meet our leadership | FriendsReddingStake

Welcome to Friends of Redding Stake!

Dan Mehr: Stake President

Both my wife and I were raised in Apple Valley, California - which is located in the southern part of the State. I like to say we met in a church primary class at the young age of 9, however, our relationship did not truly flourish until we were both attending college in Provo, Utah. After a year of spending an inordinate amount of time together, we were married in the San Diego Temple on July 9, 1999.

I have discovered that Redding is a wonderful place to live with my family and associate with friends. DeAnn and I along with our four children (Todd, Ian, Lucy, and Ally) moved to Redding in August 2013. While living in Redding, we welcomed a fifth child (Kate) to our family. Each of our children is a gift and blessing to us.

I enjoy all things sports related. My dream bucket list includes attending a college football game in every historic college football venue. Once upon a time (I'll deny it if you ask me in person), I had a tear in my eye as I entered a stadium for a BYU football game. Outside of sports, I enjoy the outdoors from mountains to beaches and everything in between. I am always in awe at the beauty of God’s creations.

Professionally, I work as an attorney assisting clients with business and real estate matters. As part of my professional experience, I teach the Business Law class at Shasta College as an adjunct professor. I enjoy the intersection of my educational training in my masters degree in business administration and juris doctorate.

While serving a mission in Argentina, I learned better how to serve and assist other people. Over and over, it has been reaffirmed to me the importance of living with Christ as the center of all I am and do. My utmost desire is to live the two great commandments – love God and others. I am grateful for how the Savior’s gospel helps teach and steer me in this desire. This coupled with the powerful tools found in the Book of Mormon and teachings of the living prophets have provided meaning and depth to my life.

One of my favorite scriptural accounts is the Savior’s interaction with the woman with an “issue of blood” (Mark 5:25-34). Many eternal truths can be learned from this experience. This dear woman was dramatically impacted by a disease she did not control. She was a societal outcast with little hope for much good in her life. Upon hearing of the Savior, she exercised great faith in Him. He ministered to her one on one. He loved her. He healed her. It is true that “all things are possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23)

Mike Freeman: First Counselor

While I was born in Crescent City, CA, I grew up in Red Bluff. I am married to Kelly Freeman and have two amazing kids, Grace and Abe. I am a self-declared momma’s boy and marvel to this day at the job my mother did raising me and my younger brother as a single mother. Though I did not grow up in the church when I a youth I found the gospel and was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at the age of 19. Soon after joining the church, I was called to serve as a full-time missionary in the Montevideo Uruguay Mission. I was later married and sealed to Kelly in the Oakland, California Temple.

I have dedicated my professional life to education. I currently work as the Senior Executive Director of Instructional Services for the Shasta County Office of Education, providing support to teachers and administrators in school districts throughout Shasta County.

Outside of work, I have many passions and interests. I enjoy playing golf (horribly!) with my son and friends. I love eating (not cooking) great food, watching/playing any and all sports, and traveling. When it comes down to it, for me, it’s really hard to beat spending time with family, good friends or a great book. I love living in Redding because of the connections my family has been able to make over the years. I feel lucky to have other family members that live close by. Kelly and I consider ourselves blessed to have great friends in Redding. There are so many wonderful people who have loved, served and taught us how to live life the right way. Over the years, there have been ups and downs but I have always found wonderful joy through serving others.

Through everything that I’ve been through (and everything I will go through in the future!) the constant source of strength for me has been my enduring faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His restored gospel. I find constant spiritual light and renewal in the words of The Book of Mormon. That book (and an unforgettable experience with prayer) changed my life way back in 1994 as a 19-year old kid who was lost and looking for answers. Now, 26 years later, that book continues to change my life as it testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and points the direction that I need to travel through the challenges of living life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I don’t have a favorite scripture but rather ones that speak to me at different seasons of my life. The one that comes to my mind frequently these days is Doctrine and Covenants section 123, verse 17:

“Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

Erick Goss: Second Counselor

I was born in Kansas and was raised in Fairfield, CA. I have been a Physical Therapist for 20 years, and have been in private practice in Redding since 2003. I feel very fortunate to say that I love my profession and I rarely ever have a truly bad day at work. My wife, Jaylynn is an elementary school teacher. We have now been happily married for 24 years. We are the proud parents of three amazing children - Tyler, Abbie, and Emma.

We have lived in Redding since 2001. Prior to that, we had also lived in Utah, Nebraska and the Bay Area. Even though we weren’t raised here, this is our home . Jaylynn and I have raised our children here. We have made lifelong friends here. And we have had some amazing experiences here which we will remember for the rest of our lives. We love the members of the Redding Stake, and are grateful for the opportunity to serve here and to call the members of the church and of the community our friends.

There are several hobbies that I currently enjoy as time allows, including reading, running, cycling, backpacking, and overall adventuring. I have also been teaching myself Spanish over the last year which, despite the slow progress, I have enjoyed immensely.

A few things that you may not know about me -

I love broadway musicals and listening to show tunes, but I can’t sing very well.
I’ve run 4 marathons, none of which were very fast.
I like home improvement projects, but I’m not very handy. Like, at all.
I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch nearly every day, and have done so for over 20 years. When I want some variety in my diet, I’ll eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich instead.

I was raised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the seeds of a personal testimony were planted in me at a young age by loving parents and caring church leaders. But it wasn’t until 1993 when I was called to serve a mission for the church to Toronto, Canada that those seeds began to grow into a testimony of the gospel I could call my own. It was a life changing experience for me. It taught me to work hard. It expanded my world view. It gave me an appreciation of different countries, cultures, and beliefs. It taught me how to listen to people. It taught me how to truly get to know people and how to love people I didn’t know. It sparked within me a testimony of the gospel and of the plan of salvation.

The gospel of Jesus Christ can change lives. It has changed mine and has helped put me on a path that has made me the person that I am today. I will be forever grateful for the love and the sacrifice of the Savior. The peace that the gospel brings helps lift me up on a daily basis and gives me hope, direction, and happiness.