Elder Ian S. Ardern, Pacific Area President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accompanied by his wife, Sister Paula Ardern, visited De Paul House in Auckland on Wednesday 16 December.
Elder and Sister Ardern were accompanied by Elder K. Brett Nattress, First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, and Sister Shawna Nattress; and Pacific Area Director for Temporal Affairs, Steven Peterson, and Sister LuAnn Peterson.
The group met with Jan Rutledge, Manager of De Paul House, to thank her for the charity’s ongoing work to help individuals and families experiencing difficult circumstances.
After the visit, Elder Ardern wrote the following message to members of the Church throughout the Pacific Area:
One of the privileges of being in the Pacific Area Presidency is to represent the members of the Pacific when a donation is made to a worthy cause. We always ensure that the recipients know that any donation is made possible through the generosity of the members who so kindly donate to the Church Humanitarian Fund.
The Church engages in many humanitarian projects across the Pacific which have included, this year, home chicken farming; water tank placement in remote villages; wheelchairs tailored to suit the recipients; and equipment, disaster relief and donations to school and hospitals.
Today we had the pleasure of making a monetary donation to De Paul House which provides on site emergency housing and family support to people of all denominations. Church members have previously contributed to De Paul House that most precious commodity called time, as well as bags of food, used but clean clothing, and building materials.
While there we saw, for example, a strong and sturdy fence that was constructed by Church members about six years ago. As I looked at each fencing pale on that long, wooden and weather beaten fence, I thought I saw, just for a fleeting moment, each paling representing a Church member standing strong and true, responding as a Latter-day Saint to the heavenly call to love their neighbour by word and deed.
We thank you for your kindness, and especially, in this festive season. When we see another in need, perhaps, as so many of you have already shown, we can be the hands that can help to meet a portion of the need. Sometimes we can’t do everything, but most times we can do something of worth, as small as it might be.
May the Lord's blessings be with you in this Christmas season.
Elder Ardern