PERTH, Australia — "Faithful persistence despite the distance" could well be the motto of Don and Margaret Cummings, the recently called temple president and matron of the Perth Australia Temple.

Photo by Richard Hunter

Members leave Perth temple after dedication. Temple is among most distant from Church headquarters.

In 1952, as a newly wed and not yet a member of her Latter-day Saint husband's faith, Margaret learned of his family's decision to move to Canada to be nearer to a temple. As she reflected on the family's love of the temple and dedication to the gospel, she decided that any Church that inspired such faith was worthy of further investigation.

She was baptized two weeks later.

Six years later, while Brother Cummings served as the Western Australia District president, he was challenged by President Thomas S. Bingham, who presided over the mission, to take Margaret and their children to the Auckland New Zealand Temple to be sealed as a family.

This was indeed a challenge. The cost of such a trip was well out of the Cummings' reach at that time. President Bingham reminded the young couple of the need to set an example to the members of the district and told them that "there was no more righteous goal than to go to the temple."

President Cummings later pondered over the Lord's direction in Matthew 6:33 to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The Cummings began to save to travel to the Hamilton New Zealand Temple. They sold their car. President Cummings quit his job as he could not get time off to travel. They took out a loan using the little furniture they owned as collateral on an already heavily mortgaged house.

Two weeks before leaving for New Zealand, however, they were still 200 pounds short. They told no one of their shortfall, but continued to prepare for the journey to the temple with faith in the words of President Bingham and in the scriptural command to "seek first the kingdom of God" as their anchor.

One week before departure, the couple was in Perth and bumped into President Cummings' father. His parents had divorced when he was 9 years old and he rarely saw his father. But on this occasion they were invited to his office. His father expressed regret at not helping him over the years and wrote them a check for 100 pounds.

The day before they were due to depart they were still 100 pounds short. Sister Cummings' parents, who were not members of the Church, came to the city from their rural home and paid them a visit. They told their daughter and son-in-law that they had been putting aside a little money each week to give to them to help them enjoy their overseas vacation. They did not fully understand the significance of their journey, but felt a strong need to give them 100 pounds.

The Cummings family went to New Zealand and was among the first couples to be sealed together and to their family. At the dedication, President David O. McKay promised President Cummings that "he would never want for anything because of sacrificing to go to the temple."

Upon their arrival back in Perth they had only five pounds in their pocket. On their doorstep was a box of fruit and vegetables from Sister Cummings' parents, who had again traveled to the city from the country. This gift of food lasted one week.

President Cummings went to his old place of employment to find that a sales manager position had become available — a job with a higher salary.

President McKay's promise has been evidenced throughout the Cummings' lives as they surely have not wanted for anything and the sacrifice they made to go to the New Zealand Temple has become their greatest blessing.