Mission To Australia
McConkie received a call from the First Presidency to preside over the Southern Australian Mission of the Church, which encompassed all of western and southern Australia, on February 9, 1961. He disclosed the call to his wife, Amelia, only after a hike up Ensign Peak that same day. Their daughter, Vivian, was married and Joseph was serving a mission to Scotland, so six of their children accompanied them to Australia.
In October 1962, McConkie reported "an all-time high mark in mission converts and willingness of members to build new chapels. ... There has been no difficulty getting six building missionaries to work on each chapel under the supervision of supervisors called from the states."
The mission decided upon a motto of "Seek the Spirit" and President McConkie taught the missionaries what it is to be humble and hear the whisperings of the Spirit.
McConkie resumed his duties as a Seventy after returning in 1964.
Read more about this topic: Bruce R. McConkie
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