This weekend members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Waikato will mark the 126th anniversary of missionaries first landing in Aotearoa.
- LDS Conference held at Huntley Chapel - early 1900's
- Missionaries at Marae - 1854
- Members in 1936
- Maori women at Hui Tau, Waikato - early 1900's
| 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 |
Church member Heke-i-te-rangi Broadhurst told radio station Waatea 603AM that "Maori Mormons will visit important sites in the Waikato, including the site of the first wooden chapel built in Huntly."
"The people in the area were receptive to the original missionaries from Salt Lake City, Utah," she added, "particularly in light of King Tawhiao's prophesy of a true church coming for his people in the Waikato."
The report on Radio Waatea 603AM adds: "The celebrations also include a Gold and Green Ball and a wananga discussing the historical significance of the Church."
Read more about Latter-day Saint history in New Zealand here, and worldwide, here.
Images courtesy of Sister Rangi Parker