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    2 November 2020 - Christchurch, New Zealand
    News Story

    Elder Ardern Announces Church Leadership Changes in Christchurch, New Zealand

    Thanks outgoing leaders and their families, pays tribute to all who serve in local leadership callings throughout the Pacific Area

    Elder Ian S. Ardern, Pacific Area President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wrote the following after overseeing the releases and callings of Church leaders in the Christchurch New Zealand Stake on Sunday 1 November, 2020.

    Today I had the assignment from President M. Russell Ballard (stake conference assignments come to the Seventy from President Ballard, acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) to reorganize the wonderful Christchurch stake. Please read Doctrine and Covenants 107: 38 to better understand why I received the direction to reorganize the stake. You will find it insightful.

    Stake Presidents normally serve between seven and nine years and then a release is considered and approved by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency. It is preferred that the counselors serve for the entire tenure of the Stake President but that does not always happen.

    President Jared Ormsby and President Uliki Pongia.
    Brother Jared Ormsby and President Uliki Moea Pongia.© 2020 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

     

    The photo shows Brother Jared Ormsby (the taller of the two) who was released today after nine and a half years of faithful service as the Stake President and President Moea Pongia the new Christchurch Stake President. They are standing at the Christchurch stake vegetable gardens which were originally developed after the earthquake damaged chapel that stood there was demolished. The ‘baton’ has passed from one to another by priesthood authority and the work will continue in the Lord’s vineyard.

    When you next offer your prayers, I invite you to give thanks for your stake/district presidency and to think of one thing you could do to better sustain them and then act upon it.

    I also pay tribute today to the wives of all our 141 Stake Presidencies and 36 District Presidencies throughout the Pacific Area. Thank you for your unfailing support of your husbands. You are each a lesson in how we can support others in their Church callings.

    May the Lord continue to bless you.

    Elder Ardern

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