Douglas J. Martin
Encyclopedia
Douglas James Martin was a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in New Zealand
and was a general authority
of the LDS Church from 1987 to 1992. He was the first New Zealand resident to become a general authority of the LDS Church.
Martin was born in Napier
, New Zealand. He was introduced to the LDS Church by Amelia Wati Crawford, and he was baptised
in 1951 at age 24. He was a missionary
for the LDS Church from 1952 to 1954. In 1954, he and Crawford travelled to Hawaii
and were married in the church's Laie Hawaii Temple
.
Shortly after the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
was completed in 1958, church president made Martin a sealer in the temple
. From 1958 to 1962, he was the temple recorder.
Martin was also a bishop, stake president, and stake patriarch in Hamilton
. When he was asked to become a general authority of the church, Martin was a regional representative of the Twelve
. He joined the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1987, and in April 1989 became one of the inaugural members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. He was released as a general authority and from full-time ecclesiastical duties in October 1992. From 1992 to 1995, he was the president
of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
.
Martin died in Hamilton at age 82.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and was a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of the LDS Church from 1987 to 1992. He was the first New Zealand resident to become a general authority of the LDS Church.
Martin was born in Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
, New Zealand. He was introduced to the LDS Church by Amelia Wati Crawford, and he was baptised
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in 1951 at age 24. He was a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the LDS Church from 1952 to 1954. In 1954, he and Crawford travelled to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and were married in the church's Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on the northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean in the town of Lāie, from Honolulu...
.
Shortly after the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
Hamilton New Zealand Temple
The Hamilton New Zealand Temple is the 13th constructed and 11th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
was completed in 1958, church president made Martin a sealer in the temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
. From 1958 to 1962, he was the temple recorder.
Martin was also a bishop, stake president, and stake patriarch in Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
. When he was asked to become a general authority of the church, Martin was a regional representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve, commonly shorted to regional representative or regional rep, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1968 and 1995...
. He joined the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1987, and in April 1989 became one of the inaugural members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. He was released as a general authority and from full-time ecclesiastical duties in October 1992. From 1992 to 1995, he was the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
Hamilton New Zealand Temple
The Hamilton New Zealand Temple is the 13th constructed and 11th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
.
Martin died in Hamilton at age 82.