Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints addressed approximately 1,500 students at Liahona High School in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, on Monday 20 February, 2017.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Elder Renlund’s wife, Sister Ruth Renlund; Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Quorum of the Seventy; presiding bishop of the Church, Bishop Gérald Caussé, and his wife Valerie Causse; Elder O. Vincent Haleck of the Quorum of the Seventy and his wife Peggy Haleck; Elder ‘Aisake Tukuafu of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy and his wife Lose Tukuafu.
A large student choir greeted the visitors and opened the meeting with Latter-day Saint hymns.
Elder Renlund spoke to students about how to use questions to build faith.
“Doubt is not a precursor of faith,” he said. “It doesn’t lead to faith. An honest question can lead to faith, but don’t ask in doubt because that man who doubts is the one that wavers.”
- Liahona High School, 20 February 2017
- Elder Dale G. Renlund Liahona High School 20 February 2017
- Elder Donald L. Hallstrom Liahona High School Tonga 20 February 2017.
- Bishop Gérald Caussé Liahona High School, Tonga, 20 February 2017
- Liahona High School Students 20 February 2017
- Liahona High School 20 February 2017
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Sister Renlund told students about her grandparents, who taught at the school about 50 years ago. In her remarks she also emphasized to the youth that, like planting a seed, decisions always have consequences.
“If you want to be a person of great knowledge, you need to plant the seeds of good study habits today,” she said. “If you want to be a person of great spiritual strength, you need to plant the seeds of testimony today. If you want to be a person of great compassion, you need to plant the seeds of kindness in your life today.”
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom talked about the spiritual purpose of the school.
“Our expectation of this glorious opportunity of being students at the Liahona High School is that we not only gain an understanding of the world and of disciplines in the world, but more importantly that we become converted unto the Lord,” he said.
Bishop Gérald Caussé encouraged the youth to turn to God for answers to questions and for help in their lives.
“If you place your faith in God for all of your life, you will see His hand in your life,” he said.
Liahona High School is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Watch a video of the press conference after Elder Renlund was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: