Malaysia and Singapore Greet New Mission President 
 

President Stephen A. Simmons, and Sister Elizabeth Poelman Simmons,  arrived July 1, 2015 in SE Asia to begin their three year stewardship as Mission President of the Singapore Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are currently 164 full time missionaries serving in the Singapore Mission, which includes the country of Singapore and Malaysia, both East and West. President Simmons also has ecclesiastical authority for the nearly 10,000 members of the church living in 36 congregations throughout Malaysia.  President Simmons had served as a young missionary in the Taiwan Taichung Mission and Sister Simmons also served a previous mission in the Spain Bilbao Mission.

They recently sold their home in Virginia and left his career as CFO of Mosaic ATM, Inc. located near Washington DC. They have three young single adult children who are busily engaged in education and service opportunities. Their oldest daughter, Julia has recently returned from serving a full time mission in Mesa, Arizona. Second child Michael is serving in the Hungary Budapest Mission and youngest son Matthew graduated from high school June 10 and is currently enrolled at BYU in Provo, Utah while preparing to serve a mission for the LDS Church.

Missionary work is a family legacy for President and Sister Simmons as both saw their parents called to serve as Mission Presidents for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Discussing this legacy Sister Simmons said "We love having children who have served, are  currently serving and one who is preparing to serve. Our parents set a good example which we have tried to follow. We have seen the joy our children feel and the good they are doing, not only for others but for themselves as well. As parents we are blessed to see that transformation."

The Simmons are currently on a very busy mission tour which will take them to every missionary apartment and each Stake and District (similar to a diocese) in the Singapore Mission as they meet every missionary and Priesthood Leader they will serve with. In the next 20 days they will spend countless hours in airports, planes, taxis, trains and busses as they are transported across this vast area included in their responsibility. President Simmons said on his eighth day in SE Asia, "We already love the people in this mission. We have met missionaries, members and non-members whom we love. Many we do not even know yet, yet we do feel love for them. We have learned that we grow closer to the people we serve, as well as to the God we love."