An Historic Day in the Middle East

Today we were all reminded once again that this is Christ's church and he is very much directing it.

Elder Rasband from the Presidency of the Seventy came to Jordan on assignment to re-organize the Amman Jordan district presidency--release the old and sustain the new.  No one was prepared for what he ended up doing instead.  In fact, even Elder Rasband said he was shocked!

In his remarks in district conference this morning, Elder Rasband told us of a conversation he had earlier in the week with President Asuad,our current district president who lives in Lebanon.  During the discussion, both President Asuad and Elder Rasband were prompted to divide the Amman Jordan District and create a new district in Lebanon.  They knew it was right by the Holy Ghost.  They also knew they should do it now.

Creating a new district is something Elder Rasband couldn't do on his own.  He also knew he had to act quickly before the district conference the next day, so he wrote an e-mail to Elder Holland in Salt Lake explaining what he had been prompted to do. Within the hour, Elder Holland sent an answer that he would take the proposal for approval from the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve in their meeting in the temple that same day.  Literally within minutes of that meeting the answer was given:  "It's approved.  Go forward."  (I have a picture in my mind of  Elder Holland in the temple texting the answer to Elder Rasband from his cell phone--that probably didn't happen!)

The new Lebanon district will include Lebanon (Beruit), Egypt (Cairo), Syria (Damascus) and small group in Kurdistan (Iraq).  The Amman Jordan district will include two branches in Amman and one in Husn, (where we are).  Our new district president in Jordan is an ex-pat American who works at the Embassy and speaks fluent Arabic.

President Penrod selected Morad Elyas from our branch for his second counselor.

Morad will probably need to get a haircut.   And get married.

During Elder Rasband's trip to the Middle East he also called a new district presidency for the Jerusalem, Israel district.  That district includes Jerusalem (one branch), Tel Aviv (one branch), Bethlehem (one small branch), and Galilee (one small branch).  It is wonderful to us to hear of branches of the Church in such places as Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Galilee.