Over 1,800 teenage members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came together this month to serve widows, children and others throughout Tonga.
The occasion was a multi-stake (multi-congregation) youth conference over three days, 17-19 June, held on the campus of the Latter-day Saint-owned Liahona High School, next to the faith’s Nuku’alofa Tonga Temple.
The youth prepared, packed and distributed 1,000 lunch packs to students at 10 primary schools.
They also delivered 100 baskets of food and other home supplies to families experiencing difficult circumstances, including several widows.
The packs included items such as soap, toilet paper, flour, rice, sugar and crackers. The recipients were recommended by local Latter-day Saint bishops (lay congregational ministers) based on their understanding of the needs of members of their flocks.
- Tonga Youth Conference
- Bishop's storehouse service project
- Bishop's storehouse service project
- Bishop's storehouse service project
- Bishop's storehouse service project
- Bishop's storehouse service project
- Youth Conference
- Tonga Youth Conference
- Tonga Youth Conference
- Tonga Youth Conference
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
According to one youth leader, “The widows who received gifts from the youth could not help but express their gratitude through their tears, which planted a special feeling in the hearts of both the giver and the receiver.”
The same youth leader observed: “The youth experienced first-hand the counsel of [Latter-day Saint] President Thomas S. Monson, when he said, ‘We are surrounded by those in need…We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.’”
“They witnessed the power of blessing others and rescuing souls by following the divine mission of Jesus Christ to minister to others.”
The youth also visited the Ofa, Tui and ‘Amanaki Center (Love, Faith and Hope Center), a school for young disabled children; and the Alonga Disabled Center for Adults. The young people presented gift baskets of personal items and food supplies, and performed musical items to entertain their new friends.
Church leaders Elder ‘Aisake Tukuafu, President Samisoni Uasila’a and President Leitoni M. Tupou encouraged the youth to study the gospel by reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They also urged them to apply in their daily lives the teachings of Christ found in the scriptures.
The final activity of the conference was a picnic held at Kolovai Beach where the teens enjoyed the beauty of nature, made new friends and strengthened their bonds of friendship.