SALT LAKE CITY — Just as he did when Utah was in the midst of historic drought, Governor Spencer Cox is again asking people to join in prayer.
This time it is in gratitude for a record-breaking snowfall.
Utah's governor issued a declaration late Thursday, asking Utahns to join him in prayer on Sunday, July 2 in "gratitude and thanksgiving."
The declaration notes Utah's dire situation for years and then the record-breaking snowpack that has helped get portions of the state out of the worst drought categories (parts of the state are still in drought). Nearly all of Utah's reservoirs are full and the Great Salt Lake has risen 5-and-a-half feet now.
Gov. Cox has been mocked in the past for his call for prayer from TV comedians and online commenters alike. But he has pushed back, saying people should not be criticized for their faith and asking for help from above. The governor again defended his belief in the power of prayer in a statement issued with the declaration — but he also called for something more temporal.
"I believe prayer can be a powerful tool," he wrote. "There is real power in people of all different faiths and backgrounds uniting together and pleading for help from a higher authority than our own. I also believe that people who pray for water will conserve water, and we need to continue to conserve."
The declaration is here:
