The Honourable Gordon Darcy Lilo, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, attended the Honiara Solomon Islands District Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday 18 November 2012. Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister, Barnabas Anga, accompanied the Prime Minister.
- Solomon Islands Prime Minister
- Elder Terence Vinson (right) presents Solomons Islands Prime Minister a copy of the scriptures.
- Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo and Elder James J. Hamula.
- Solomon Islands Mormons View General Conference on 14 October 2012.
- Solomon Islands Mormons Watch General Conference
| 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 |
Visiting authorities from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were Elder Terence M. Vinson of the Seventy, who presided, and the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission President, Larry Brewer, accompanied by his wife Maryanne. More than 200 Solomon Islands members of the Church attended the meetings.
During the service on Sunday Prime Minister Lilo spoke to the assembled members of the Church. He stated that he knew that the members of the Church were a law abiding, God fearing, freedom loving people, and he commended them for this.
He spoke of the children’s choir and the song they had sung in English and in Pijin, ‘I am a Child of God,’ and how important it is for all people to understand that we are all children of God.
He stated that the freedom we have in the Solomon Islands is a gift of God. He emphasized the importance of standing together as a nation, as one country, and one people.
He expressed his belief that it is the role of government to create a stable environment for the people, that provides freedom of religion. Members of the Church said how grateful they were for the Prime Minister to attend with them, and to speak at the conference.
President Brewer encouraged members to follow the doctrines of the Church including the 13 Articles of Faith. He emphasized that “we believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”
He also reminded members that Latter-day Saints “believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honouring, and sustaining the law.”
Elder Vinson’s message included stories from the Old Testament and their meaning and significance in our lives today. He taught of Aaron and Hur who held up the hands of Moses so that Israel could defeat Amalek. He spoke of Joshua and Caleb and of their remarkable faithfulness to the Lord.
He reminded the congregation of the widow of Zarephath who, through her faith in the Lord and her service, was blessed that her barrel of meal never wasted and her cruse of oil never failed. He encouraged all members to be faithful and serve the Lord with all their hearts.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages members to study the scriptures daily. Latter-day Saint scriptures include The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, which both testify of the Saviour Jesus Christ. During the meeting, Elder Vinson presented a leather bound set of scriptures to Prime Minister Lilo.
During the conference a new district presidency was sustained. Matthew Sauseru was announced as the new president of the Honiara Solomon Islands District of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Peter Rimou and Michael Mani as counsellors. John Kwanafia was announced as the new district clerk.