Pacific Youth Gather for Virtual Devotional

Teenagers from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the islands of the South Pacific took part in a first-of-its-kind virtual devotional on Sunday evening 25 October 2020.

Due to New Zealand being at COVID-19 Level 1, social distancing was not required by those attending the devotional in Auckland.

Elder Ian S. Ardern, Pacific Area President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presided at the devotional and spoke to the young people. Elder Ardern was accompanied by his wife, Sister Paula Ardern.

Also in attendance at the devotional were Elder K. Brett Nattress, First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, and his wife, Sister Shawna Nattress; and Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, Second Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, and his wife, Sister Tazuko Yamashita.

Joining from the United States via video call were Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, Young Women General President, and Brother Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President, who also spoke.

The entire devotional can be viewed on the Church's Pacific YouTube channel. In approximately two weeks it will be posted on Pacific Area Church channels in the French language.

The devotional included a youth panel with young people in a studio in Auckland, New Zealand sharing insights and testimonies regarding the Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood themes. Two youth also spoke during the devotional.

In her remarks, Sister Cordon said she loved the words “I will strive” and “I will” from the youth themes, as they are “action words.”

Quoting from President Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she said: “You are among the best the Lord has ever sent to this world. You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation.”

Sister Cordon referred to the 2020 youth music video, “Go and Do,” which was filmed in New Zealand.

She reviewed 1 Nephi 3:7 (The Book of Mormon) with the youth, emphasising that if we follow Jesus Christ, who is “the Way,” that He will provide us with “a way” to accomplish all the important things we need to do in our lives.

After Sister Cordon’s remarks, Sister Blanche Vila, from Melbourne Australia, sang the 2020 youth theme, “Go and Do.”

Brother Steven J. Lund, General President of the Young Men Organisation of the Church, also spoke to the youth.

He said that when President Nelson called him to be the General President of the Young Men, that the Prophet emphasised that youth had the opportunity to play an important role in the gathering of the House of Israel, as the Church and the world prepared for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Brother Lund invited the youth to always have a temple recommend, even when many temples are not open at this time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He read from the Book of Moses (Pearl of Great Price), stressing that the Lord helped Moses understand who he really was ─ a child of God, with a work to do.

“If you choose to, you can become one with the greatest who ever walked upon the earth,” he promised the young people.

“There is a God in Heaven, and He loves you, He really does.”

A youth choral group sang an interlude, “Be Like Him.”

The final speaker was Elder Ian S. Ardern. He listed some of the challenges that he understood youth in the Pacific were experiencing, such as financial, health, education, family and friendship issues.

“We must overcome, to become, what the Lord intended us to be,” he said.

Speaking of Nephi, from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Elder Ardern said, “We can have affliction, yet, be highly favoured of the Lord.”

He shared the story of Amanda Barnes Smith, a pioneer in the Church, whose family and friends were victims of a massacre at Hawns Mill, Missouri, USA in 1838.

Notwithstanding her many challenges and trials, Elder Ardern said that the early Church member relied on prayer and faith to help her move forward with courage.

He concluded: “The youth themes are an invitation to a way of life. Trials are a part of life. Do not see them as stumbling stones, but as building blocks. The Lord hears our prayers. We must stand and fear no more; and be the helping hands of the Saviour, in reaching out and lifting others.”

Elder Glenn Burgess, Area Seventy, conducted the devotional.

A youth choir from Nuku'alofa Tonga Liahona Stake sang "Called to Serve" for the opening song of the devotional.

A youth choir from Pesega, Samoa sang “Choose the Right” as the closing song.