Elder Patrick Kearon Concludes His Ministry to the Philippines

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently concluded a 10-day ministering visit to the Philippines, where he met with members of the Church, local leaders, government officials and interfaith organizations.

Humanitarian Handovers

On May 27, 2025, Elder Kearon visited Maa Central Elementary School in Davao City to lead the official handover of the newly installed water and electricity facilities provided by the Church.

Elder Kearon was accompanied by his wife, Jennifer, and Elder Michael B. Strong, Second Counselor in the Philippines Area Presidency, and his wife, Christine.

Public schools in the Philippines often struggle with overcrowding, prompting local and national governments to continuously seek solutions for inadequate classrooms and resources. Last year, Church representatives visited Maa Central Elementary School and found that its newly constructed four-story building lacked basic plumbing and electrical infrastructure.

In response, the Church installed electrical and plumbing systems in the new building. It also donated a handwashing station, four computers, workstation tables with chairs, three industrial fans and 1,000 monobloc chairs. During the donation turnover ceremony, Elder and Sister Kearon distributed school kits to the attendees.

“We can’t believe that we were selected to be the recipients of your generous donations,” said school principal Ami Lyne Rose Yurong, Ed.D. “On behalf of all our teachers, administrators, parents and students, we thank you all for your love and kindness.

“Because of your generosity, our teachers can now focus on fully educating our students without worry of the lack of basic facilities, such as water and electricity,” she added.

On May 30, Elder Kearon and other Church leaders participated in a donation turnover ceremony at Elsie Gaches Village, a residential care center in Muntinlupa City.

The Church responded directly to a specific wish list submitted by the center. The donation included 16 wall fans, diapers, powdered milk, a desktop computer, 27 customized wheelchairs, eight specialized wheelchairs for individuals with cerebral palsy and hygiene kits.

“The Church was swift to grant our wish list,” said Farrah Angeles-Cabrera, a social welfare officer and center head of Elsie Gaches Village. “We are grateful for this immediate and generous support.”

“We are grateful for the work that you do in taking care of those people who need help,” said Elder Kearon, acknowledging the dedicated care provided to the residents of Elsie Gaches Village. “This is the Lord’s work.”

Interfaith Luncheon

Elder Kearon gathered with over 60 religious and Indigenous leaders during an interfaith luncheon at the Buhangin Stake Center in Davao City, Philippines, on May 27.

The event was hosted by Elder Kearon and his wife, Jennifer, alongside Elder Strong and his wife, Cristin. The luncheon served as a celebration of faith, dialogue and collaboration, bringing together leaders from a wide spectrum of religious and Indigenous communities in a spirit of mutual respect and shared commitment to peace and service.

Among those in attendance were Elder Bartolome Madriaga, Area Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Rev. Fr. Pete Lamata, director of the Davao City Archdiocesan Center for Ecumenical Interreligious Dialogue; Sultan Ubpon, chair of Islamic Studies at Ateneo de Davao University; and several other prominent leaders from Christian denominations, Muslim communities, Sikhism, Brahma Kumaris and Indigenous groups across Mindanao.

In his remarks, Elder Kearon emphasized a positive shift in how people of faith engage with one another, noting that instead of focusing on doctrinal differences, there is an increasing spirit of unity founded on mutual respect and a shared belief in a loving God.

“We’ve really moved from a position, I think, years ago, of thinking about our differences first … to this wonderful time now where we don’t look for our differences,” said Elder Kearon. “In a moment like this, I celebrate the fact that we’re here as people of faith. [God] loves us all equally. He includes every single one of us equally.”

He continued, “We celebrate you, and we celebrate your faith and we celebrate your leadership in the community … and we’re so grateful to be with you and to share this experience with you in this beautiful land.”

Inspiring Members and Missionaries

While ministering in the Philippines, Elder Kearon also visited local congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ, sharing the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with members and missionaries alike.

On May 29, Elder Kearon and his wife, Jennifer, met with nearly 300 missionaries at the Philippines Missionary Training Center, encouraging them to embody the gospel of Jesus Christ not just in word, but in who they are.

“You are going to be the message,” said Elder Kearon. “If you start like this, you look like your message. You look like messengers of joy. So, whenever you do that, you are joyful, you are happy.”

Elder Kearon emphasized that the power of a missionary’s message comes not only from what they teach but from how they live and who they are becoming. He invited the missionaries to reflect the hope and light of the restored gospel through their demeanor, actions and attitudes.

During a devotional with more than 500 young single adults in Davao City on May 25, Elder Kearon testified of Heavenly Father’s deep and personal love for each individual.

“You are loved more than you can imagine,” he said.

Elder Kearon also emphasized the power of change and the enduring love of God. He invited the young adults to embrace the gift of the Savior’s Atonement and to see repentance as a hopeful and transformative process.

“Repentance is a beautiful opportunity to be relieved of our sins and mistakes,” he said.

Sister Kearon shared a message using the simple act of breathing as a spiritual metaphor. She invited the young single adults to “breathe in” peace, the love of Christ and deeper faith and to remember their divine identity, especially during times of stress, worry, anger or fear. She also encouraged them to “breathe out” negative emotions and unhelpful thoughts, making space for healing and perspective.