Mayor Julie Hardaker led a group of Hamilton leaders earlier this month in welcoming to the city Charles and Annette Rudd, leaders of the newly-created New Zealand Hamilton Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mayor Hardaker, Member of Parliament Sue Moroney, and other government, interfaith and community leaders welcomed President and Sister Rudd to Hamilton at a special reception at the Church’s mission office in Hamilton on 9 August.
The Latter-day Saints’ New Zealand Hamilton Mission was organized on 1 July 2013 and brings the number of missions in the country to three. The Hamilton mission covers the central North Island. Other missions are headquartered in Auckland and Wellington.
- Hamilton New Zealand Mayor Julie Hardaker and President Charles Rudd
- Mrs Sue Moroney and Mr Charles Rudd
- Charles A. Rudd and Annette Lancaster Rudd
- Hamilton Mission Reception 9AUG2013
| 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 |
President Rudd grew up on a diet of stories about New Zealand people and places courtesy of his mother and father who both lived in New Zealand for a number of years throughout their lives. His father, Glen Rudd, served as a young missionary, then as mission president and temple president in New Zealand. His mother served with his father in his second and third missions.
Speaking of the nationally-famous Christmas lighting program at Temple View, President Rudd recalls that as a young man his father sent a message back to the United States that they needed coloured lights for the temple grounds. He said that he helped purchase and ship the first set of lights for the inaugural Christmas lights event in 1985.
A Latter-day Saint mission president supervises the work of 150 to 200 missionaries serving in a mission area.
“These young people, and our senior couples, are wonderful people,” President Rudd says. “They are unpaid and serve at their own expense for 18 months to two years because they love God and love His children. They are here to serve individuals, families and communities.”
Sister Rudd added, “If you see our missionaries, please stop and say hello. They are cheerful, interesting and want to help anyone who needs help. Their service and their message — of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ — lift lives and strengthen families.”