Senior Latter-day Saint Leader Visits the Marshall Islands

As part of his visit this week to the Marshall Islands, Elder O. Vincent Haleck, president of the Pacific Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, met with Church members and missionaries as well as government and religious leaders.

The island nation of The Republic of Marshall Islands is located near the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

He travelled to the Marshall Islands on his return to New Zealand from Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he attended the semi-annual General Conference of the Church and special meetings for senior Church leaders.

Elder Haleck was accompanied by his wife Sister Peggy Haleck, Elder Adolf J. Johansson the senior church leader who directly supports local Church leaders in the Marshall Islands, and President John F. Larkin and Sister Robyn Larkin, who lead the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission.

The group of Church leaders were hosted by Dr. Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands, at her office in Majuro where they discussed important topics of mutual interest including how to strengthen families and the current and future humanitarian assistance provided to the Marshallese by the Church.

Among other topics discussed was the Church’s growth.  There are now over 9,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Marshall Islands.

Elder Haleck presented President Heine a Christus statue and a framed copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

Elder Haleck also met with United States Ambassador Karen B. Stewart. They discussed the importance of religious freedom in Marshall Islands and across the Pacific region.  

The missionary program of the Church was outlined for the ambassador.  There are over 70 United States citizens serving as missionaries, across the Marshall Islands and Kiribati.

President Haleck presented the ambassador with a framed copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. 

As part of Elder Haleck’s ongoing efforts to reach out and seek common ground with people and leaders of other faiths, he also met with and presented a gift to Father Raymundo Sabio, Prefect of the Catholic Church in the Marshall Islands.

Important topics emphasised during the meeting were protecting religious freedom, how the family and marriage between a man and a women are central to God’s plan for His children, and caring for the poor and needy.

Father Ray expressed interest in an interfaith group Latter-day Saint leaders are in the early stages of organizing.