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    30 March 2022 - Singapore
    News Story

    Elder Rasband Encourages Saints in Asia To 'Stand in Holy Places'

    Apostle travels to India and Singapore

    Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just returned from a visit to Asia, the first time that an apostle has visited the area since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago.

    Elder Rasband was joined by his wife, Melanie, for in-person meetings with Church members and missionaries in New Delhi, India and Singapore. Virtual meetings were held with Latter-day Saints in other parts of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Taichung and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 

       
    Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 / 2
         
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      “We didn't have any time for sightseeing, but we did a lot of “[Latter-day] Saint” seeing while we were here. And that has to be the highlight — being with and meeting with people,” said the senior leader of the Church.

      India

      His ministry began in India on Saturday, March 12, 2022, a country he has visited as a businessman before being called to serve as an apostle and again as a special witness of Jesus Christ.

      Like the apostles of ancient times, the primary responsibility of modern-day apostles is to fulfill assignments to travel the world to visit and strengthen members of the Church.

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      India-Rasband
      Elder Ronald A. Rasband with his wife, Melanie, greet a member during a stake conference meeting in New Delhi, India on March 13, 2022.2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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      With new temples coming to Asia, Elder Rasband invited Latter-day Saints to be worthy to attend the temple.

      “There is a lot of excitement where we have been relative to the temple. [There is a] temple being built in Bengaluru, India, [and a] temple being built in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, [and] one announced for Singapore, so there was a buzz everywhere about temples,” he said.

      Elder Rasband also talked about building multigenerational families in Asia where there are many first- and second-generation members of the Church of Jesus Christ.

      “Being a sixth-generation member of the Church, I could talk about my pioneer ancestors, but I could also be speaking to pioneers of the Church here in these countries. And that was very thrilling and very exciting to be able to meet with modern-day pioneers, building the Church in these Asian countries,” he explained.

      “Not only are these temples being built for the people who live here now, but they’re being built for generations to come,” he added.

      Cambodia

      Elder Rasband spoke virtually to missionaries and members in Cambodia on Wednesday, March 16.

      “We live in perilous and troubled times,” he told the congregation during a devotional. “I am struck and reminded by the important words, ‘Stand in holy places.’ You have two of these holy places amongst you right now, and you have a third one coming.”

      Elder Rasband said the first holy place is their homes where they live. The second holy place is in their wards and branches where they meet for worship services. The third holy place is the temple or “house of the Lord.”

      “You should be so very pleased that you have a temple coming to Cambodia. I want to invite you tonight to be a temple recommended people before the temple is dedicated,” he said.

      Elder Rasband continued, “Stand in holy places and prepare yourself for the next holy place. And if you do these things, I promise you tonight in the name of the Lord that you … need not be troubled.”

      Singapore

      On Sunday, March 20, Elder Rasband ended his ministry in Asia by presiding over a stake conference in Singapore where he spoke to more than 500 Church members and friends of the faith. The preceding Saturday, Elder Rasband presided (via Zoom) over another stake conference with equally as many in attendance. These were the first such meetings or large group gatherings held by the Church in that country since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. A live choir also performed in the meetings.

      Singapore-Rasband
      Singapore-Rasband
      Elder Ronald A. Rasband ended his ministry in Asia by presiding over a stake conference where he spoke to more than 500 Church members and friends of the faith, in Singapore on March 20, 2022. 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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      With an estimated 5.5 million people in Singapore, the several thousand Latter-day Saints represent a small fraction of the total population. Nevertheless, the Church has maintained a presence in the country for more than 50 years.

      “I see a very bright future a future filled with families, with temple service, with opportunities to serve one another, love each other and love God. These are what I will remember from my trip to Asia,” he concluded.

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