The Newsroom Blog

Church and Community Service Comes Naturally to Ni-Vanuatu Couple

James Berry Tounguen has been named National Director of Public Affairs in Vanuatu for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

In this new role he will be representing the Church and developing relationships with local leaders in government, other faiths and the news media. 

James’ wife, Christiane Tounguen, currently serving as Public Affairs secretary, will work with her husband. Christiane also teaches in Relief Society, the Church’s women’s organization.

Church work is voluntary, so both will continue in their current employment. James works as the Sales Manager for Asco Motors Ltd, and his wife is a Language Supervisor for the Church Translation and Interpretation Department.

James and Christiane were married in 2000 and two years later were sealed in the Mormon temple in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Both joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with their families when they were children in the 1980s. They now have three children of their own, ranging from an infant to a young teenager.

Voluntary service is a way of life for Latter-day Saints.  “We’ve been serving in various callings even before we got married,” says James.  “We love serving.” 

Christiane spent time as a missionary in the Latter-day Saints' Fiji Suva Mission.

More than 7,300 members of the Church live in Vanuatu. They worship in 33 congregations across the nation.

In addition to family and employment responsibilities, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve in their congregations and communities in many ways including as leaders, teachers, music directors and youth advisers.

Browse the Blog

About The Blog: This blog is managed and written by staff of the Public Affairs Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The information here is reliable and accurate but should not necessarily be viewed as official statements from the Church. The purpose of this blog is to provide journalists, bloggers, and the public with additional context and information regarding public issues involving the Church. For official news releases and statements from the Church, visit MormonNewsroom.org.

Style Guide Note: When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online Style Guide.