News Release

Tonga’s First Ever Congregation For Young Single Adults is Organised

Young members filled with gratitude and excitement

Young single adults in Tonga met this past Sunday to worship the Saviour together in their new congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated exclusively for young people from ages 18 to 29.

Tonga resident Henry Liutai was called to be the lay leader (bishop) of the Liahona Young Single Adult (YSA) Ward in the Nuku’alofa Tonga Liahona Stake. (A stake is a group of congregations.) He said that during his time serving as bishop he hopes he will be able to grow closer to the Saviour through this new challenge. He feels that his relationship with Christ has already grown just today by accepting this calling.

“This new ward will be a wonderful blessing for the young adults in our area,” said Bishop Liutai. “I can spend my time working with each young person, training them to be leaders, especially with achieving their goals.”

Bishop Liutai said their ward is going to focus on missionary work by helping to spread the restored gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the island. He also hopes to help the young single adults in his congregation come closer to Christ.

Members of this new congregation are excited for this opportunity to meet others of the same faith and to help grow the Church in Tonga.

“It is such a beautiful and historic thing to be part of and I can’t wait to enjoy this ward together with my fellow YSAs,” new member Eric Tautua’a said.

Melissa Piei said she is “beyond happy” and has been looking forward to working with the leadership of the ward and everyone else.

Maheikau Na’a said the new ward is “awesome and exciting.”

Another member, Bradford Kalonihea, said he was happy to see all the new faces there today. “It’s exciting! It makes me want to dress up for church now seeing all the young single adults. Who knows, maybe I’ll find my future wife here?”

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