Participants Encouraged to Learn About Themselves and Others at Two-Day Education Event in Hamilton

A weekend of learning was presented this past Friday and Saturday (12-14 February) at the beautiful campus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Temple View, just outside of Hamilton, New Zealand. The event was open to Church members and friends of other faiths.

The program, called “Education Week,” was organized by self-reliance groups of the Church in central and northern New Zealand. 

Classes and lectures on topics in personal development, parenting, starting a business, learning to be self-reliant and improving marriage relationships were presented over the weekend.

Other speakers talked about the vital role of Māori in the growth of the Church in New Zealand, and the value of learning about the stories of one’s ancestors. The complete program for both locations is available at www.nzeducationweek.co.nz. Video presentations will also be posted here for later viewing.

The organizers of the event were Moses Armstrong and Arama Puriri who manage the Church’s welfare and self-reliance programs in New Zealand. 

They cited the importance of seeking learning throughout our lives in order to become more self-reliant in our families and strengthen our communities: “…seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine & Covenants 109:7).

Armstrong shared his learning experiences as a young man from a farming family going to the Church College of New Zealand where he gained confidence that he could learn. That experience set him toward a career in finance and a lifelong interest in learning. 

Learning to be accepting of others and following the Spirit of God to gain understanding were keys presented by Arama Puriri as he talked about why he felt the need for Education Week. 

“I believe that education is a religious responsibility and it begins in the home,” he said. “We can create an environment where education is important.” 

Attendees were from many parts of central New Zealand, with one group making the long journey from Whanganui to Hamilton in a rented van. 

One of them was Kakawa Pari, a young woman who is studying business and psychology. She liked Paul Kewene-Hites class on entrepreneurship. 

“Along with learning about business, I really felt the Spirit when he shared with us his background and personal struggles and how he overcame them.” 

A young woman named Tiana said she attended the business startup workshop because, “Church members know how to communicate with each other and that’s what I need to learn for my business right now.”

“I loved the calibre and humility of the teachers who were there to help us learn,” said a young mother who attended on Saturday. 

Another feature was the first ever dedicated music component that included a selection of some of New Zealand’s best musicians. They led workshops, tutorials and mentored participants in their fields of expertise.  Workshops included composition, performance techniques, vocal and instrument training. The group finished their work by holding an impressive performance on Saturday night that gave participants the chance to perform with their mentors and show off their new skills to an appreciative audience. 

"I realised that these musicians recognise that their gifts are given from above," said Mele Foua. "As a result they share their knowledge in a humble, loving way to help those of us who would like to develop our gifts. I felt so blessed to be there."

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