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.
Cambodia and Vietnam: Apostle Counsels With Latter-day Saints
Church apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland met with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cambodia and Vietnam in August.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Elder Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, walked in and blew a welcome kiss to the more than 2,000 gathered Latter-days. Members had arrived on bicycles and motorbikes and in tuk-tuks (pronounced took-tooks), buses and other vehicles.
Elder Holland related reasons people are being baptized into the Church: They believe and understand the love God has for them. The Book of Mormon teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ and invites all people to come unto Him.
In Vietnam, Elder Holland spoke about the members’ roles as pioneers of the Church in Vietnam. “The path you blaze is the one others will follow,” he declared, counseling the Saints to live the gospel well “so that your children and future generations can live in light and truth with the blessing of the Church in their lives.”
Read more about Elder Holland’s visit to Cambodia and Vietnam on the Cambodia Mormon Newsroom website.
Peru: Mormon Helping Hands Hit the Beach
Many Peru beaches, shores and coastlines received a good cleaning recently by more than 6,000 Latter-day Saints.
Mormon Helping Hands volunteers collected wood waste, plastics, glass, rubber and refuse in what has become an annual event.
Read more about the event on the Peru Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).
Kenya: Church Helps Students and Teachers With Basic Classroom Needs
LDS Charities (the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has donated 700 school desks, chairs and tables to schools in Kenya, which will benefit 7,000 students over the life of the furniture.
The Church donation is an important step in the students’ education to eventually become self-sufficient in life. One Mormon missionary said the addition of the new furniture has lifted the morale of the students.
Go to the Kenya Mormon Newsroom website to read more about the benefits to the schools.
Canada: Family History Enthusiasts Gather for One World—One Family Conference
People from many walks of life met in August in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, for the sixth annual One World—One Family Conference. The event is hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended by people with a common love of ancestral research.
The conference offered 20 workshops focusing on topics ranging from Chinese, French-Canadian, Scottish and Ukrainian family history to preserving family heirlooms and accessing information about ancestors lost during World War I.
Go to the Canada Mormon Newsroom website for more information.
Romania: Latter-day Saints From 17 Countries Meet in the Mountains of Romania
Mormons in their 20s and 30s from Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Cyprus, USA, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain and Tahiti gathered at a mountain resort to learn how to overcome obstacles in life.
In addition to listening to inspiring and motivational speakers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the young people had afternoon workshops where they could learn the basics of photography, origami, training choir performances and family history and participate in a service project.
Read more about their activities on the Romanian Mormon Newsroom website (Romanian).
Honduras: Mormon Youth Celebrate Country’s Independence Day
More than 200 young Latter-day Saints participated in their country’s annual Independence Day celebration.
This is the second year the youth have danced in the event, showing patriotism, love and civic pride.
The Honduras Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish) includes comments from the participants.