Elder Ardern Thanks Those Who Build and Maintain the Church's Meetinghouses

Elder Ian S. Ardern is the Pacific Area President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He wrote the following article—thanking those who design, build and maintain Church buildings—after visiting French Polynesia recently.

I was reminded this weekend, while visiting the Bora Bora stake in Tahiti, of the wonderful work done by our Pacific Area Physical Facilities team. There are over 900 Church buildings in the Pacific Area that they look after; some of them are in very remote locations and others sit on ocean fronts where they battle constantly with sand, wind, and sea salt.

Generally, as we arrive at our meetings, we don't give a lot of thought to all that is done behind the scenes, but there is always something being done to make our buildings functional and comfortable. Have you noticed, where needed, we are having a little more success with heating our buildings this winter?

Today, I acknowledge the good work of our Physical Facilities employees and the good work of members who clean our buildings each week. Cleaning each week is always made easier as members pick up, stack up and clean up after each activity. I smile with delight when I am in a chapel bathroom and see a member wipe down the sink bench after he has used it. Seemingly small things can make a big difference.

The photo below shows a future stake centre site in Bora Bora. Land there is difficult to find, and the legalities of purchasing it can be challenging, but somehow, our employees seem to 'get us across the line.' The members in Bora Bora are so excited at the prospect of a new and much needed building, that they cleared some of the land and the youth erected a sign (the stake president, President Moana Terripaia stands next to the sign) announcing the building.

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May we give a little prayer of gratitude for the work of so many good people who arrange rental agreements, purchase land, and design, build, furnish, maintain, and clean our places of worship, wherever they might be located.

Elder Ardern