From: Monique Humme
mlhummel1 mlhummel1
AUSTRALIAN RESTORATION NEWS
AUGUST 2021
AROUND AND ABOUT THE CENTRE PLACE
By High Priest Paul J. Gage, of Independence, Missouri
Greetings to the Dear Saints of Australia,
What is your "vision" of the Kingdom of God now that we are seven months into this year? One thing for sure is that we can much more clearly see the need for the Kingdom of God on earth (Zion.) With the world in turmoil like we have never seen, it is obvious that we will see more of the same as we anticipate the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is vital, therefore, that we proclaim Jesus Christ to the world in the way we live and also in witnessing to others. DC 85:22a says we are to warn our neighbors. The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 gives us the answer of Jesus as to who our neighbor is. In Luke 14:28 and Luke 21:12 we are told to "settle things in our heart." Also, in I Peter 3:15 we are instructed to, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer with meekness and fear to every man that asketh of you a reason for the hope that is in you."
Due to the virus situation around the world, every aspect of our lives has been affected. In the USA, rather than looking at our history and trying to find ways to improve, many are trying to destroy our history, I guess thinking that will remove our history. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 tells us there is no new thing under the sun, so while what we are seeing today may be new to us, it has been done before. What we are seeing is a continued rebellion of mankind against God which started in the Garden of Eden. Don't be hasty to blame Adam and Eve, or even, satan. We are told to examine ourselves and realize that we are as much a part of the problem as anyone who has gone before us because of our disobedience to God's commandments.
Keep in mind and heart, dear Saints, this is not a time to be fearful of things around us, but to lift up our heads and rejoice, for the coming of the Lord is near. Heed the counsel in I Peter 2:21-25, and trust in the Lord with all your heart.
As you might suspect, events and activities have been greatly restricted this year. However, many things are open again. There has been a full slate of reunions and camps except for the Kirtland, Ohio and Maine reunions. These were not held because the COC will not open their campgrounds. Most Restoration Branches are now open for public worship.
A goodly number of Branches continue to live stream services, and these are available. The CRE/POZ reunion was live streamed and can be viewed by going to the Waldo Avenue RB or CRE websites. The CRE has also been providing ministry by way of Zoom which is like live stream. It has been great to see many people around the world on Zoom. The POZ (Pastors of Zion) have also resumed the annual Summer Series. There have been some good services which can also be viewed on the Waldo Avenue RB web site.
Center Place Restoration School (CPRS) is planning on opening in August, as are most other schools. This will be about their 30th year of operation.
God bless and keep each of you in His arms of Love.
RICHES FROM THE SCRIPTURES
By Elder Neil Kerswell, of Queensland, Australia
Vol 5 Chapter 5 Samuel the Prophet Part 1
Today we are looking into the history surrounding Samuel the Prophet, this story starts with the humble prayer of a woman who desperately wanted a child. She was in a married relationship where there were two wives, which is never a recipe for success and peace, amongst the wives or amongst the children, nevertheless this is the circumstances she was in and she was dealing with the competition in the relationship the best way she knew how. Let’s read.
[1 Samuel 1:1] Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, and Ephrathite;
[1 Samuel 1:2] And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
[1 Samuel 1:3] And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.
[1 Samuel 1:4] And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;
[1 Samuel 1:5] But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah; but the Lord had shut up her womb. [1 Samuel 1:6] And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.
[1 Samuel 1:7] And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore, she wept, and did not eat.
[1 Samuel 1:8] Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
It is obvious that Elkanah loved Hannah very much and although he was probably unaware or the bullying that was going on in the background by Peninnah his fertile wife, he did see Hannah’s sadness and tried to cheer her up and reassure her she was loved. You may have also noticed that it was God who had shut up Hannah’s womb, not because of evil in Hannah but rather because he had a holy purpose in her that was yet to become reality.
[1 Samuel 1:9] So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
[1 Samuel 1:10] And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
[1 Samuel 1:11] And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
[1 Samuel 1:12] And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
[1 Samuel 1:13] Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken.
[1 Samuel 1:14] And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
[1 Samuel 1:15] And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
[1 Samuel 1:16] Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial; for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
[1 Samuel 1:17] And Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
[1 Samuel 1:18] And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
Hannah didn’t plot revenge against Peninnah for the evil done unto her. In fact that wasn’t even on her heart. She sought a higher purpose before God at the temple of the Lord. Pleading for God to see her situation and grant her a son. Hannah didn’t seek to keep the child forever but rather wanted to offer him to God in service for all of his days. Eli the Priest misunderstood Hannah at first, jumping to a false conclusion. How often do we do the same in life? We all make mistakes like that from time to time. It’s how Eli handled it that made all the difference, instantly changing his approach of judgement/curse to kindness/blessing. Hannah went forth in faith, having started with fasting and sadness, she left with hope, happiness and an appetite, preparing to try again for a baby
[1 Samuel 1:19] And they rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.
[1 Samuel 1:20] Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.
[1 Samuel 1:21] And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
[1 Samuel 1:22] But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide forever.
[1 Samuel 1:23] And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
Imagine the love and bonding that Hannah felt for baby Samuel while she was nursing him. It would have been very deep, making the most of every second she had with this beautiful gift of God before she gave him to Eli to serve in the Temple for the rest of his life.
[1 Samuel 1:24] And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh; and the child was young.
[1 Samuel 1:25] And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
[1 Samuel 1:26] And she said, O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.
[1 Samuel 1:27] For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him;
[1 Samuel 1:28] Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshiped the Lord there.
Samuel went on to become a gifted Prophet of God, next time we will look at Hannah’s prayer and the circumstances that led to God speaking to Samuel. Samuel played a role in cleaning up the filth of Israel and bringing the voice of God to the people in power again. My children said today in our class in the Doctrine and Covenants. “We really need this today, if they lived in Joseph Smith junior’s day, they have questions they would take before the Prophet requesting, he ask for answers from God” so that the whole church might benefit from the answer in received revelation. I agreed, I have specific questions I would love to take before a Prophet to help the Church as a whole. We all receive answers to prayer and enlightenment from time to time. However, the need for the gift of prophecy has never been greater. May God bless His people everywhere is my prayer in Jesus name, Amen.
TESTIMONY FROM THE PHILLIPINES
By Elder Murray G. Broughton, of Euroa in Victoria, Australia
I thank the Lord for his guidance to us during our visit in the Philippines. We left Australia on May 4th, 2014, and after 8 hours by air and 6 hours by land, we arrived at our destination at 11:30 at night. The Agno Mission Saints were patiently waiting for us. It was so lovely to see them, and they were just as happy to see us.
The next day we went to visit a very sick man on the other side of the mountain, which was a long and hot journey. The sick man was lying in a hammock and couldn’t even sit up, so I wasted no time in administering to him and praying for him. Because of poverty, he could not afford to go to the doctor, so I gave him money for his check up and to buy his medication. I truly believed the Lord would heal him and that he would be able to walk again. The next day his daughter came to service and was happy to tell me that her father was a lot better. She thanked me for the prayers and administration for him. I know the Lord healed him through prayers.
We had services each day and night in the Philippines. My wife, Delma, a native of the area, taught classes for the children every day at the Agno Mission for two weeks. The Agno Mission has 26 children, Trece Mission has 27, Antipolo Mission has 16 and there were 20 in the Youth Ministry including native priests – Brothers Ace and Julius.
Sister Melita Balmes arrived after travelling for 17 hours to be with us. On May 19th, Elder Frank Shepard and his wife Holly, from Maine, and Sister Riane Thomas, from Missouri, arrived in Agno. Sisters Holly and Riane took over children’s classes while Sister Delma translated. Brother Frank took over some of the preaching services and studies.
A few days later, the priesthood went up to a hill to read, talk, pray and meditate. We then had an Ordination Service in which Brother Ace de Vera was ordained to the office of Elder and thus became the first Philippines Melchisedec Priesthood member in Luzon.
There were 3 Baptisms at Aloleng Beach on May 25th. “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm118:24). Truly we were glad that day for the 3 people who made their covenant with the Lord. We went to the beach for this ordinance, but the sea was very rough. Some people were concerned because of the big waves. The Saints and I prayed that the sea would be calm so we could have the Baptisms. I had no fear as we read scriptures and sang hymns. I asked Brother Frank to offer a prayer. Everyone was amazed when we went down into the water. I Baptized 3 people and the sea was very calm. I thanked God! Praise and glorify his name for he heard and answered our prayers.
I held a service on May 26th with the theme ‘Becoming the People of God.’ At the end of the service, I received some bad news. I was told that Sister Corazon had passed away. I felt led to go straight away to see her and her family. Many came along with me – members, Priesthood, and non-members too. When we arrived, Sister Corazon was lying on the cement floor, but she was still alive! She opened her eyes for a second when I called her, but her eyes were dull. I prayed earnestly for her and her family, which surrounded her.
After a while, we had to leave for Trece Martirez, but I kept in touch. I received the good news that Sister Corazon had recovered and was up and talking. I telephoned her grandson after we got home, and he said she was up walking and talking. God is so good. Our prayers were answered. I thanked God for his healing.
We are grateful to the Shepards and Sister Thomas for their help and for the support of the SEAAM Board of the Conference of Restoration Elders.
THE SCATTERED SAINTS
Last month you were invited to share a little bit about yourselves as part of ‘Getting to know you ~ A brief introduction to some of your fellow Saints.’ And here, some of them are….
Scattered Saint: Churchill Clan
Who: Peter, Lee, Brooke, Lindsay & Steve Churchill
Where: 9 Nielson Avenue Burnett Heads QLD
How Long have we been there: 6 years.
Where were we before: 6 years Hunter Valley. Brisbane 10 years
Why should I visit: Gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. 50 mtrs from the local swimming beach. Sea Turtles nest & hatch on this beach from November to February. Relaxing fishing township 15 min from Bundaberg Can I be accommodated: Yes, self-contained room downstairs that sleeps 4
Do I need to drive: No, can fly, train or bus if you have better patience than me.
Word / sentence that describes the family: Life’s an adventure. Living the Dream
Ages: Pete 52 (old). Lee (not as old). Brooke 14. Lindsay 12. Steven 10.
Hobbies: Family time, 4wdriving, fishing, food (but we’re on a diet)
Favourite Scriptures: Section 4 Romans Ch 12
Little known fact about the family / individuals: Steven was born in the lift in the hospital, yep, Steve waits for nobody. Anything else: We’re a family that loves adventure, visiting and being visited, traveling and holidays. Very outdoors, loving the online church that engages us every week.
Hi I’m Paula Miller from Dallas Texas. No husband. No children. I have 4 dogs. I was baptized in 1968 in California. The next year we moved to Texas. I’m single still. I work hard. I love studying scriptures.
Hello,
I am responding to your request to get to briefly know fellow Saints from other regions. I would like to learn more about those in your area, as well.
I was raised in the church. I am 4th generation on the maternal side of my family. I believe it's 3rd generation on the paternal side. I attend Oakwood and Algonac Branches in Michigan, USA. I rotate serving as pianist for the 2 congregations.
I visit the Center Place when I can. I stay with Leo Carroll's widow, Clareen, when I visit. Michigan is about 900 miles away from Missouri.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to reading more about Australian brothers and sisters. In gospel bonds, Kim Gilchrist
Hi,
I love this idea of getting to know the saints better. I thought I'd share, even if it's not printed, it's a chance to share with my fellow saints.
My name is April Erwin, I was born and raised in Independence, MO. I'm the youngest in my family and was born into the church. I graduated from CPRS and was extremely blessed to grow up surrounded by so many saints willing to share and testify. Currently, my home branch is Waldo Ave. Restoration Branch. I enjoy writing and have several books published. They are all available through Amazon.
I hope this finds you happy, healthy, and blessed.
ZONE TIMES FOR ONLINE SERVICES
Wednesday Prayer Service & Priesthood NSW/
SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR AUGUST 2021
Sunday Worship Service Wednesday Prayer Service August 2nd Sacrament In-house ~ Peter Churchill August 5th Danny Archer August 9th Peter Archer August 12th Neville Churchill August 16th Gary Melling August 19th Murray Broughton August 23rd Danny Archer August 26th Peter Churchill
Everyone is welcome to join our online services at any time. If you, or anyone you know would like to participate, please email Elder Danny Archer at; danny@inbeta.org to register. Information on how to connect will be sent to you. Please note, you must have access to the internet for this service.
Kelvin View - Euroa VIC Branch News Submitted by Sister Delma Broughton We continue to enjoy meeting and joining online with Prayer and Worship Services each week and are incredibly happy to see our fellow Saints. We welcome anyone to join with us in our service.
South Australian News Submitted by Sister Monique Hummel We have missed our online services recently. Myself having worked long hours and lots of night shifts and my Mum (Gina Krieg) having been in lockdown and unable to access online services having returned from a visit with the Game Family in Queensland and since having to remain in quarantine. South Australia has just entered a 7 day lock down period due to COVID restrictions, but we are otherwise very grateful for the freedoms we have had until this point. My son Jacob and I are both considered ‘essential workers’ and so both have travel exemptions allowing us to grocery shop and deliver food for my parents who aren’t allowed to leave home.
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Jacob Hummel’s 21st Birthday on August 26th.
Please include in your daily prayers the following people who are in need of a blessing. Charise Morris, Olive Melling, Alma & Janice Kerswell, Gary Rowlatt, Audrey Kerswell, Gwen Whately, Dennis DeUray, David Hardwick, Ernie Natino, Micheal & Patty Fulton, Mick Peel & Family, Ellen Sheppard, Glenn Crowther, Rachel Crosley, The Game Family Move, Burke & Mary Holt and Jessica Hale.
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST RESTORATION BRANCH, KINGSTON
17 -19 Juers Street,
Kingston, Queensland 4114.
Pastor Elder Alma Kerswell
Phone 07 3800 1151
ACTIVITY SCHEDULE FOR AUGUST 2021
Sunday 1st 10.00 am COMMUNION SERVICE Elder N.Churchill asstd.by Priest G. Kerswell
Musical Item for Service: Linda Myers
11.10 am Favorite Hymn, Scripture & Testimony Service Elder A. Kerswell
Monday 2nd 7.00 pm PRIESTHOOD MEETING Online
Wednesday 4th 7.00 pm PRAYER MEETING: Priest Glenn Kerswell
Sunday 8th 10.00 am PREACHING SERVICE. Elder Murray Broughton (Live Streamed In)
11.10 am Sermonette Priest Glenn Kerswell
.
Wednesday 11th 7.00 pm PRAYER MEETING. Elder Gary Melling
Sunday 15th 10.00 am PREACHING SERVICE. Elder Noel Rowlatt
Musical Item for Service: Glenn Kerswell
(Live Streamed Out)
11.10 am Class with Elder A.Kerswell
Wednesday 18th 7.00 pm PRAYER MEETING. Priest Peter Churchill
Sunday 22nd 10.00 am PREACHING SERVICE. Elder Gary Melling
(Live Streamed Out)
11.10 am Class. Elder Neville Churchill
Wednesday 25th 7.00 pm PRAYER MEETING. Elder Peter Archer
Sunday 29th 10.00 am PREACHING SERVICE. Elder Neville Churchill
(Live Streamed Out)
11.10 am Class with Elder Gary Melling
BRANCH NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS ~ BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to Alva Robinson on August 2nd and Neil Kerswell on August 12th Luke and Rebecca Scott will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary on the 6th August.
INFORMATION TO THE EDITOR
We welcome contributions to the Australian Restoration Newsletter and will endeavor to include all articles received. Contributions to the Australian Restoration News should be submitted by the 20th of each month and can be sent to Email Address: mlhummel1@bigpond.com Postal Address: 33 Bassett Crescent, Gawler East, South Australia 5118 or by calling or text messaging Mobile Number: 0428 298 466.
Editor ~ Monique Hummel
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