Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with missionaries of the Australia Melbourne Mission on the morning of March 16, 2018.
He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Kathy Anderson; Elder O. Vincent Haleck, President of the Pacific Area of the Church and his wife Peggy; and Mission President Peter Vidmar and his wife Donna, along with other local church leaders.
Elder Andersen invited the missionaries to pray for a personal witness of President Nelson’s new calling as President of the Church and as a prophet of God. He then gave the assembled missionaries his own witness that President Nelson is a prophet of God.
“He has been called of the Lord and is the Lord’s mouthpiece on the earth. I give you my sure and certain witness that the Lord’s hand is on His prophet.”
Elder Andersen additionally addressed the importance of: (a) faith in our lives; (b) building relationships with people around us, and (c) following the teachings of Jesus Christ, as defined in the scriptures. He encouraged those present to read and study the life and teachings of Jesus, particularly as found in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.
Sister Andersen shared her conviction of the power of faith in our lives, drawing on her experiences with her husband as he served as a mission president in France.
Elder Haleck, in speaking to the missionaries, shared his own conversion story as a 17-year old young man, and said, “God is a God of miracles, and does not forget His faithful servants.”
One of the missionaries, after the meeting, expressed that she felt “it was an inspiring meeting. It makes me want to strive to be a better person.”