MormonNewsroom.org pulls stories from its international Newsroom websites to share what leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better the communities in which they live.
Minnesota: Church Apostle Counsels Medical Graduates to Seek God
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave counsel to medical graduates recently at the college from which he received his PhD.
Elder Nelson received the award from Dr. David Rothenberger, director of surgical training in the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School
The University of Minnesota honored Elder Nelson with the Surgical Alumnus of the Year Award.
In 1947, Russell M. Nelson, third from the left in the second row, posed for a photo with the surgical intern staff of the University of Minnesota Hospitals.
Elder Nelson said, “It was really quite interesting that they should ask me to participate in graduation services exactly 60 years after I received my degree.”
Read more about Elder Nelson’s award and the counsel he gave on the News and Events page of LDS.org.
Jamaica: Organizing the Island’s First Stake
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Jamaica, where he organized the island nation’s first stake (similar to a diocese).
Jamaican Latter-day Saints.
The momentous occasion on Sunday, 8 June 2014, attended by more than 800 people, marks the second stake to be organized in the English-speaking Caribbean, following the Port of Spain Trinidad Stake in 2009.
Had a marvelous experience this weekend calling the first stake presidency in Jamaica. The future is bright. pic.twitter.com/juhgsRTPVc
— Jeffrey R. Holland (@HollandJeffreyR) June 9, 2014Elder Holland organized the stake with assistance from Elder J. Devn Cornish of the Seventy and first counselor in the Caribbean Area Presidency.
Read more about Elder Holland’s visit to Jamaica from News and Events on LDS.org.
Elder Holland also met with the president of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina Sánchez. Go to the Dominican Republic Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish) for the details.
Brazil: Apostle Participates in Religious Freedom Conference
Elder Neil L. Andersen joined other religious and government leaders in the first South American Forum for Religious Freedom and Citizenship in Brasilia, Brazil.
He praised the interfaith efforts of all entities involved in protecting the religious rights of people everywhere. “I know that we must work hand in hand, regardless of our religion, to defend religious freedom.”
Read about the meeting and those who attended on the Brazil Mormon Newsroom website (Portuguese).
Peru: Drinking Water Arrives in Peruvian Town
Residents in 21 villages in northern Peru have clean drinking water now. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints coordinated with municipal leaders for the installation of wells.
Local members of the Church also assembled cleaning kits for home use for the residents.
Read more about the Mormon Helping Hands efforts on the Peru Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).
Nebraska: Mormon Youth Cancel Annual Activity to Give Service
The opportunity to provide significant service to residents of a Nebraska city fell in the laps of Latter-day Saint youth in early June.
Baseball-size hail, wind and rain hit the city of Blair, 25 miles from Omaha, and damaged homes, vehicles and buildings and stripped trees of their limbs. Youth from Mormon congregations in Omaha were scheduled to have three days of fun activities, food, service opportunities and instruction about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, they spent 100 percent of their time helping Blair city residents clean up.
Go to Mormon Newsroom to see what the youth accomplished.
Bulgaria: Latter-day Saint Youth Strengthen Their Faith in Christ
Bulgarian teenagers, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, participated in a recent conference to learn more about Jesus Christ and the principles He taught.
The theme of the three-day conference was “Come to Christ.” In addition to studying the life of the Savior, youth had opportunities to recreate and enjoy other fun activities.
Go to the Bulgaria Mormon Newsroom website (Bulgarian) for more details.
Australia: Family Members Found
Teenage Latter-day Saint genealogists in Adelaide, Australia, have found success in their search for ancestors.
One young man, 13-year-old Jareson Barnes, didn’t think he would find many members of his extended family because his grandmothers were very experienced in family history research. He ended up finding information on 36 people in his family’s line who had not been located before.
Go to the Australia Mormon Newsroom website and see what Jareson and other Mormon youth discovered.
Guatemala: Church Leaders Dedicate Expanded Missionary Training Center
The Guatemala Missionary Training Center (MTC), one of 15 around the world, has been remodeled to accommodate more missionaries.
Elder Carlos H. Amado of the Seventy dedicated the MTC.
Since the Church lowered the age for young people to enter missionary service, more Latter-day Saints have enthusiastically answered the call to serve.
Read about the open house and prayer of dedication for the MTC on the Guatemala Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).
Nicaragua: Mormons Teach Family Values to Their Neighbors
There is no better place than in the home with the family to learn life’s most important lessons, explained Latter-day Saints to their neighbors in Managua, Nicaragua.
In celebration of family week, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened their meetinghouse to people in the community to demonstrate how to teach their children through having a weekly family night.
Mormons showed how to have an easy and fun family home evening, complete with teaching gospel principles, the sharing of talents, simple treats and singing together.
Read more on the Nicaragua Mormon Newsroom website (Spanish).