The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) will break ground next week (17 September) ahead of the construction of a new stake centre in Teufaiva, Nuku’alofa.
A Latter-day Saint stake centre is headquarters for a stake, which comprises a number of congregations in a geographic location.
Construction will take approximately 60 weeks and will be completed by local contractors.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
A ground breaking ceremony will be attended by Church, community and government leaders.
The new building is the latest addition in an effort to accommodate expanding Church growth in the Kingdom of Tonga. There are approximately 30,000 Latter-day Saint congregations worldwide, 165 of which are in Tonga.
Pacific Area Director of Public Affairs for the Church, Richard Hunter, said, “As a church we are devoted to Christ, family and community. This new stake centre will help our members and friends in and around Teufaiva to practice our religion.”
“Our stake centres and other meetinghouses are wonderful, community hubs where Latter-day Saints and our friends and neighbours join together for worship services, classes and meetings on Sunday, as well as participate during the week in other religion classes and meetings. In addition, we do family history research and take part in cultural, musical, sporting, interfaith, and community service efforts regularly in these beautiful but very practical buildings.”
Elder Kevin W. Pearson, the Church’s Pacific Area President, will preside at the ground breaking service.
Watch a video of a Latter-day Saint worship service.
Take a virtual tour of a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse.