Ministering in South America Becomes ‘Unforgettable Experience’ for President Porter, Sister Dennis

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By Mary Richards, Church News

While ministering in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ South America Northwest Area in November, Primary General President Susan H. Porter and Sister J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, spoke to missionaries, leaders, women, youth and children — and were also blessed and strengthened by them in return.

“They ministered to us everywhere we went through their spirit and strength,” Sister Dennis said, calling the 11-day assignment “a truly unforgettable experience.”

The General Officers went to Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia from November 1-11. President Porter said she had never been to any of those countries before, but her grandfather’s sister moved to Cochabamba, Bolivia, and lived there her entire life.

“And now I know why she loved these places,” President Porter said, adding, “What a joy it was to meet with children, youth and adults.”

President Porter participated in service projects alongside Primary children, taught them during devotionals, trained leaders, and met with women and their families.

“I witnessed the love of the Lord for each precious daughter of God in ministering visits, the consecrated efforts of Primary presidencies in focus groups, and the desire of local leaders to support Primary in leadership instruction meetings,” President Porter said.

Sister Dennis said being with members of the Area Presidency was a blessing as she watched them teach and minister to the members and leaders. In each place, they were joined by an area organization adviser. “They are such dedicated and consecrated women who fulfill very important responsibilities in the area with the stake Relief Society, Young Women and Primary leaders,” Sister Dennis said.

Teaching and Learning From Women and Children

A total of 800 children attended children’s devotionals in Bolivia and Colombia, President Porter said. “What a blessing it was to greet them and see up close their countenances full of the light of Christ.”

During the Primary devotionals, President Porter interacted with the children as she asked and answered questions and shared experiences. She reaffirmed to them that Jesus Christ loves them, taught them about listening to the Holy Ghost and invited them to lead their families and friends to Jesus Christ.

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She gave each child a small card with a picture on it, and the children each wrote or drew on the back of the card what they could do to help serve others and bring others unto Christ.

“The rising generation in the South America Northwest Area is so capable — leading, conducting, greeting, accompanying and singing,” she said.

During service projects, the children assembled almost 1,000 food kits to deliver to children in local orphanages. President Porter said this demonstrated their love for Heavenly Father and His children. She called them beautiful and strong disciples of Jesus Christ — and she was touched to receive hugs and the words “I love you” from them.

In Cochabamba, Bolivia, Sister Dennis met an older woman who couldn’t read or write when she joined the Church and only spoke her native language, Quechua. Through her membership in the Church, she became literate and also learned to speak Spanish.

In years past, she lived far from the temple and would walk three to four hours each way to worship. She is now a temple ordinance worker in the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple. “She is a very humble and faithful follower of Jesus Christ and an example to us all,” Sister Dennis said.

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When Sister Dennis spoke in Relief Society devotionals and instructed local leaders, she testified about the importance of making and keeping covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the house of the Lord, drawing from the scriptures and from Church President Russell M. Nelson’s teachings.

“I tried to help the sisters understand the great blessings that can come to them and to their families by entering that covenant relationship and how much they would need that power and those blessings in the years ahead between now and the Second Coming,” Sister Dennis said. “I invited them to prepare to enter the temple if they had not yet done so and to return to the temple if they haven’t been for a while.”

Child Nutrition and Reuniting With Missionaries

In Lima, Peru, Sister Dennis and President Porter attended a community nutrition screening held by one of the stakes. This effort — part of the Relief Society’s global initiative for women and children — was an example of collaboration between local Relief Society and Primary leaders and community health workers.

Children in the stake were brought in by their mothers and received screening for malnutrition, needed vaccinations and a dental checkup. Mothers received information on nutrition and proper feeding practices.

President Porter and Sister Dennis also visited Banco de Alimentos Diakonia, a food bank in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where the Church has provided support. The General Officers toured the food bank’s warehouse and learned about its mission to help with food insecurity.

Said President Porter, “The Area Presidency and local leaders have developed meaningful relationships in their communities, creating opportunities for the Church to partner with organizations to bless those in need.”

Sister Dennis and her husband, Jorge, served as leaders of the Ecuador Guayaquil West Mission from 2013-2016. Being back in Ecuador and meeting many of their returned missionaries and their families was a sacred experience. The Dennises returned to Ecuador when Brother Dennis was called into the temple presidency.

“Those years blessed our lives as we worked alongside our missionaries and with local leaders and members. We’d had many sacred experiences there and those feelings came flooding back,” she said. “It was hard to hold back the tears during our day in Guayaquil.”

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