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Asia Local Pages Pages Local Asia ASIA LOCAL PAGES ASIA LOCAL PAGES ASIA AREA PRESIDENCY MESSAGE Women in the Gospel By Elder Randy D. Funk Asia Area President Elder Randy D. Funk well- regarded American author had done so, “they made known perceptiveness of Lucy Mack Smith; A and historian wrote the following abroad the saying which was told and the devotion and sacrifice of about early Mormon pioneers: “That I them concerning this child,” but “Mary Mary Ann Young and Vilate Kimball do not accept the faith that possessed kept all these things, and pondered illustrate many qualities needed in them does not mean I doubt their them in her heart” (Luke 2:17, 19). families and in the Church. frequent devotion and heroism in its Sariah was naturally concerned In addition to the sons of Helaman, service. Especially their women. Their for her sons when they returned to there are many of us in the Church women were incredible.”1 Jerusalem to obtain the plates from who can say, “We do not doubt our The women of this Church are truly Laban. After they returned safely, mothers knew it” (see Alma 56:48). incredible. Throughout the scriptures, Nephi recorded the feelings of his in early Church history, and from our parents, saying, “behold their joy was Swaroopa with her husband service with women in the Asia Area, full, and my mother was comforted” Sreedhar Srigiri and their we see the many attributes and contri- (1 Nephi 5:7). daughter in Bengaluru, India butions of great women of faith. The first person to whom Joseph mentioned the First Vision was his Women of Faith in the Scriptures mother as she discerningly “inquired and Church History what the matter was” ( Joseph Smith— Brief but meaningful stories of History 1:20). And when Brigham women in the scriptures and Church Young and Heber C. Kimball left their history illustrate qualities we should wives and children under difficult desire or actions we may take when circumstances to begin their mission faced with similar circumstances. For to England, these valiant sisters bid example, when Eve learned of the them well on their journey with faith plan of happiness, she “was glad,” and and trust in the Lord that their families with Adam “made all things known” would be alright.2 to their children (see Moses 5:11–12). The gratitude for the plan of sal- When Esther, at great personal risk, vation felt by Eve and her desire to was placed in a situation to save her teach it to her children; the courage people, she asked others to fast for her of Esther and her willingness to help and went forth with courage declaring, others; the humility and thoughtful “if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). pondering of Mary, the mother of Shepherds came to see the new- the Son of God; the loving concern born Savior of the world. When they of mother Sariah for her sons; the September 2016 A1 had the privilege of officiating at their sealing. Shortly before their marriage, Swaroopa had been accepted into the master’s degree program to study physics at an excellent university. As Swaroopa neared graduation, two important events were expected to occur at the same time. On April 6, 2016, Swaroopa gave birth to a beauti- ful baby girl, and the very next day she took the final exams of her master’s program. She received high marks. She was blessed with a daughter who was born in the covenant and a master’s degree in physics, through her contin- uing faith and trust in the Lord and His eternal plan of happiness. Hope On a Saturday morning last year, prior to a district conference, the Sister Dany Pen with her husband, district president and I visited several President Bunhuoch Eng, and their four sons in Phnom Penh, Cambodia families. One of those was a single sister, about 50 years old, who had joined the Church two years earlier. Women of Faith in Asia share just three examples from many This faithful sister lived in a very As I travel about the Asia Area, I have observed. small concrete room on the end of a among this group of Heavenly Father’s larger building, along with her broth- children, I meet many righteous wom- Faith er who had some health challenges. en who faithfully live the gospel. We On a Tuesday morning in April Their small one- room home had no are grateful for their valuable contribu- 2014, Swaroopa was civilly married furniture but was very clean. She tions in caring for their own families in India without any of the traditional worked hard to provide for herself and building up the Church. They celebration. Then, with great sacrifice and her brother. demonstrate faith, hope, and charity and faith, Swaroopa and her new hus- As we sat on the floor visiting, with as they live the first two great com- band, Sreedhar Srigiri, flew through the district president as our interpreter, mandments of loving God and loving the night to be sealed the next day I noticed what she had pasted to the others. With their consent, let me in the Hong Kong China Temple. I wall in front of us. There were small A2 Liahona ASIA LOCAL PAGES photos of missionaries, a copy of “The When she arrived, the first question Family: A Proclamation to the World,”3 Elder Gong asked was, “What do you Women in and the Articles of Faith. Prominently love about your husband?” As she the Church displayed on the wall were photos of thought about his many good attrib- By Sister Bani Das President Thomas S. Monson and the utes, she realized he had developed Hong Kong and Manila Philippines those qualities through his priesthood omen of The Church of Jesus Temples, and, near the center, a service. She realized that he is a won- WChrist of Latter- day Saints know well- known painting of the Savior. I derful husband and father because of they are daughters of Heavenly Father. could see what was important to her. his callings. She could no longer say These women take care of other Though her circumstances are very no but very willingly said yes. women, offer comfort, and do needful humble and the opportunities of this Sister Dany Pen is one of many services. The Lord has said, “I say unto life limited, I saw in her hope and women who do much to unselfishly you, be one; and if ye are not one ye peace. I felt of the love our Heavenly assist their husbands in service to are not mine” (D&C 38:27). Women Father has for this woman, one of His others. Her charity—her love for God, seek friendship, support, and com- daughters. She has almost nothing the her husband, and the members of panionship. The women of this dis- world considers important, but she their stake whom he serves—is a great pensation are distinct from any other knows she is a daughter of God and example of keeping the first two com- women. President Spencer W. Kimball she has hope. mandments. She loves God and loves (1895–1985) prophesied, “Much of others and supports her husband in the major growth that is coming to Charity his important service which he could the Church in the last days will come In May 2014, the first two stakes not do without her. because many of the good women were organized in Cambodia. The I am grateful for women who live of the world (in whom there is often day before the general session of the gospel and provide such impor- such an inner sense of spirituality) will the conference, Sister Dany Pen, tant examples of goodness to all of us. be drawn to the Church in large num- the wife of the district president, I have been very blessed through the bers. This will happen to the degree President Bunhuoch Eng, was invit- teachings of my mother and the dear that the women of the Church reflect ed to come to the meetinghouse to companionship of my wife. Whatever righteousness and articulateness in meet with Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the your own circumstances, may you their lives and to the degree that the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder seek faith, hope, and charity and learn women of the Church are seen as dis- Zeno Chow of the Sixth Quorum of from great women in the gospel. ◼ tinct and different—in happy ways— the Seventy. She felt she might be from the women of the world.”1 NOTES asked to support her husband in a 1. Wallace Stegner, The Gathering of Zion: When we think of present women The Story of the Mormon Trail (1971), 13; calling in the new stake presidency. see also Quentin L. Cook, “LDS Women Are of the Church, we cannot forget our She planned to say no. She and her Incredible!” Liahona, May 2011, 18–21. pioneers. They were a great example 2. See Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. young sons needed him to be home Kimball, 3rd ed. (1967), 265–66; see to our present generation. The attrib- also Church History in the Fulness of with them. Their family had already Times Student Manual, 2nd ed. (Church utes in the lives of our pioneer women sacrificed much during his service as Educational System manual, 2003), 227–28. are incredible. The pioneer women 3. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” district president. Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129. were steadfast and firm, and they September 2016 A3 sacrificed a lot to reach Salt Lake.
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