Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tonga awakened at 4:00 a.m. on January 17 to watch the special worldwide broadcast from Salt Lake City announcing that Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, would succeed Thomas S. Monson as President and Prophet of the Church.
A press release by Elder Asiake K. Tukuafu invited all media outlets to attend the broadcast at one of the Church’s buildings near the Liahona High School. One of the media outlets in attendance, TV Tonga, interviewed two Church members, Sione ‘Ofa Taufa and Alipate Hala-ki-Langi Matelau.
Kapilon Lea’aevai Savou, Vice Principal of Saineha High School in Vava’u, said “It was a wonderful experience for my family to be up early to watch as the announcement of the new Prophet was made. My wife and I looked over at our daughter and our 5 and 6 year-old sons as they watched the Prophet speak to us and saw how happy it made them feel. This was an experience and feeling our family will never forget.”
Savou went on to say how happy his family were to be able to watch the broadcast in a small island in the South Pacific. He expressed gratitude that technology has come so far to make this possible for them.