As of 1 August 2016, our Area Presidency is complete. A newly called 1st Quorum of Seventy, S. Mark Palmer, has been assigned to be the 2nd Counselor in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency. He hails from a sheep farm in the middle of North Island, New Zealand. The closest town was 20 miles away, Te Puke, where he was born. His wife, Jacqui, was born in England, but moved to American when she was eight and attended the University of Utah. They met on a blind date while he was at BYU. They have 6 children, two boys and four girls.
His parents were baptized when he was one year old at a beach, and they and the missionaries had to wear swim suits instead of white clothes because the baptism was a surprise to the family and the missionaries. Elder Palmer credits his parents living a life of consecration and dedication for his faith journey. His father served as mission president in Fiji and president of the MTC in New Zealand. He stated that callings are not an evidence of how faithful we are, but indicates a total commitment to living the gospel and serving.
Elder Palmer served a mission in the New Zealand Wellington Mission and his wife served a mission in Spain. His own conversion began before his mission. He began a serious reading of the Book of Mormon in high school. He would read the children's version to get the story line, and then read the actual book and felt a tremendous assurance of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. His mission was the crucible by which a firm and powerful and enduring testimony was born.
Elder Palmer has served as mission president in Spokane, Washington and as temporary mission president in the Australia Sydney Mission while the mission president was sorting out visa problems. At the time of his call to the 1st Quorum of Seventy, he was serving as an Area Seventy in Dallas, Texas where he was working for Burroughs Corporation. He explained that his first experience of attending Seventies Quorum was a most humbling and spiritually edifying experience, to see what it really means to be a in a quorum where you have brothers who love each other and support each other. And there's a lack of ambition, there's a lack of jockeying for position, there is a lack of any attempt to if you will, point the finger at one's self or vote for one's self. Rather there's just this amazing feeling of brotherhood and total unity in seeking to do what the Lord wants.
We are blessed to have Elder Palmer with us in Africa, and conclude with something he said as he and his wife were introduced to us at a Monday devotional. He quoted D&C 64:29, 33 - 34. "Wherefore as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord's errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord's business...Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great. Behold the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days." In applying this scripture to us, he said that no matter what our calling, assignment or work, no matter our responsibility, if we are working to build up the kingdom, we are part of a hollowed work and we have an important role to play. This is good for all of us to remember. He then concluded with his expression of what a blessing and privilege it is to serve with and along-side us. He bore his testimony that he loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we are led by prophets. Jesus is at the head of this Church. He lives. He is the living Christ. He died and rose again that we might have eternal life. Then left his blessing with us.
What an honor it is to work among such a "giant" of a man. Tomorrow night Elder Palmer and his wife will be speaking at our monthly Sunday devotional. We are looking forward to being uplifted some more by this man.
Written by Dennis
Jacqui and Mark Palmer
WHAT I LEARNED TONIGHT FROM A SEVENTY AND HIS WIFE
Jacqui -
- The importance of music and the history of three hymns...I Am A Child of God, Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy and I Know That My Redeemer Lives. She sang the last song for us on the guitar. It was beautiful. After, her husband got up embraced her and told us how important music is in creating a spirit of peace. He read to us part of the preface of the Hymn Book.."The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord. Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns. Hymns move us to repentance and good works, build testimony and faith, comfort the weary, console the mourning, and inspire us to endure to the end." (First Presidency)
Elder Mark Palmer -
- We listed our gifts and talents. He then told us that many people try to be perfect and be something they aren't. The most important thing is to "Be You...but the Best You". The apostles are different but the one thing they are all the same in is their purpose and that is to bear testimony of the Savior. That is also our responsibility. We are all different, with different assignments, different personalities and talents....but we are responsible to bear testimony of our Savior.
- He expanded more on testimonies. President Ellis was also in attendance and told us that President Packer said that hymn #114, Come Unto Him, was his testimony of what he had learned in the 50 years of serving our Heavenly Father.
- He shared an experience that he had. Following being called as a seventy he went on assignment with Elder Rasband. Elder Rasband asked him to stand and introduce himself, which he did and then sat down. After the conference was over, Elder Rasband lovingly took him into his arms and told him that he hopes that a seventy never speaks without bearing testimony of the Savior. We should do like wise.
- He shared his love for us and told us we are referred to as heroes of the church. Elder Palmer said there is a poster in the MTC that says....The Three Sins are: Sin of omission, sin of commission, and sin of NO MISSION.
- We then listed the blessings that we have received while serving our missions: see with the Lord's eyes, become dependent on the Lord, see the hand of the Lord in our every day life, the works is about Him and not me, Holy Ghost changes lives
- D & C 118:3
- Our dedicated and consecrated service will have a greater impact on our grandchildren than staying home.
- Our missionary service is but a moment. The twelve apostles devote their entire life in serving the Lord. Their release will be when they pass to the other side (and I am thinking not even then).
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