Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with approximately 1,100 members and friends of the Church in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, as part of a ministering tour of the South Pacific. Elder Gong is travelling with his wife, Sister Susan Gong.
During the devotional, Elder Gong shared a message of faith, hope, and discipleship in Jesus Christ. Elder Gong thanked those in attendance for the opportunity to greet everyone one by one.
DOWNLOAD“My name is Gerrit Walter Gong,” he told the congregation. “Gerrit is a Dutch name, Walter is an American name, and Gong is a Chinese name.”
“We each have a name. Treasure your name. Bring honour to your name,” he said. “Especially, because each one of us has the name of Jesus Christ upon us when we are baptized and partake of the sacrament. He lets us call ourselves by His name.”
“We can pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ,” Elder Gong said. “The Book of Mormon teaches us that when we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, the Father will hear our prayers. Please pray every day. Please treat other people kindly. That is a kind of prayer, as well.”
“It’s wonderful that there are so many Christian people in the world,” Elder Gong said. “We have five special gifts that have come to us from Heavenly Father to bless us in the latter days.”
Elder Gong speaks at a devotional in Honiara Solomon Islands 18 August 2026.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speaks at a devotional in Honiara, Solomon Islands on 18 August 2026.© 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Elder Gong said, “One gift is the gift of the First Vision. God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared on the earth. They have glorified bodies and They are two distinct personages.”
“A second gift in the Restoration is the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ and something we can hold in our hands and read every day. Just read one verse at a time, and if you can, read it out loud.”
He said, “A third gift of the Restoration is the holy priesthood of God. We can act and do things because we have God’s authority to do so.”
“The fourth gift of the Restoration is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” he said.
“The fifth blessing is the holy temple. In temples, families are united forever.”
“God is our Father, Jesus is the Christ, and there is a living Prophet on the earth, President Dallin H. Oaks. Priesthood authority is restored and holy temples are restored, so every blessing God has for us, we can receive.”
Elder Gong testified that “the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and always true.”
Elder Kevin R. Duncan, General Authority Seventy, is travelling with Elder and Sister Gong. He is accompanied by his wife, Sister Nancy Duncan.
Elder Duncan shared how he gained a witness of Jesus Christ.
“When I was a teenager,” he said, “for some reason, I don’t know how I came across it, but I found a Book of Mormon. I started reading that book, and my life changed. I found in that book of scripture my Saviour Jesus Christ.”
He shared how people around the world are finding truth in the Book of Mormon, even by reading just one page. “I witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God,” Elder Duncan said, “and another testament of Jesus Christ. It points us to Jesus Christ.”
Elder Hans T. Boom, General Authority Seventy and a member of the Pacific Area Presidency, said that many people have questions such as, “Will I be married? and “How will I support my family?” He said that the Book of Mormon contains answers to these and many other questions.
Elder Boom declared that if we keep God's commandments, He will keep His promises to us. Quoting from the Book of Mormon, he said, “Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God, ye shall prosper in the land.”
“God has kept His promises to me,” he said, “in keeping a roof over my head and food on my table.”
“God has not forgotten those upon the isles of the sea,” Elder Boom said. “All He asks is that we keep His commandments.”
Sister Susan Gong said, “Life has chapters, just like a book. And, just like a book, you don’t know what your next chapter will be like.”
She talked about her dear friend and sister-in-law, [also named] Susan Gong, and the lessons she taught her in the last few months of her life.
Sister Gong said that her sister-in-law taught her that when life is hard, “you are never really alone.” She also taught her that relationships matter, every day is a gift, and that the Lord blesses us with miracles.
She testified that Jesus Christ came to earth to help all of God’s children to “learn, grow, and come back” to heaven.
Sister Nancy Duncan said that the greatest things we can do in this life will be “within the walls of our homes.” She encouraged the Solomon Islands Latter-day Saints to love, teach, and serve their families.
Sister Marjan Boom encouraged those in attendance to be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord. She invited the Saints of Solomon Islands to lift, strengthen, and encourage those around them.
Elder Gong's visit to Solomon Islands is one stop on a broader tour that includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji.
Throughout his ministry, he is meeting with members, local leaders, missionaries, and friends of the Church, strengthening faith, and encouraging individuals and families to draw closer to Jesus Christ.
Many participants at the Honiara devotional said the gathering strengthened their faith and provided encouragement as they seek to follow Jesus Christ in their homes, workplaces, and communities.
Khalil Polyn, who is not a Latter-day Saint, was invited to attend the devotional by a friend.
She said, “Today was about learning something, and I felt a strong feeling pass through me. I want to find a way to maybe become a member of the Church. Today I learned about kindness, love, and how to teach the gospel. I learned new things today. Thank you for inviting me."
Nelson Nanama, a local member of the Church of Jesus Christ, said, "I learned a lot from the messages shared today. I feel like the Spirit is with me."
John Junior Hoisei, another Solomon Islands Latter-day Saint, said, "All the speakers talked about Jesus Christ and how the gospel brings joy to individuals and families.”
Steward Kausimae, a recently returned missionary who served in Papua New Guinea, said, "I liked Elder Gong's message. What stood out to me was when he said that the gospel is true, it's always true, and it always will be true."
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a long history in the Pacific and continues to grow throughout the region.
Across the Pacific Area, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, and other Pacific nations and territories, there are approximately 629,700 members worshipping in more than 1,300 congregations.
Worldwide, the Church has more than 17.8 million members, with 32,000 congregations in countries and territories across the globe.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ through faith, service, worship, strengthening families, and caring for those in need.
About Elder Gerrit W. Gong
Elder Gerrit W. Gong has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since 2018. As one of the senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he travels throughout the world ministering to members, building relationships with communities, and sharing messages centred on Jesus Christ, faith, families, and service.