Continuing his tour of the South Pacific, President Gordon B. Hinckley visited five cities in Australia and spoke to 31,854 Saints during the week of May 12.

The prophet was accompanied by his wife, Marjorie; Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve and his wife, Kathleen; and Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the Seventy and first counselor in the Pacific Area presidency and his wife, Marie.President Hinckley arrived May 12 in Melbourne, having come from New Zealand, where he presided over and spoke at a regional conference in Hamilton and held member and missionary meetings in Auckland. In total, he spoke to 23,297 members in New Zealand (see May 17 Church News). He departed from Brisbane, Australia, on May 16.

During his eight-day tour through New Zealand and Australia, President Hinckley spoke 15 times in seven cities, saw 55,151 members, spoke to 1,312 missionaries in seven missions, held seven press interviews and traveled more than 18,000 miles.

The following is a summary of his travels throughout Australia.

Melbourne, Australia

In an evening fireside attended by 6,941 members and held at the National Tennis Centre here, President Hinckley told the congregation he has been "trying to get out among our people."

He spoke of his current journey, and expressed gratitude for the effort of the members - some who traveled from as far away as Tasmania - to attend this special gathering.

Using 1 Peter 2:9 as his text, President Hinckley said, "Peter was speaking of us." The prophet encouraged the members to "shape up a little and be better than we are."

Noting that Church members are to be a "peculiar people," he stated: "God help us to be worthy of that description now and in the years to come."

While in Melbourne, President Hinckley also met with 238 missionaries of the Australia Melbourne Mission, and was interviewed by a reporter of the Sydney Morning Herald.

Adelaide, Australia

The members of south/central Australia were thrilled to see the Prophet as he visited May 13. Those present at the mid-day meeting had taken time from work and school.

It had been 42 years, since 1955 when President David O. McKay visited, that a president of the Church had been to Adelaide. Some attending the meeting with President Hinckley had been there when President McKay came to Adelaide.

Many shed tears as President Hinckley entered the Adelaide Entertainment Center. Of the 2,800 present, some had traveled from as far away as Darwin, some 2,500 miles to the north.

President Hinckley read from a letter of a convert in Adelaide of 34 years ago, who - in spite of severe persecution from her extended family - remained faithful and saw her husband baptized and six of her seven children marry in the temple.

"There is faith among you," said President Hinckley.

He spoke of temple worship and challenged the brethren present, "I hope every man in this congregation has taken his wife to the House of the Lord. Work for a temple and the sealing ordinance. . . . Take your companion and your children if you can, there to be joined under a covenant that time cannot destroy and death cannot break."

Before leaving Adelaide, President Hinckley and his party met with 120 missionaries of the Australia Adelaide Mission.

Perth, Australia

More than 3,800 members gathered for an evening fireside in the Perth Entertainment Centre - located on the far western coast of Australia - to see and hear from President Hinckley the evening of May 13. This was the first recorded visit of a president of the Church to Perth.

President Hinckley complimented the members here on the gospel living evident in their lives. "The Lord is mindful of you, of that I am sure," he said.

President Hinckley spoke to the non-members attending and encouraged them to look into the teachings of the gospel. "I believe with all my heart that all churches do good," he said. "We say to those [of other faiths], you bring all the good you have and let us see if we can add to it."

To the members he challenged, "It's very important what you do with your lives. You may be the only Latter-day Saints others know and they form a judgment of this work as to what you say and do."

President Hinckley spoke specifically of the need to strengthen families, and the critical need to hold regular family home evening. "If we'll do that, I'm satisfied our children will grow in light and truth," he promised.

The members of this area were thrilled with the prophet's efforts to come to an area some 10,000 miles from Church headquarters to share his love and testimony. He also met with 200 missionaries of the Australia Perth Mission May 14, before departing for Sydney.

Sydney, Australia

In a flurry of activity that included several media interviews, a visit to the Australian Maritime Museum, and member and missionary meetings, President Hinckley visited Sydney May 14-15. In addition to those traveling with President Hinckley, Elder Vaughn J Featherstone, newly appointed president of the Pacific Area, and Elder Bruce Mitchell, an Area Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, joined with the prophet in an evening fireside May 14, held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

More than 9,200 members, from the eight stakes and four districts in the greater Sydney area, attended the meeting. It was noted by several speakers that the Church had grown dramatically in recent years in Australia - from 3,000 in 1965 to almost 100,000 presently.

President Hinckley spoke of the pioneers who left Australia and immigrated to Zion in the early days of the Church, in some cases giving their lives in the process.

"Thank the Lord those hard and terrible days have passed. Your Zion is here in Australia . . . your responsibility is to build the kingdom of God here," said President Hinckley. "Every one of you is the beneficiary of that great legacy of faith."

He spoke of his vigorous travel schedule, and stated, "I want to get everything done while I can," bringing a chuckle from the large congregation.

On the morning of May 15, President Hinckley visited the Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour. There he presented museum officials with several artifacts on loan from the Church Historical Department relating to the wreck of the ship Julia Ann, which was carrying Australian converts to America when it sank off the coast of Tahiti in 1855. A display of recently discovered ship remnants and the Church artifacts will appear in a formal exhibition at the Maritime Museum later this year.

Following the presentation, President Hinckley was interviewed on a live nationwide telecast of the TV-9 Today show. Then, after a ferry ride across the famous Sydney harbour, he was interviewed extensively for the ABC-TB Compass program broadcast. Additionally, media officials of the TV-7 Witness program taped President Hinckley speaking to 350 missionaries of the Australia Sydney North and South Missions, which will be used in a documentary being prepared about the Church's missionary efforts in Australia.

Brisbane, Australia

In his final stop on this vigorous trip to Australia, President Hinckley traveled to Brisbane May 15. He met first with 200 missionaries of the Australia Brisbane Mission, and later that evening spoke to 8,000 members at the Suncorp Stadium, an outdoor facility.

When rain appeared to threaten the fireside, President Hinckley requested, while speaking to the missionaries earlier in the day, that they might remember the elements in their prayers. Those prayers were answered; a balmy evening greeted those attending.

A rich outpouring of the spirit was present, and President Hinckley, although weary from his busy schedule, seemed to gain renewed strength, and delivered a powerful message regarding what the Church expects of its members.

He outlined these expectations: showing civility, kindness, and helpfulness towards one another; having strong families who teach the gospel in the home and hold family home evening; living the Word of Wisdom; attending meetings every Sunday and partaking of the sacrament; paying of an honest tithe; and avoiding the sultry, evil things of life.

"God is pouring out His spirit upon his people," he said. "I believe this is the greatest season in the history of the Church. . . . The only thing that can stop its progress is the way you and I live our lives."

He spoke again of his intense desire to be among the Latter-day Saints. "We have loved being out among the people," he said. "Our hearts reach out to you in love. The Lord has blessed me with health and strength. For as long as I have the means I want to get out among the members of the Church and leave a blessing upon them."

For the Saints, many of whom had traveled more than 2,000 miles to attend the meeting, it was a rich reward to hear the witness of the living prophet.