Clouds of potential rain hovering above the bustling city of Port Moresby scattered as the early afternoon approached. Sunshine broke through as thousands of members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived at the Sir John Guise Stadium and in stake centres across the nation for an evening devotional with Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as he declared, “The Spirit of God is upon your country.”
He was accompanied by his wife, Kathy, Elder Edward Dube of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Naume and members of the Pacific Area Presidency.
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Elder Andersen expressed the love of President Dallin H. Oaks, Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The First Presidency and The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and bore testimony of the prophetic mantle held by President Oaks. “He is a prophet,” testified Elder Andersen, “He is who we claim him to be.”
An opportunity worth the journey
Members and friends of all ages were acknowledged and thanked for making the time and the sacrifice to join together. Elder Andersen recognised that some came by bus and by foot. Many others also arrived by Public Motor Vehicles (PMVs), dinghy, or plane. Some travel took minutes, some travel took hours. But for nine individuals, their travel took days. Young single adults from Oro Stake, led by Watson Maliota, left Popendetta on Sunday to traverse the arduous 90km hike through the rugged Kokoda Trail to Port Moresby.
Brother Maliota remarked, “We wanted an opportunity to meet with an apostle of the Lord.” He noted the vision shared by Elder Andersen and the accompanying quote strengthened him. “These are they who have overcome the world. These are they who have truly been born again,” shared Elder Andersen. “I will remember that as we make our way back home,” Brother Maliota said.
Reminding us of making our way back home, Elder Andersen taught that worshipping in the House of the Lord will help us understand why we are here upon the Earth and who we are. “You are actually His son and His daughter,” he explained. “Central to all of human history is Jesus Christ. In the temple, we learn of His special role to help us return to our heavenly home.”
“Are we excited?”
Elder and Sister Dube encouraged those in attendance to prepare to serve in the soon-to-be dedicated Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple and to hold a current temple recommend. “Heavenly Father‘s and Jesus Christ’s ‘joy is full’ because of the choice you make when you attend church, minister and prepare to enter the temple,” said Elder Dube. Sister Dube invited all to “Prepare now to go into the temple.”
Brother Egbert and Sister Nama Moi of Kilakila Ward in Port Moresby Stake. “The message for us is to prepare to go to the temple. We want to go to the temple to be endowed and we are currently preparing,” they said.
The pioneers of Papua New Guinea
Elder Andersen recognised the pioneering efforts of the members whose faith in Jesus Christ has blessed and will bless many others. “You are pioneers here in Papua New Guinea. There will be hundreds of thousands, millions of members. If the Lord gives us time, there will be many temples.”
Noting the impact education has on pioneers and the next generation, Elder Andersen encouraged, “We need to learn how to read, how to write, how to do mathematics. We need to be educated. The education of our daughters is as important as the education of our sons. Those of us who know how to add, subtract, [and] read must teach our children. This is what pioneers do. Do not neglect education,” advocated Elder Andersen.
Elder Andersen concluded by sharing his testimony of Jesus Christ. “He is Our Saviour, Our Redeemer, the Great Jehovah. He will come in clouds of glory,” he witnessed.
Sister Andersen bore her joint witness. “I join my testimony with yours that Jesus is the Christ,” she testified. Elder Andersen expressed how all Saints are the same. “I love you. Your heart is like my heart. We love the Saviour. We love His gospel.”