A Letter from Africa to the Latter-day Saints of the Pacific Area

The following letter was written by Elder Ian S. Ardern and Sister Paula Ardern soon after their recent arrival in Nairobi, Kenya. The Arderns are from New Zealand, and for the last five years Elder Ardern has served on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Pacific Area Presidency. He is now assigned to serve on the Africa Central Area Presidency.  

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Dear fellow Pacific Saints,

With our departure from the Pacific, Sister Ardern and I have enjoyed reading kind comments from so many of you. Thank you.

We were happy to go but sad to leave and that is expected, as it is always difficult to leave those you love. Our experience has taught us that our greatest happiness is found in being on the Lord's errand, wherever it takes us. On this occasion, it has taken us to the Africa Central Area.

We were met at the Nairobi Airport with a warm welcome by a few members and taken to our home. We were not long there before we were back at the airport for a flight to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where we attended and spoke at a delightful FSY conference. I think the photo tells a better story than my words could express but let me say how nice it was to, yet again, see and feel a love for the Saviour and His restored Church from the youth, in such a distant place from what we called home for the last five years.

As so many of you are, the Saints in Kenya are looking forward to the completion of a temple. In Kinshasa, DRC, we were able to visit the beautiful temple there.

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We send our love and share again our witness of Christ as our Saviour and of His restored Church.

Arohanui,

Elder and Sister Ardern

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