70 young people, ages 14-18 years, traveled nearly 4,800 kilometers, from their homes in New Caledonia to Tahiti, to participate in a special youth conference held in August 2023.
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President Moetai Brotherson with youth group from New Caledonia.2023 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The New Caledonians received a warm welcome from the President of French Polynesia, Moetai Brotherson.
The country’s leader commended the young people for living according to their faith in Jesus Christ.
He told the youth that “faith is significant to the development of French Polynesia and to other Pacific nations.” People of faith understand the importance of “love for their neighbor and for their country.”
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| 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 Brotherson said that the government’s “association with cultural and religious organisations are important” for teaching “moral and civic values,” so the younger generations can “learn how to be good and kind and grow up to be good parents.”
The teenagers responded by singing the 2023 youth theme song, “I Can Do All Things Through Christ,” for the French Polynesian President.
President Jean-Olivier B. Smatti, a New Caledonian Church leader, said, “There are strong bonds between New Caledonia and French Polynesia.”
“Many of our youth have roots in French Polynesia. It was also the Latter-day Saints from Tahiti, who brought The Church of Jesus Christ to Noumea more than 50 years ago,” he said.
New Caledonian youth had the opportunity to worship in the Papeete Tahiti Temple.
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| 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 |
For the past year, the teens have been studying their family histories and discovering the names of family members who died without being baptized.
In an offering of love, youth entered the Tahiti Temple, and were baptized on behalf of their ancestors.
Nathalie Blum, president of the Young Women’s organisation, said, “We worked with the youth on this goal to come to the temple, for a year. We have had to make sacrifices but there is so much joy to witness the result of being here in Tahiti and attending the temple.”
Latter-day Saints believe that life continues after death, so those who have died are aware of the baptisms and can choose to accept them. Learn more about baptisms for the dead here.
The youth conference activities helped the teens to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ, build friendships, and experience joy through service.