John S.Tanner, president of Brigham Young University-Hawaii, met with Elders Ian S. Ardern and K. Brett Nattress, of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday May 29.
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President Tanner is accompanying the Brigham Young University-Hawaii Concert Choir. The choral group is about to start a tour of New Zealand and French Polynesia to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the arrival of missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific.
The meeting covered a historical review of the role the Church has played in emphasizing education among its members, as well as the Church's education-related goals for the future.
Over the years, there has been a strong connection between BYU-Hawaii and Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific.
Elder Ardern confirmed the Church's commitment to educating its members, and stated: "the Pacific Area and BYU are linked at the hip in our determination to ensure that education is made available to every willing member of the Church."
"We see education as the stepping-stone to opportunity."
President Tanner emphasized the importance of life-long learning.
"Education literally means to lead out," he said. "It helps people move out of the circumstances where they are, to have greater opportunities and greater appreciation for life."
The choir's first performance will be Thursday, 30, May, 7:00 pm in Kerikeri at the Turner Centre.
Find dates and locations of the group's performances here.