Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Apia donated blood to the Samoa Red Cross over the Easter season.
Jason Joseph, a Latter-day Saint leader in Apia, said the group of Church members who participated were prompted to serve others in this way by the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.
| 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 |
The collection ― which took place at the Moto’otua National Hospital ― netted eleven units of blood.
“It’s a nice beginning,” Jason Joseph says. “We hope to do more.”
A spokesperson for the Samoa Red Cross Society told the Samoa Observer newspaper, “This initiative means a lot to us and we are very appreciative towards the efforts made by the LDS Church today. This will give us supplies of blood that may be needed in case of emergencies that may occur.”
At this month’s annual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church president, Thomas S. Monson, said: “We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey.” [Read or view his entire address here.]
Read more about the Church’s humanitarian, welfare, self-reliance and community service efforts.