MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its 81 international Newsroom websites as well as those from around the United States to share what members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better the communities in which they live.
Brazil: Church Apostle Addresses Religious Freedom at Interfaith Meeting
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended an interfaith meeting in Brazil with participants from 15 religious and professional groups.
“There is a paradox in religious freedom,” said Elder Bednar. “If I want my religious freedom to be protected, then I must protect the religious freedom of those who believe in a basically different way from my own. This is our task. And it will be our ongoing challenge. Religious freedom is more than a right, it is a duty.”
Go to the Brazil Mormon Newsroom website in Portuguese (English version) for additional information.
Australia: Former Prime Minister Speaks to Mormon Missionaries
Tony Abbott, the country’s former prime minister, met with Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday, March 16.
Abbott spoke about his Christian experiences while studying to become a Catholic priest. Elder Andersen presented him with a statuette of the Christus. There is more on Elder Andersen’s visit on the Australia Mormon Newsroom website.
New Zealand
While in the Pacific, Elder Andersen also met with Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, the current prime minister of New Zealand, in Auckland. They discussed common concerns, including reducing child poverty and improving opportunities for children, youth and adults.
Read more about their visits on the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website.
Poland: General Primary President Encourages Latter-day Saints in Warsaw
Leader of the Church’s Primary organization, Sister Joy D. Jones, encouraged Mormon women in Warsaw, Poland, to be leaders in the Church and in life.
Sister Jones presented principles of leadership and said, “Pay attention to the importance of serving individuals and thinking first about others before we think about ourselves.”
The Poland Mormon Newsroom website (Polish) provides additional insights.
Pacific: Missionaries Clean the Royal Tombs
Within just seven days after Cyclone Gita hit Tonga, more than 40 Mormon missionaries, dressed in traditional missionary attire, helped clean the Royal Tombs of Mala’e Kula.
“We are honored to be able to give back to the Royal Family with our service,” said Sione Tui’one, Tonga Nuku’alofa Mission president.
Go to the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website to see how the missionaries helped.
Ghana: New Wells Produce Clean Water
More than 19,000 people in rural villages of the Sewfi-Wiawso Municipal District have clean water due to the contributions of LDS Charities. One mother of four announced that her children can now bathe every day and get to school on time. “I did not get up today at 3:00 a.m. to fetch water from the stream,” she said.
A goal of LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is to provide communities with clean water sources, improved sanitation facilities and proper hygiene training. Families receive training on proper sanitation and hygiene practices from a designated trainer in their community each week during the project.
Read more about how the water projects are blessing the lives of people on the Ghana Mormon Newsroom website.
USA: Legacy of Black Latter-day Saint Pioneers
Nearly 800 Latter-day Saints and friends gathered for a two-day conference at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center.
“The Legacy of Black LDS Pioneers” conference was a chance for black members of the Church to come together to discuss and listen to speakers on black history in the Church and contemporary black issues.
Read more about the event on the Mormon Newsroom website.
Spain: Mormon Youth Assemble Hygiene Kits for Refugees
In collaboration with the Red Cross, several young people of the Church in Cartagena, Spain, volunteered recently and prepared 200 hygiene kits for refugees.
Basic hygiene items included toiletries, toothbrush, toothpaste, band aids, compresses, razor blades, bars of soap, tissues, a bottle of water, energy bars and peanuts.
Read what the Red Cross said on the Spain Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).
Pacific: Church Roof Used to Catch Rainwater
LDS Charities met recently with the Assembly of God church and the village of Salani and Moata’a, located on the island of Upolu in Samoa, to help residents get clean water.
In both areas, LDS Charities supplied water tanks and a catch system by using the roof of a church building to give residents a clean source of water.
Go to the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website to read more.