What is your favorite thing about living in this stake?
I love living in this exact part of South Florida in our Stake because of its great cultural diversity. Where else could you have 4 distinct languages with 4 different cultures in one spot. What I especially love is that even though we are 4 different languages with 4 different cultures the Gospel unifies us to be one great force for good. When we serve together it does not matter what language you speak, it only matters that we are serving our neighbors and the Lord together.
What is your favorite Scripture?
I love the following 3 scriptures: D&C 82:14 because it gives us the vision to grow our Stake, that we must increase in size; 3 Nephi 27:1 because it encourages us to pray with Might Prayer, which our Stake has used many times to keep Hurricanes at bay; and 3 Nephi 7:21-26 teaches us the pattern that if we are persistent many in our part of the vineyard will be baptized.
Okonomiyaki: Japanese savory pancake
What is your favorite food?
If you must know the truth, I am on the See Food Diet, if I see it, I eat it. Like everyone, I have a few favorite foods but my all time favorite is Okonomiyaki. I first had Okonomiyaki in Tokyo in November of 1988. I instantly fell in love with it and had it every time I could while I was in Japan. Upon leaving Japan I had to wait til the summer to 2016 to eat it again. My wife and I went to Japan for our 25th Wedding Anniversary and I introduced my wife to Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients in a wheat-flour-based batter; it is an example of Konamon. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "how you like" or "what you like", and yaki meaning "cooked" My next favorite food is a good traditional Thanksgiving Dinner or Turkey, stuffing, gravy, fresh green beans. My favorite snack is a head of iceberg lettuce.
British Parliament Building
What would you like to tell your community?
Stand for truth and virtue at all times and in all places. To remember if we do not stand for what is right, we will lead down a very slippery slope. I also would like to invite the entire community of Palm Beach County to join us in our Sunday Services when you see it on Facebook or our Webpage.
Me and my favorite car company: Morgan Motor
What is something that is unique to you?
I grew up in a conservative Jewish home and now am a Stake President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have played as a professional musician in New York City from 1968-1978, had a Big Band called the Grand Ballroom Big Band that made a record album that was released in 1985 on my own record label, Ballroom Records. The title cut “Crazy Over You” was written and dedicated to my mother who died the year the album was recorded. While in High School I learned how to tune pianos and have worked as a piano technician either to supplement my income as a professional musician in New York City and now as my primary source of income in south Florida.
My parents: Adele and Fred Lustig
My mother was a Lab Specialist at Ryan Junior High School in Queens, NY. The kids in the picture were her lab squad. This picture comes from a year book. I was buying a used doll house kit and the person I was buying from knew the name Lustig and was on my moms lab squad. She sent me the picture from her year book. Small world!
What have you learned as a Stake President?
The short answer is that being a Stake President is very time consuming and at times hard work. The long answer would take a volume of books. I have learned how to love members that I don’t even know, how to be patient, kind, and listen more than I talk. I would love to meet with you and answer this question in person for anyone who would like to know the really long version.
What do you do for fun?
My Eternal Companion and I love to travel in our RV and most recently internationally for fun. We have enjoyed going to the UK the last 3 summers and Japan before that. We hope to be in Japan again before the 2020 Olympics.
Me and my eternal companion, Gay Lustig
How did you become a member of The Church?
While working in a client’s home on a piano my wife and I were given a Book of Mormon. Several weeks later while on a trip to St. George UT to visit our daughter we visited the St. George Temple visitors center. We received the Missionaries in our home upon return form St. George and were baptized together on March 26, 2000.
Sapporo Japan Temple
Tell us a little about your family:
Born in New York City on March 9, 1956 at 10:44 AM I come from a family of goodly parents. We lived in a very modest 3 bedroom 1 bathroom home in Jamaica Queens. I moved to Florida Jan 15, 1990 and found my eternal companion a year later. I have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.
Me and my 3 grandchildren
My family on a cruise when I was 3 or 4 years old
My family on a cruise when I was 3 or 4 years old
My Bar-Mitzvah
What did you study in school?
Growing up in a Jewish home I attended the Yeshiva of Central Queens in New York from 1 grade through 6th Grade. I attended a Campbell Junior High School grades 7-9, and then the High School of Performing Arts in New York City as a Bassoon major for 10-12 grades. Upon graduating High School I attended Queens College in Flushing, New York and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance with a minor in Accounting. I also attended St. Leo University here in Florida majoring in Education.
My high school yearbook senior photo
Our summer house in Southhampton, Long Island