More than a year ago, as parents and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hobart and Glenorchy, Tasmania, brainstormed ways to help fund a youth temple trip, Steven Woodford, bishop of the Hobart Ward, Hobart Australia Stake, offered a unique suggestion.
Several decades ago, Bishop Woodford’s grandfather, father and uncles had planted and sold potatoes to purchase a block of land for the construction of a chapel. What if the youth applied the same idea to fund travel to the Sydney Australia Temple, which lies more than 600 miles, or 1,000 kilometers, away?
With the help of local Church member Gary Carmichael and other ward and youth leaders, Hobart youth not only planted but also cultivated, harvested and sold a large crop of potatoes.
Roughly a year later on April 15, 28 youth — ages 11 to 18 — in addition to their parents and leaders met at the Hobart Airport to fly to Sydney.
The youth spent many weekends and school holidays laboring in the potato field to achieve their goal, reported the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.
After the potatoes were harvested, they were sold to local members of the community and members of local congregations. Many potatoes were also donated to community groups and other churches to support those in need.
The youth also prepared for the temple trip by gathering ancestry information through FamilySearch.org.
After arriving at the Sydney temple, the youth performed more than 500 proxy baptisms. Older youth with previous experience at the temple helped mentor and look out for the younger youth who were attending for the first time.
The Hobart youth were joined at the Sydney temple by young people from the Devonport congregations in northern Tasmania. While in Sydney, the Tasmanian youth also met up with youth from the Sydney Australia Baulkham Hills Stake in New South Wales for games and hot dogs.
The Sunday after returning to Tasmania, the youth were invited to speak during sacrament meeting and share about their temple trip.
Ripley Yost of the Glenorchy Ward said, “I had an awesome time at the temple. It was nice in the baptistry when we were all sitting reverently waiting for the session to begin and could feel the Spirit. I was old enough to baptize this time, and I enjoyed baptizing my friends. It felt good knowing we were helping [others].”
