Members of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with Australian Church members this past weekend (22-23 April).
The three members of the Area Presidency each met with members and guests of the Church in three separate conferences in the Sydney suburbs of Prairiewood and Penrith, and the Queensland city of Ipswich.
Elder O. Vincent Haleck met with members in Prairiewood, Sydney during the re-organization of the stake leadership. A stake is a group of congregations in a geographical area.
President Andrew Shum was released and President Andrew Manousso was called to lead and serve the Latter-day Saints in Prairiewood and the surrounding suburbs. Latter-day Saint congregational leaders are lay clergy with full-time jobs in addition to their unpaid church service.
Elder Haleck invited the Prairiewood Latter-day Saints to use their talents to share, to give, to remember and to be grateful.
He then referred to the Saviour's parable of the talents found in the New Testament of the Bible.
"The verse before the parable begins, states, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
"This is a declaration for us to prepare," Elder Haleck said. "The talents, as taught by Jesus in this parable, represent those abilities he has given to us in common, and others that are unique to us as individuals."
"We are to develop and use qualities like charity, kindness, patience, generosity, faithfulness, forgiveness, longsuffering, accepting other traits and examples that turn into talents that persuade others to come unto Christ."
Elder S. Gifford Nielsen met with Latter-day Saints and others in the Ipswich West Australia Stake on the weekend.
Elder Nielsen encouraged those in attendance to strengthen their faith in Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
"The Ipswich Australia West stake is vast in land mass but the members are very close in connecting their hearts," Elder Nielsen said.
"President McNamee along with his counsellors have created a foundation of Christlike unity."
Elder Craig A. Cardon presided at the Penrith Australia Stake conference in western Sydney.
In his remarks, Elder Cardon emphasised the importance of parents and leaders teaching children in all ways of God as they seek to establish their independence and personal testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Also attending the stake conference in Prairiewood, Sydney, was Elder Paul N. Lekias, an Area Seventy in the Church. In his remarks, he encouraged those in attendance to "remember, and go to work."
"As we remember the Saviour and all He does for us, we are motivated to help and lift others," he said.
