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UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND IRELAND AND KINGDOM UNITED AREA LEADERSHIP MESSAGE Increasing Faith through Christ’s Constant Love By Elder Patrick Kearon, Great Britain Elder Europe Area President Patrick Kearon he Savior is the perfect example of ourselves and others as He does. Be a Third, find an ancestor. Through find- T love in thought, word, and deed. good friend. A simple text message or ing an ancestor, you can discover more The scriptures give us insight into His phone call can make a big difference about who you are and where you loving nature. As the Redeemer washed in another’s life. Invite a friend to join come from. This knowledge will lead to the Apostles’ feet, He taught, “A new you for a walk, to eat with you, and an even greater understanding of where commandment I give unto you, That ye to come to church with you. You will you are going. As you discover new love one another; as I have loved you, become more aware of that friend’s connections to your ancestors, you will that ye also love one another.” 1 Christ joys and needs and be given opportu- come to a deeper understanding that invites us to look for ways to show and nities to share the pure love of Christ.2 you are a loved daughter or son of God. to feel greater love in our lives. Second, become spiritually and As you steadily act on these three invi- Through this simple plan, we have temporally self-reliant. When revelation tations, setting a goal for each, you will opportunities to learn about the Savior comes, respond swiftly. Revelation can begin to receive the reward promised to and His love. These three steps bring be directed towards both spiritual and those who strive for righteousness, “even us closer to Him and His teachings. temporal matters. Spiritual strength can peace in this world, and eternal life in First, bring a friend. The Savior be increased by reading scripture more the world to come.” 3 Working on these loves each and every one of God’s regularly and fasting with greater pur- goals with constant Christlike love will children. We can grow to see pose. You may receive a prompting to bring you a deeper appreciation of the advance in education, apply goodness of the gospel and an increased for a better job, or to increase desire to share it.4 ◼ your personal savings. As you NOTES become more self-reliant, 1. John 13:34. 2. See Moroni 7:47. you will be more capable of 3. Doctrine and Covenants 59:23. strengthening others. 4. See Alma 34:4. June 2017 U1 LOCAL NEWS Getting involved with the blood NHSBT—Helping to donation initiative is not difficult. Save and Improve Lives Contact should initially be made with a regional contact from the NHSBT, and By Debbie Singh-Bhatti from there arrangements can be made to make the ward or branch cultural or the past seven years, Latter-day counting branches), less than 7% have hall available for a donation session. F Saint meetinghouses throughout the become involved. The purpose of the Church and that UK have been opening their doors to The NHSBT needs to attract of the NHSBT are not too far apart. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) 200,000 new donors every year simply They both strive to save and improve to facilitate blood donation sessions. to replace those who can no longer lives. Let’s follow the mandate of The NHSBT, whose purpose is to save donate. In addition, it needs to recruit President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910– and improve lives, is most grateful more young blood donors aged 17–24 2008) to “try a little harder to be a little to the Church for its support, and its years. What an opportunity for the better”¹ and do what we can to help chairman, John Pattullo, and CEO, Ian young single adults to participate in a the NHSBT achieve its objectives! ◼ Trenholm, met with Elder Clifford T. service project that could really make Herbertson, Area Seventy, and a difference to someone’s life! NOTE 1. Gordon B. Hinckley, “We Have a Work to Brother David Eaton of the national The NHSBT also manages the Do,” Ensign, May 1995, 88. EATON COURTESY OF DAVID public affairs council to express their National Transplant Database. Every appreciation. day three people die due to a short- Currently, 1.3% of blood donated in age of suitable organs. The NHSBT is the UK comes through LDS meeting- keen to promote organ and stem cell houses. During 2016, 232 blood dona- donations to give those on the wait- tion sessions were held in 33 wards or ing list the chance of a better life. In branches from 15 stakes up and down particular, they are looking for donors the country. More than 21,765 dona- from the Afro-Caribbean, Asian and tions of blood were made, which had other ethnic minority communities. the potential to help 65,295 adults and “The membership of the Church over 152,395 babies. is diverse, with people from many “The NHSBT is very grateful to the different cultures and backgrounds,” Church for its commitment to help,” comments Brother Eaton. “We are explains Brother Eaton. “The free ideally situated to promote the needs use of Church buildings is invaluable of the NHSBT to our members and to them, but if additional wards and the larger community to which our branches got involved, we could members belong.” do so much more to help save and improve the lives of sick people.” Left to right: Ian Trenholm, NHSBT CEO; Currently there are 45 stakes in John Pattullo, NHSBT chairman; Elder the UK, but only 15 (about 33%) Clifford T. Herbertson; and Brother are participating in the blood dona- David Eaton tion scheme. Of the 286 wards (not U2 Ensign UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND AND KINGDOM UNITED that, serving a mission never seemed From Professional Footballer like an option. Football was too impor- to Mormon Missionary tant to Daniel for him to give it up. However, when his younger brother By Elder Lee Burke Timothy was serving his mission, Daniel began to think about going hen Daniel Sintim-Aboagye into The Church of Jesus Christ of back to church. He started to read the W gave up his football career to Latter-day Saints at age 9, his focus was Book of Mormon. For several weeks, serve a mission, he showed that he more on football than on the Church. the full-time missionaries would vis- is one of those special individuals When he was asked to play on it his home and read the Book of who recognise what matters most and the Woking Football Club in the Mormon with him. He watched mov- choose to follow it. Conference Premier as a defender, ies about the value of serving a mis- When he was a young man, centre back, Daniel felt like his dream sion. He began to feel the Spirit telling Daniel’s ultimate desire was always to had finally been realised. Unfortunately, him he should serve. At about this be a professional football player. His playing football—especially on time Daniel began to lose interest in entire life seemed to be centred upon Sundays—kept him away from church, football, as he knew it was not the life COURTESY OF ELDER DANIEL SINTIM-ABOAGYE that dream. Although he was baptised and he eventually went inactive. After he wanted. He started to go to church and later received a calling to serve as the ward clerk in his ward. About six months before his brother was to return home from his mission in the England Manchester Mission, Daniel emailed Timothy to tell him that he was considering serv- ing too. Six months later when Daniel went to Manchester to pick Timothy up to bring him home, the mission president told Daniel that he would go on a mission and he would come to the England Manchester Mission. As time passed, Daniel became more active in his ward, and in November 2015 he received a call to serve in the England Manchester Mission. Although he was 25 years old, Daniel decided he wanted to serve a mission. He gave up his football Elder Daniel Sintim-Aboagye (right), who is now career, and he is now more con- serving a full-time mission after turning down the opportunity to play professional football. On cerned about passing out copies of the left is his brother Timothy Sintim-Aboagye. the Book of Mormon than about passing footballs. ◼ June 2017 U3 state one thing they intended to do Nottingham Stake as a result of their visit. Home pro- Self-Reliance Road Shows duction and storage featured most, followed by writing of journals, mak- By Elder and Sister Goddard Self-Reliance Services ing wills, having a healthier lifestyle, practicing better financial manage- year-long self-reliance road show booklet summarising what they had ment and improving spirituality. A exhibition that travelled around learned together and matching scriptur- The six areas of self-reliance cov- all seven wards within the Nottingham al references to enable them to contin- ered were: England Stake ended in December ue to discuss self-reliance issues in their • Spiritual strength 2016 having had 250 visitors, repre- homes during family home evenings”. • Financial management senting one-third of the stake’s active Those attending the road shows • Education membership. signed a visitors’ book in which they • Employment President Jonathan Gray, the wrote their comments and feelings • Home production and storage Nottingham stake president, explained: about the event.