When called to serve as an Area Seventy, as on other occasions when he was called, Elder Julio E. Lee wondered: “Why me, when there are so many brethren who could perform this calling better than me?” He related that what came to his heart at that time was the joy of feeling useful, being on par with so many good faithful men within the Church, and with Jesus Christ directing this work, he must be obedient if He calls him.
Elder Lee shared that this new opportunity to serve God and others has made him reflect on the promise he made before coming into the world, giving him confidence that if he does his best, Heavenly Father will do the rest.
“I feel it's a calling of great responsibility. Being a representative and witness of Jesus Christ requires all my efforts to learn, live, and obey His teachings. In addition, I will have the great opportunity to serve my brethren wherever my assignment is”, he said.
With great humbleness, Elder Lee thanks Heavenly Father for this new assignment that gives him the opportunity to serve in His great work, “the most important one on earth”, as he referred to it, so he is committed to doing his best to develop the potential God has given him and use it to help gather Israel.
The new Area Seventy encourages Latter-day Saints, “to keep the commandments Jesus Christ gave us, love God and our neighbor. After that, everything else will follow by default. We must remember that we are heavenly children and that we have divine potential. Despite the tribulations and afflictions of this world, we will always have His company if we are holding to the iron rod”.
Another recommendation from Elder Lee is to “remember that our earthly choices may give us temporal pleasure, but only the gospel will give us eternal joy”. He also exhorted us to “remain worthy of having a current recommend entering His holy house, the temple”.
His church service and testimony
At the time of his calling, Elder Lee was serving as a counselor in the Presidency of the Santo Domingo Central Stake. He has been a bishop, stake presidency counselor, and stake president. He is currently a commercial manager for UPL Central America, is married to Cindi Marie, and they have two children.
Elder Lee was baptized in September 1989. Reading the Book of Mormon marked the beginning of his conversion: “When I read it with interest to know the truth, I felt the Spirit whisper that it was true, and that's when I made the decision to be baptized”, he indicated.
Like any other Latter-day Saint, he has had difficulties, tribulations, and afflictions in his life, however
he has never “had doubts about the truthfulness of the Church” and has always “felt like a child of Heavenly Father”, which has strengthened him to press forward.