On 29 April, members of the Dunedin New Zealand Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended a meeting where new stake leadership was announced.
Elder Ian S. Ardern, second counsellor in the Pacific Area Presidency, presided at the conference.
Members of the Pacific Area Presidency oversee the ecclesiastical and temporal affairs of the Church from Australia to Papua New Guinea, to French Polynesia and as far south as New Zealand.
Elder Allistair B. Odgers, Area Seventy, also participated in the meeting.
The newly called leader of the Dunedin Stake is President Maurice Turketo.
Called as counsellors in the new presidency are Justin Kaufana, first counsellor and Jason Mather, second counsellor.
President Jason Mather in his remarks acknowledged and thanked the outgoing presidency for their hard work and efforts on behalf of the Dunedin Stake.
Sharing an insight from President Harold B. Lee, Elder Ardern told those gathered that the most important commandment for you is the one with which you have the most difficulty.
He went on to say, “We need to establish the basics of the gospel in our children to eliminate the rust that can corrode the generational links that help bind families together in the gospel by daily prayer, and scripture study.”
Speaking to the members and guests, Elder Odgers called upon those attending to “obey commandments at a higher level.”
President Turketo told those attending, “The Lord knows each of us—he knows our thoughts and the intents of our hearts.”
A stake president is the lay leader of a stake, which is a geographic subdivision similar to a Catholic diocese.
A stake president is a man who is asked to serve as a volunteer in this position. He oversees Church programs in a defined geographic area composed of individual congregations called wards and is responsible to help the members of his stake in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ. He also oversees the activities of the bishops or ward leaders, counseling them as needed.
A stake president is assisted by two counselors and a group of other women and men in providing leadership and training to other members.
Latter-day Saints in Dunedin and around the world strive to be united in their faith in Jesus Christ, and through service to one another and to those in their communities.
Mormons believe that as members of His Church, they should give their time and talents in furthering the work of Jesus Christ.
The substantial time and effort required to administer a stake and meet the needs of the members is carried out by the members themselves.