Karen Maurer was recently called as one of three Pacific Area Organisation Advisors for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is a new church position for women internationally.
DOWNLOADTrained in her new role by senior leaders of the Church, she sees an opportunity to translate their priorities and amplify their efforts in the Pacific.
“All of their efforts encompass the family,” Sister Maurer said. “We need each other, and we need to share in the work of uniting families for eternity.”
Sister Maurer encourages women leaders to simplify to keep their work simple, effective, and do-able.
She counsels them to prioritise their efforts under four divinely appointed responsibilities: live the gospel of Jesus Christ; care for the poor and needy; share the gospel; and unite families for eternity.
She has visited many congregations in Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia, listening to women leaders, and helping them feel confident in their important work.
Coaching leaders on how to counsel well by preparing and sharing, Sister Maurer tells them, “We work best when we work together in loving ways. We have a great work to do and as we join together to do it, we will find joy and peace and be filled with charity.”
After meeting leaders in each stake, she plans to meet in groups by organization, such as Primary leaders, or Young Women leaders, so they can learn and share ideas and best practices. “Our children and youth are depending on us to let them participate, to lead, and join with us,” she said.
Although Sister Maurer trains mostly on Zoom, she sometimes accompanies her husband, Elder Carl Maurer, Area Seventy, on his visits, and meets with women leaders in a “Face to Face.”
At first, she didn’t see how she could support her husband and fulfill this new responsibility, but she recognises that working closely with him, she is better able to train and is modeling what she is teaching.
Sister Maurer is also a social worker and works part-time as a counsellor with a team of community resource workers in Australia, so she is well prepared for her new responsibilities.
She admits the role of Area Organisation Advisor is evolving, and not wholly defined. “Each advisor will bring her own gifts,” Sister Maurer says. “I am seeking to know what Jesus Christ wants me to do, and how He wants me to do it.”
When asked if she has a message for women, she said, “I would encourage women to remember their important part in gathering Israel before the Saviour returns. We are being guided on how to do this by our wonderful prophet, apostles, and organization leaders. We can trust them. We can increase our faith in Jesus Christ, and He will help us. With our hearts knit together in love we can share in this work we all love so much and invite others to join us.”