News Story

Church Leader to New Missionaries: 'Children Around the World are Praying for You'

Rosemary M. Wixom, general president of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told 81 young men and women at the New Zealand Missionary Training Centre recently that they are “prayed for by children all over the world.”

Sister Wixom, along with the Church’s general president of the Relief Society, Sister Linda K. Burton, and Elder F. Michael Watson of the Pacific Area Presidency, visited the Missionary Training Centre in Auckland, New Zealand last Friday [22 February 2013].

Sister Wixom was accompanied by her husband B. Jackson Wixom; Sister Burton was accompanied by her husband Craig P. Burton; and Elder Watson was traveling with his wife, Sister Jolene Watson.

The Church leaders are currently on a Pacific tour, visiting Latter-day Saints and guests of the Church in New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa.

Both Sister Burton and Sister Wixom have experience with missionaries, and as missionaries, as they served alongside their husbands as they presided over Latter-day Saint missions in South Korea (the Burtons) and Washington D.C. (the Wixoms).

There are currently 81 missionaries — 60 young men and 21 young women — at the New Zealand Missionary Training Centre. Missionaries come from different parts of the Pacific region, sometimes further afield, to attend the New Zealand M.T.C. before they leave for their respective missionary assignments.

In a devotional meeting with the missionaries, Elder F. Michael Watson shared brief histories of the Relief Society and Primary organizations.

Sister Burton told the missionaries that as a missionary with her husband she found that reading the scriptures brought the comfort and direction that she needed.

Sister Wixom counseled the missionaries to have confidence in the Lord. “Follow with faith and confidence,” she said.  “With His help you can do all that is required of you.”

 

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