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AREA LEADERSHIP MESSAGE Ministering to the One By Elder Adolf J. Johansson Elder Adolf J.

Area Seventy Johansson

Whenever you feel like you are just another number, always remember you are I didn’t hear back from him that number ONE. day, but when I returned home the following Sunday, I went to church few years ago, we moved into a up him and his wife. While on my and there was the dear brother and A new ward. My ward priesthood knees offering my prayers, I heard his wife. As I greeted him, he shook leader assigned me a home teaching a buzz on my phone with his text my hand and said, “I just had to come. companion, and one of the families I message reply. The text read, “My I couldn’t stay away.” was assigned to visit was a man who wife and I have been talking and we As I think of this experience, I was had been away from church for many feel like we are just another number so grateful to hear President Russell M. years. He was less active and didn’t in the Church.” Nelson announce a significant change want to come back to church even While still on my knees, I prayed to to home and visiting teaching during after our visits and invitations. Heavenly Father, saying, “Father, please, the Sunday afternoon session of April While I was away on an assign- see this text. What should I say?” Just general conference. ment to another country, I texted this then an inspiring thought came to my President Nelson said: “We have dear brother with an encouraging mind. I replied with the message: “Dear made the decision to retire home message and another invitation to brother, whenever you feel like you are teaching and visiting teaching as we come to church. I assured him that if just another number, always remember have known them. Instead, we will he needed a ride, my wife could pick you are number ONE.” implement a newer, holier approach to caring for and ministering to others. We will refer to these efforts simply as ‘ministering.’”¹ To the Apostle Peter and to each of us the Lord says, “Feed my sheep” ( John 21:17). We do this as minister- ing brothers and sisters in a unified way under the direction of priesthood and auxiliary leaders. We must include our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, in our ministering. Said the Lord, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” ( John 10:27). As we prayerfully minister, seeking revelation and following inspiration, we will be

August 2018 A1 LOCAL PAGES the voice of the Lord for His sheep to follow. John and Julie Sennett served SUPPLIED Elder Jeffrey R. Holland also as preservation specialists for FamilySearch in Adelaide. explained in the Sunday afternoon session of the April general confer- ence some of the many ways we can minister to one another: “As the First Presidency counseled years ago, do the best you can. In addition to whatever schedule you establish for actual visits, that calendar can be supplemented with telephone calls, written notes, texts, emails, video chats, conversations at Church meet- ings, shared service projects, social activities, and a host of possibilities in the world of social media. . . . “. . . We at Church headquarters don’t need to know how or where or when you make contact with your people; we just need to know and care that you do make it and that you bless them in every way you can.”² In His simple but compelling para- ble of the lost sheep, the Saviour said, “He started taking me to Australian “What man of you, having an hundred Faithful Wife bush dances and colonial dances. He sheep, if he lose one of them, doth Keeps Serving introduced me to all of these things and not leave the ninety and nine in the By Shilo Kino we had a really good time,” Julie said. wilderness, and go after that which is “John always said to me that he lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4). t was an unexpected love story for was looking for someone who loves This is a reminder that whenever IJohn and Julie Sennett. God first. He loved the gospel and he you feel like you are just another Julie joined the Church in 1990 and honoured his priesthood.” number, always remember that to the she met John in 2004, soon after he John and Julie are both from Lord you are number ONE. ◼ was baptized. Adelaide, Australia, and were married It wasn’t until five years later that in 2009. They were later sealed in the NOTES 1. Russell M. Nelson, “Ministering,” Ensign, they met again at a singles fireside. Adelaide Australia Temple. May 2018, 100. John asked for Julie’s phone number “Even if we had bad moments, we 2. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be With and Strengthen Them,” Ensign, May 2018, 102. and they began dating. made sure to always pray and read

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scriptures together. We also made sure “I heard a shuffling sound and I and I found strength in that,” she said. to attend the temple as often as we heard him say something . . . he had “I felt like Heavenly Father was talking could. I just love that man so much.” lost his footing. As I turned I watched to me and Jesus was standing by me

In 2015 they submitted their his body tumble to the bottom of a and they were getting me through this. mission papers and were called to 50-metre cliff. When he hit his head I began to see a light. I thought about serve as preservation specialists for he was killed outright, as reported by the people at the State Records of South FamilySearch in Adelaide, at the State an inquest later.” Australia who knew us. I remembered Records of South Australia Centre. “For a couple of months, it was the work we had started. I thought to “We mostly worked with non- hard to get through life,” Julie said. myself, ‘I need to go back.’ members and we became a family. After constant prayer and reading “The mission is something we Everyone loved John. He formed the Book of Mormon, Julie gained the planned to do together. I also became friendships with everyone.” courage to return to the mission field aware of the people we got close to; John also had a bicycle business, two months after John’s death. She I was concerned with how they were. and he serviced bikes for the mission- finished the rest of their mission in I wanted to go back to see them.” aries Tuesday and Thursday nights and February this year. Julie has already served two during the day on some Saturdays. “I just kept reading three pages of service missions, one for CES (the However, halfway through their the Book of Mormon every day as part Church Educational System) and one 23-month mission, tragedy struck. of a mission challenge we undertook serving in the Adelaide mission office. “John loved hiking,” Julie said. “So on preparation day, we went on a Julie gained the hike, due to the records place being courage to return closed for a public holiday. We went to the mission field to a small cliff front and began using two months after a GPS to find out where we were. John’s death. Then we realized we were in the wrong spot. “John decided to go in another direction, and I began losing my foot- ing because there was loose gravel. I had a prompting that it wasn’t safe, and John said to me, ‘You go over there and make a picnic. I will meet you back there.’ “My husband was a hiker and he was quite confident. But I watched him for a while because I was con- cerned. When I felt it was OK, I headed towards the picnic area.

August 2018 A3 This was her first full-time mission and become closer together as a fam- a new journey,” she said. “I don’t with her husband. ily and to work together to help one know what I’m going to be doing A mission is a road to the unknown, another. When you serve a mission, after my books and writing, but I’m she said. you become a different person.” hoping I can serve other missions “The Lord is waiting to bless you. Julie loves going to the temple and when the time is right.” When you turn your life over to Him undertook a self-reliance course soon Julie is very grateful for the love and serve Him with all your heart, after her mission. She now hopes to and support she has received since might, mind and strength, He will become a children’s writer. John’s accident. “I’m deeply touched surely bless you. “I have learnt more about my self by all the support and especially “Heavenly Father loves all of His through scripture study and prayer. those who continue to minister to children and wants to see them grow Heavenly Father has blessed me with me,” she said. ◼

Melbourne Temple Receives New Statue By Robin and Gloria Lloyd

ommuters traveling along Eastlink freighted to Melbourne, was securely Cin Melbourne may have won- mounted to the top of the Melbourne dered about a gold statue seemingly temple spire. standing among the treetops on their The entire exchange of statues was way to work. It’s a statue of the angel estimated to take about 4–5 hours. The entire exchange of statues Moroni and is mounted on the spire of Of the experience, Brother took about 4–5 hours. the Melbourne Australia Temple. Menzie explained, “The angel A new statue of the angel Moroni After a heavy hailstorm in Moroni is a significant part of the on the Melbourne Australia Temple Melbourne at the end of 2017, temple and we need to take great Steven Menzie, temple facilities care that it comes down safely. It is manager, discovered some damage to a sacred responsibility and must be the statue. Much of the gold leafing on done properly.” the shoulders and trumpet of the iconic “Not all LDS temples have an angel statue had been damaged, so it was Moroni on them,” continued Brother determined that the statue needed Menzie. “We are very fortunate that to be replaced. the temple in Melbourne has one to On Thursday morning 19th April, look over all of us.” the damaged statue was lowered There are currently five LDS temples by crane, while a new one, which in Australia—Sydney, Melbourne, had been stored in Brisbane and Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. ◼ PHOTOS SUPPLIED

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wife, it’s been a good experience to Celebrating a Loved Mother and Wife take on both roles, but I know that By Shilo Kino mothers are special.”

Sam Arkins met Tara around 17

SUPPLIED years ago at a BYU dance after he returned from his mission in Perth. Beloved mum and wife Tara “The theme of the dance was an passed away last September. Australian theme, which is ironic because . . . Australia was in her blood and here I come along with an Australian accent—I think I swept her off her feet.” Sam and Tara were married in the Sydney Australia Temple on 21 of March 2002. “Tara knew her time on earth was very limited, and so she pretty much jammed as much in as she possibly could,” he said. “And whenever she walked into a room, everyone fell in love with her. She just had so many friends. She had this awesome love that just radiated, and it was some- thing that I fell in love with. It was something that I just had to have.” Tara’s heart condition was brought to their attention after she gave birth hen Tara Arkins was 12 years Mother’s Day without my wife, with- to their fifth child. Wold, she was diagnosed with out the children’s mum,” husband “We then had six years of no ram- bone cancer. Even after having the Sam said. ifications. No hiccups. Nothing. But it cancer removed, she was told by med- “It will be very special because was in the last two years that we saw ical professionals that she could never we’ll be able to just reflect on all the a rapid decline and her heart started have children. But Tara overcame all happy times that we had. But it’s times to deteriorate more and more,” Sam odds and gave birth to five beautiful like these when you really do reflect said. “The doctors did all they could to children. Sadly, Tara passed away last and think, ‘Well, I wish I hadn’t taken keep her stable, but it just wasn’t her September. that for granted.’ time to stay on this earth. “This Mother’s Day will be a dif- “I know that our house has taken “It’s good having the gospel ferent one because it will be the first a little bit of a step back. Without my because we know that she has gone

August 2018 A5 to a better place. Tara kept saying to again—it’s great to have that sort of Lorin Nicholson was one of a all the kids, ‘You know that mum will knowledge. To know that there is a select number of community mem- always be with you’, and we know plan. The plan is simple. The Lord bers nominated to carry the Queen’s that. We often feel her presence; we didn’t make it complicated. He wants Baton as it travelled from London to know that she’s always watching us us all to return to live with Him again. the Gold Coast for the opening cer- . . . we know that families can be “And for those people who are emony of the 2018 Commonwealth together forever. going through similar trials and Games. “There’s been times in my life when experiences—know that when we Lorin is a legally blind musician I’ve . . . hit a brick wall and thought do get through this, we become extra who travels extensively around there’s no way out. But knowing that strong. I know that our Saviour has set Australia and the globe as a motiva- I can be reunited again, knowing that up this wonderful plan for us and that tional speaker addressing a variety someday I’ll be able to see my wife we can be reunited.” ◼ of corporations and young people. He has helped thousands of at-risk youth and young people through his inspirational messages of respect, inclusion, resilience and striving for Musician Chosen to Carry excellence. the Queen’s Baton “A close musician friend of By Mormon Newsroom mine from Adelaide surprised me with the nomination,” Lorin he people of Brisbane joined mil- Queen’s Batonbearer Relay (QBR) said. “With so many accomplished Tlions of others around the world passing through the Queensland athletes and inspirational members as they shared the excitement of the capital city on Easter Saturday. of the community out there, it

Lorin said being chosen to carry the SUPPLIED Queen’s Baton is a distinct honour.

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was such an honour to even be Lorin served a full-time mission in president. He currently serves as the considered.” the Australia Melbourne Mission and first counsellor in the Brisbane Australia Once nominated, Lorin underwent has also served as bishop and branch Cleveland Stake presidency. ◼ a series of selection processes. He continued, “When I found out I had been selected, I was so excited. However, I knew I couldn’t tell anyone for a couple of months. High School “Makeover” Made My mother was sadly in hospital with Possible by Young Single Adults cancer at the time, and I knew she By Mormon Newsroom didn’t have much longer with us. I knew she would be very proud, so I ore than 90 young single adults secretly told her while I visited with Min Perth banded together earlier her one afternoon. Unfortunately, this year in March to clean, tidy up Mum didn’t get to see me carry the and paint the pillars along the covered baton, as she passed away before the walkways surrounding Balga Senior big day, but I knew she was watching High School’s quadrangle. over me.” The youth worked enthusiastically Being chosen to carry the Queen’s over four hours to paint a total of 42 Baton is a distinct honour for the father pillars in a variety of colours to visu- of four. “I feel very honoured and privi- ally lift and brighten the quadrangle leged to be a part of such a prestigious environment. More than 90 young single adults in event and to represent Her Majesty “As a school community, we are Perth helped give Balga Senior High the Queen, the Commonwealth and truly grateful for the young people School a makeover. the community—it is something very of your church to have responded special,” Lorin said. to our appeal to help improve the Besides motivational speaking, visual amenity and environment time when population demands and

Lorin also works in the health indus- of our aging school,” said Mr Mark social demographics were different. SUPPLIED try as a remedial therapist treating Carton, principal of Balga Senior High Today, the school hosts more thousands, including Olympic and School, Perth, Western Australia. than 600 students representing 40 Commonwealth Games athletes, help- Mr Carton added, “What a mar- different racial and ethnic groups ing them to reach their physical peak vellous response! It is wonderful to who have settled in Australia from and achieve their very best. see your young folk working so well around the world. Lorin considers his blindness to together.” “It is vital that educational pro- be a blessing from the Lord, and he During a lunch provided for par- grammes evolve to meet these chang- believes he has been fortunate to be ticipants by the school, Mr Carton ing demands,” Mr Carton says, “and able to live a life that has focused on explained that Balga Senior High in that regard, the school has made helping others. School was built in the sixties at a great strides over the years to update

August 2018 A7 its systems and processes as well as brighten the environment for staff and seek to improve its physical facilities students alike. CALL FOR ARTICLES and amenities.” Service to others is a crucial charac- ur local pages section is The “makeover” service pro- teristic of the followers of Jesus Christ, produced by members in our vided by the young single adults has and this event offered a practical way O own area under the guidance of helped to meet some of the school’s for members of the Church to serve in our Area Presidency so that it can physical improvement goals and their community. ◼ address the needs and experiences of members where we live. The inclusion of the local pages in each issue depends on the availability of local content. We are invited AREA WEBSITES to contribute our faith-promoting thoughts and experiences by con- tacting our editor:

[email protected] ◼ www.mormonnewsroom.org.au pacific.lds.org AUSTRALIA

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