MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its international Newsroom websites to share what leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better the communities in which they live.
Philippines: Apostle Sees Meaningful Church Growth
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles served in the Philippines as a member of the Seventy 20 years ago. He and his wife, Mary, recently returned to the Philippines for meetings with Latter-day Saints.
“We loved our first assignment there 20 years ago and are so pleased much of what we loved and appreciated is still evident — the love and the warmth of the members, the love Latter-day Saints have for the Savior, and their commitment to kindness and modesty and other Christlike virtues,” said Elder Cook.
Go to the Philippines Mormon Newsroom website to read more about the apostle’s visit.
Honduras: Mormons Make a Difference for Nursing Home Patients
The Church’s #LIGHTtheWORLD Christmas campaign, created to encourage people to serve others, has resulted in a variety of benefits to residents of the Ceder Nursing Home in Tegucigalpa.
Mormon volunteers were divided into teams to fold and organize the residents’ clothing, dress patients, cut and comb their hair, shave men’s faces, paint the ladies’ nails and talk with the people about their life experiences.
Read more about the service on the Honduras Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).
Australia: Latter-day Saints Provide Necessities for Christmas
Members of the Church in Australia donated clothes, food and other needed items to Clothes4U, an organization that assists women impacted by poverty or domestic violence.
The organization’s goal is to help the women look and feel confident as they go on job interviews and other day-to-day activities.
Go to the Australia Mormon Newsroom website to read more about the donation.
Russia: Christmas Spirit Brings Warm Feelings During Bitter Cold
Carols of the season were sung by Latter-day Saints and the Church of Christian Seventh-day Adventists during a special Christmas Eve celebration in Novosibirsk, a city in Siberia.
During the event, which featured musicians and guest speakers, participants experienced the warm atmosphere and festive mood.
Read more about the occasion on the Russia Mormon Newsroom website (Russian).
Indonesia: LDS Charities Helps Improve Bathroom Facilities for Schools
Three Indonesian schools with more than 900 students will have improved bathrooms providing more sanitary conditions.
The schools are sponsored by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia.
Go to the Indonesia Mormon Newsroom website (Indonesian) to get insight on why LDS Charities decided to help.
Thailand: Mormons and Red Cross Help Keep People Comfortable
Church members and the Red Cross combined their efforts to fill 5,000 kits for adults and 3,500 for children with necessary items for Thailand’s winter.
Each kit contained various items such as blankets, tops, hats, socks, first aid kits and hygiene supplies.
Read more on the Thailand Mormon Newsroom website (Thai).
USA, Vermont: Thousands View Christmas Display at Joseph Smith Birthplace
More than 70,000 people drove or walked through the Christmas display of brightly decorated trees and structures at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial located in South Royalton, Vermont.
The annual Christmas tradition has attracted thousands of people for 30 years according to Church service missionaries and memorial directors, Elder David and Sister Karen Fuhriman.
Read how one man returned again and again to the site on the Mormon Newsroom website.