At a recent farewell gathering for Adolf and Martha Johansson ─ who are heading to Adelaide, Australia to begin three years of service as mission leaders for the Church ─ Elder Paul Whippy, Area Seventy, called the couple “exceptional.”
The Johanssons are from New Zealand but have spent the last seven years in Fiji. During that time Mr Johansson worked as the Church’s Fiji service centre manager ─ a role now called “leader member support coordinator.” Outside of business hours, he also served as an Area Seventy for the Church, a lay regional leader. In this calling he provided training and support to leaders of the Church in Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Tuvalu, and other islands. He also presided at conferences across the region, giving sermons based on his testimony of Jesus Christ.
Several local Latter-day Saint leaders as well as government and community leaders thanked the Johanssons for their service to the Church and the people of Fiji over the last few years.
In his remarks at the farewell gathering, Elder Whippy quoted the words of Paul to Timothy in the New Testament, “I believe that Adolf can truly say...’I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award me on that day ─ and not only me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing,” (2 Timothy 4:7 and 8).
Mrs Johansson said that after their three-year mission in Australia, she is planning to return to Fiji to see her friends again.
Ned Taito is the new leader and member support coordinator for the Church in Fiji.
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