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Elder Rasband invites members in Asia to ‘stand in holy places’ and prepare for the temple

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles says goodbye to members in Asia after 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. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, greet a member during a stake conference meeting in New Delhi, India, on March 13, 2022. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks at the New Delhi Stake conference in New Delhi, India, on March 13, 2022. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 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. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 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. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church members and missionaries in Cambodia listen to Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a virtual meeting Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, spoke virtually to missionaries and members in Cambodia on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, spoke virtually to missionaries and members in Cambodia on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

While ministering in several Asian countries, Elder Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited each member to be worthy of a temple recommend and also to make their homes holy places. 

“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 said in a report on the Church’s Singapore Newsroom.

Elder Rasband was accompanied by his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, for the ministry March 12-30. He had in-person meetings with Church members in Singapore and in New Delhi, India. They met virtually with Church members in other parts of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Taichung and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was the first visit of an Apostle to the countries since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

India

Elder Rasband invited the members to “focus on building multigenerational families who support one another in following Jesus Christ,” he wrote in a social post on March 16. “This should be a focus for all of us. Former President of the Church Harold B. Lee once said, ‘The most important of the Lord’s work that you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.’ I firmly believe this is true.”

Many members of the Church in India are first- or second-generation members. 

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, greet a member during a stake conference meeting in New Delhi, India, on March 13, 2022.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, greet a member during a stake conference meeting in New Delhi, India, on March 13, 2022. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“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 said, in the report on the Church’s Singapore Newsroom of the March 12 meeting.

With temples being built in India and Cambodia, and one announced for Singapore, Elder Rasband invited members to be worthy to attend the temple. 

“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.

Elder Rasband visited India in 2015 on one of his first ministry visits after being called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He previously visited India 32 years ago as a businessman. 

Cambodia 

In a virtual meeting with missionaries and members in Cambodia on Wednesday, March 16, he invited them to “stand in holy places” (see Doctrine and Covenants 45:32). 

There are three holy places — homes, chapels or wherever congregations meet to worship, and the temple.

Church members and missionaries in Cambodia listen to Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a virtual meeting Wednesday, March 16, 2022.
Church members and missionaries in Cambodia listen to Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a virtual meeting Wednesday, March 16, 2022. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“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.”

With a temple coming to Cambodia, he invited them to be worthy of temple recommends before the temple is dedicated. 

Singapore 

In Singapore, he presided over a stake conference on March 20 where more than 500 people gathered — one of the first large group gatherings since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The previous day he presided over a similarly attended stake conference via Zoom. 

Elder Rasband said that in both Singapore and Cambodia he “encouraged those with whom we met — and I encourage all those who read these words — to prepare yourselves to hold a current temple recommend so you can make and keep sacred promises with God. If we stand in holy places — specifically our homes, our chapels and God’s temples — we need not be troubled. I affirm this is true,” he wrote in a social post on March 21.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 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.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 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. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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