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.
New Zealand: Church Sends Food to Vanuatu
Latter-day Saints in the Pacific have rallied together with aid from the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help people devastated by Cyclone Pam which struck Vanuatu’s Tanna Island on March 13, 2015.
Mormons in Auckland, New Zealand, have packed 2,000 food boxes bound for Port Vila, Vanuatu, to help as many of the affected population as possible.
Each food box contains flour, rice, canned fruit, beans, corned beef, fish, crackers, raisins, noodles, chocolate milk powder and a can opener. The containers can also be used for other purposes such as carrying water.
Read more about how the Church and its members are helping on the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website.
In a related story, a Mormon missionary serving in Vanuatu was given the opportunity by a television reporter to communicate with his family.
Elder Dalton Pearce is one of 11 Latter-day Saint missionaries who rode out Cyclone Pam.
Watch the video at TVNZ's website (2.58 minutes into clip).
Dominican Republic and Canada: Latter-day Saint Women Celebrate International Women’s Day
More than 1,200 women gathered in Church meetinghouses in several areas of the Dominican Republic to honor women for their many contributions in the world.
Religious, civic and military leaders participated in the event, which included a program of music and speeches under the direction of Elder Claudio D. Zivic of the Seventy and Senator Lic. Cristina Lizardo, president of the Republic’s Senate.
Go to the Dominican Republic Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish) to learn more about the celebration.
In Canada, Latter-day Saint women also marked the day. Read more about the celebration of women on the Canada Mormon Newsroom website.
United Kingdom: Dresses Made From Pillowcases
Mormon women in the UK have been working on a sewing project to turn pillowcases into dresses for underprivileged children in Africa.
The original goal was to sew and send 100 dresses, but that goal was surpassed and the total has exceeded 230.
Read how the inspiration came about for this sewing project on the United Kingdom Mormon Newsroom website.
South Africa: First Latter-day Saint Stake in Zambia
One of the newest stakes (similar to a diocese) in the Church was created in March in Zambia, Africa.
During a special conference in Lusaka, Zambia, Church leaders from the area met to form the stake with the assignment as president going to Harrison Lumbama; his two counselors are Blessings Mushala and Chris Chansa.
Read more about the new stake and some history of the area on the South Africa Mormon Newsroom website.
Arkansas: Religious Freedom Devotional Held in Arkansas
Latter-day Saints, members of other denominations and government leaders came together recently for an interfaith devotional on religious freedom in Arkansas.
The event was deemed a success because of the bridges of understanding that were developed.
Read more about it on the Mormon Newsroom website.