak,
feel like I've earned the right to speak
into their life because I know them. Yeah.
It's powerful. Yeah. So That's cool. You mentioned
the, you have a group chat.
What app do you use or any other
apps that Yeah. So we we use GroupMe,
You know? And so that's where all our

(53:26):
communication is, you know? And so we have
Elichrome chat, release chat, like, a a main
chat. We have an activities chat. And so
it's effective. There's a 60 people on there,
you know? And so that's how we communicate.
My Bishopric,
those guys are just so good. Like, they
literally have a spreadsheet for everything. Like,
I'll speak and then like an hour later,

(53:48):
like, they'll be like, here's a spreadsheet.
And I'm like so they keep me so
organized.
So we use Google Sheets a lot, you
know, keeping track of all the callings and
and all that kind of stuff. But That's
cool. What I've learned
is, like, specifically in the YSA is, like,
they understand
my role and they're so protective of what
I need to be doing. They literally do

(54:10):
everything.
Mhmm. I've never asked somebody to speak in
church,
like, any calling that's given, like, that I
don't have to give
unless I wanna give it. Like, they go
do it. They are just so protective of
my time. So, like, Bishop, we need we
know you need to be with people one
on one.
And it's just amazing that they see that

(54:31):
and they, like, create space for that, and
I'm super grateful for it. That's cool. That's
great. How about any I mean, is there
give us a Chick fil A tip, any
secret menu or, like, tip of how to
show up, how to order. Yeah. I don't
know. Is there anything like that? I mean,
here's what I'll tell you. So I just
loaded your app up. Right? Yeah. With some
So this is sort of sponsored by Chick

(54:52):
fil A. I get all the chicken, though.
But,
if you are not using the app,
you're crazy. You're crazy. Like, if if you're
not if you're not going to Chick fil
A using like, it's so much better. Like,
you know, you can place your order on
the app. Buzz right through the fast lane.
Through through the mobile through lane in some
restaurants.

(55:12):
Mobile curbside.
If you're a mom out there with five
kids in your car, try mobile curbside.
Alright. You just pull up. We bring the
food right out to you, you can eat
it in your car, you can drive away,
like, you didn't have to get out of
your car. There's some really amazing things going
on with the app. And so, like, I
would encourage people to to really look at

(55:33):
app usage and
Awesome. I know everybody's got an app and
just like, hey. Do you really wanna have
this? But if if you visit us more
than a couple times a month Yeah. Probably
worth the app. Probably worth having. Yeah. What's
what's with the shakes? Why are they so
good? What's in the shakes? Because they have
over a thousand calories in them. Oh, okay.
I bet.
We latter day Saints. Right? That's you're speaking
our language. Okay. So this is a funny

(55:55):
story. Dusty Pine is the operator in American
Fork, Utah. That's my Chick fil A. Yeah.
So
couple years ago, he was given award
an award nationally.
The American Fork Chick fil A sold the
most frosted lemonades
in the entire country out of any Chick
fil A. Really? And so yeah. Right there
in American Fork, Utah. They love our frosted

(56:18):
frosted lemonades.
So we we do love our ice cream.
Yeah. That's good. That's good. You get all
things here at Leading Saints. We'll give you
Yeah. Chick fil A tips and leadership tips.
So well, Scott, those have been great. Is
there
I guess last question I have for you
is as you reflect on your time as
a leader, also as a leader with with
Chick fil A, how has being a leader

(56:39):
helped you become a better follower of Jesus
Christ? Yeah. That's a great question.
For me, I'm a natural introvert.
All these things we just talked about,
I wouldn't do
naturally on my own. And so I think
the Lord has known me personally. He's like,
I need to give Scott callings and put
him in positions

(57:00):
to not just grow him, but to grow
others and to just really
challenge him to become the person that he
wants to become. And leadership's been able to
me enabled me to do that. And
and
ultimately
by seeing others,
like getting out of myself, right? Like it's
so easy to isolate. It's so easy to
just be like, I just want to be

(57:21):
by myself,
but that doesn't, that doesn't do much good.
Like Christ saw people.
And
through these callings and through these leadership positions,
I've been able to truly see people.
Hey, you made it to the end of

(57:42):
the episode.
Wasn't that so good? You know, I tend
to pinch myself that this is what I
get to do. I get to sit down
with some remarkable people across the world, experts,
everyday leaders, PhDs, therapists, whatever it be, and
have such an impactful conversation. I hope you'll
share it, drop it into text message and
email and share it to someone who maybe
came to mind during this episode. And if

(58:04):
you go to the show notes and scroll
to the bottom, there's actually a list of
some of our most popular episodes. So don't
stop with this episode. I mean, you're not
done with the dishes or mowing the lawn
or working out. So you might as well
keep it going at the bottom of those
show notes and, make sure you listen to
each one, maybe a couple of times on
a few of them. Hey, you made it
to the end of the episode.
Wasn't that so good? You know, I tend

(58:25):
to pinch myself that this is what I
get to do. I get to sit down
with some remarkable people across the world, experts,
everyday leaders, PhDs, therapists, whatever it be, and
have such an impactful conversation. I hope you'll
share it, drop it into text message and
email and share it to someone who maybe
came to mind during this episode. And if
you go to the show notes and scroll

(58:46):
to the bottom, there's actually a list of
some of our most popular episodes. So don't
stop with this episode. I mean, you're not
done with the dishes or mowing the lawn
or working out. So you might as well
keep it going at the bottom of those
show notes and make sure you listen to
each one, maybe a couple of times on
a few of them.

(59:11):
It came as a result of the position
of leadership, which was imposed upon us
by the God of heaven who brought
forth a restoration of the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
When the declaration
was made concerning the only
true and living Church upon the face of
the earth,

(59:32):
We were immediately put in a position of
loneliness,
the loneliness of leadership
from which we cannot shrink nor run away,
and to which we must face up with
boldness and courage
and ability.