How I Lead Outside of the US | Interviews with Rich Bangerter and David & Claudia Beal

Rich Bangerter

Rich Bangerter is a branch president in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He grew up in Bountiful, Utah, and served a mission to Romania, where he fell in love with international living. He works for the US foreign service and lived primarily in the Middle East before transferring to Malaysia. This interview was recorded in 2019, shortly after Rich was called as branch president.

Highlights

06:30 Religious life in Malaysia compared to the Middle East

09:15 Proselyting in Kuala Lumpur powered by the young single adults
Served as Young Men president and as a counselor in the branch presidency
Reports to a mission president and district president in the Singapore Mission

15:10 Priesthood keys of a branch president and differences for counselors
16:30 Studied the handbook as soon as he was called; importance of distinguishing between policy and culture in church leadership
19:30 How financial assistance is handled in Malaysia, and the struggles of working with refugee populations
25:10 The definition of leadership is identifying the needs of others and fulfilling them

Requires staying close to the Spirit
Talk by Elder Ballard, Counseling on Councils: Monthly interviews with their sons has had a dramatic impact on their relationships

35:00 “Living in the Doctrine & Covenants”: two experiences serving in the restored gospel from a perspective of the newly-restored religion

David and Claudia Beal

David and Claudia Beal are currently living in Texas, but David is the branch president of the Xi’an English Branch in China, and Claudia is a district Relief Society president over five branches in China. They are in their second year as part of Brigham Young University’s China Teachers program, but came back to the US for a holiday and have not been able to return because of Covid-19.

Highlights

41:40 Introduction
44:00 About the branch and how they meet and communicate due to restrictions on religious practice and proselytizing in China
46:30 Call as district Relief Society president; districts in China
49:10 “The miracle of ministering” would be the theme of service as district RS president, checking-in with the branch Relief Society presidents and supporting them
51:00 Coronavirus interruption and drastic change, serving from the United States as branch president for members who have now spread out across the world
56:00 Receiving the call as branch president
58:45 A typical Sunday experience at “The Villa”

The building
Very small Primary and no youth program, but they do have young single adults

1:04:10 Have a loving heart: followed advice to let China change them instead of trying to change China
1:06:20 Notice the daily miracles, write about them, and pray for more: whatever challenges they face, there is always a miracle
1:09:25 Recording experiences in stream-of-consciousness morning pages and also tracks where God blesses him, from a talk by President Eyring
1:10:25 Acknowledge the Gathering and do what you can: reaching out in love to others
1:13:00 The privilege of teaching where you can express love even when you are not able to discuss the gospel
1:14:00 The opportunity to serve the expatriate members in China is a privilege
1:15:40 Life in China is not always easy, but the experience is made wonderful by keeping Jesus Christ as an anchor