Sacrifice and Blessings

In 1957, not long after being called to serve as president of the large Western Australian District, Donald W. Cummings and his wife, Margaret, set a goal to attend the Hamilton New Zealand Temple’s dedication the next year. They knew it would be a challenge; travel for their family of five from their home near Perth would take six weeks and cost 600 pounds, a year’s salary for the average Australian at the time. But thinking of the Lord’s direction to “seek … first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33), they began to plan, work, save, and pray. They sold their car and took out a loan using their furniture as collateral, since the house was already mortgaged.

With only one week before their scheduled departure, however, the Cummingses were still 200 pounds short, left only to pray that the Lord would provide a way. Then, while walking in Perth, Donald ran into his father, whom he’d seen only rarely since his parents’ divorce several years earlier. Donald’s father visited with him, then offered a check for 100 pounds, expressing regret for not helping more over the years. A day before the looming departure, Margaret’s parents also visited. Though not members of the Church, they had saved a little each week to help and gave Donald and Margaret the last 100 pounds.

When Donald was denied the six weeks off work he had requested for the trip, he decided to quit his job to make the journey. At the dedication, President David O. McKay promised Donald that “he would never want for anything because of sacrificing to go to the temple.” The Cummingses became one of the first families sealed in the new temple. Soon after they returned to Perth—with five pounds left—Donald found a new position with a higher salary at his old employer.

Three decades later, in 1984, the first temple in Australia was dedicated in Sydney. Additional temples were dedicated in Melbourne and Adelaide in 2000. In June 1999 Church leaders announced plans for a temple in Perth, saving Saints in Western Australia the long journey to perform ordinances. After its dedication in May 2001, President and Sister Cummings were able to help others receive temple blessings in their new callings as the first president and matron of the Perth Australia Temple.