Members of the new presidency of the London Temple were introduced to temple workers at a special devotional Sunday night, October 27th at the Crawley Stake Centre. Temple workers met to honour the outgoing presidency and welcome the new.
Introduced as the new presidency were Kenneth and Pamela Johnson, Temple President and Matron; Keith and Lyn Irwin, First Counsellor and Assistant Matron; and John and Janet Crossland, Second Counsellor and Assistant Matron.
Expressing love and gratitude to the many temple workers assembled were President Raymond Lowry and his wife, Irene, who have since returned to Northern Ireland, and their counsellors and wives David and Jean Cook from Solihull and Martin and Jan Lock from Yate. “It’s been a great joy and blessing to serve in the House of the Lord these last three years,” said President Lowry.
Born in Norwich in 1940, President Johnson was baptized by his wife’s father, Tom Wilson, in 1962. He served as President of the Norwich Stake and as a Regional Representative of the Twelve. He was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1990 and released from the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2010, given general authority emeritus status.
President Johnson said “My heart is full, as is my joy.” He quoted from Section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants: And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. He said he has long trusted in this scripture. He gave high tribute to his wife, Pamela, and said “she has helped me to be my best self.”
And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
President Irwin was President of the Plymouth Stake, and he and his wife recently returned from the Czech Republic, where he served as mission president. President and Sister Crossland have been serving as temple workers in the London Temple. President Crossland served in the Wandsworth Stake Presidency and was twice bishop of the Selsdon Ward, Maidstone Stake.