President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited French Polynesia last week, concluding his tour of the South Pacific.
As he has done in American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga over the last two weeks, President Uchtdorf met with Church members and missionaries, as well as government and community leaders in French Polynesia over three days, from Saturday to Monday (14-16 November).
On Sunday, a 1500-strong congregation in the Papeete Stake (or diocesan) Centre, with a further 4500 in other locations viewing proceedings via satellite broadcast, heard the remarks of Pacific Area President, Elder Tad R. Callister, Sister Kathryn Callister, President and Sister Uchtdorf, and their daughter, Antje Evans.
The impact on the Latter-day Saints was no less than that upon those of other faiths who also attended. It was Antje Evans who told the congregation and choir that they sounded like “angels”. But her words echoed the reactions of the many members of the French Polynesian government, senior public servants and leaders of other faiths who had also gathered to hear the words of a member of the First Presidency, the Church’s highest governing body.
These included the Vice President of French Polynesia, Antony Geros; Minister of Education and Culture, Jean MariusRaapoto; Minister for the Environment, George Handerson; and Mayor of Papeari, Jonas Tahuaitu, among 28 of the nation’s officials and community leaders in the overflow congregation.
On departing the chapel, Minister Raapoto thanked Church representatives for the opportunity to attend the meeting and said that he “thoroughly enjoyed President Uchtdorf’s remarks.” The adult daughters of another community leader said they came to the meeting with the specific intention to receive solace and upliftment during a time of particular difficulty faced by their family.
One guest, Celine Gouny, a young French lady from Lyons working as housekeeping manager at a holiday resort, spoke of her gratitude at being able to “hear those men of great faith. Their simple messages were clear and accessible to all.” Ms Gouny, active in her own faith, expressed the desire that “love and hope [would] continue to guide them in the Light of our Saviour.”
Ms Gouny was echoing President Uchtdorf’s remarks regarding the importance of the simple things in life. It is these – including scripture study, prayer, obeying the commandments and ensuring our families are strengthened through weekly Family Home Evenings – that can make the greatest difference to our personal happiness and feelings of personal security, said President Uchtdorf.
“If you read the scriptures your life will be very different,” he said. “Compare the impact of studying the scriptures for a few minutes each day with what two hours of television will do.”
A former mayor of Bora Bora, Taratua Teriirere, now 81 years of age, spoke of being “very touched” at the words that he heard from President Uchtdorf.
“I loved President Uchtdorf’s story of his youth and the challenges that he experienced in Eastern Germany,” said Mr Teriirere who was the first elected mayor of Bora Bora following the period when island rule was largely in the hands of village councils. He served for 20 years from 1972.
Sylvana Estall, a Latter-day Saint journalist working for TNTV, a local television network, found both humour and significance in President Uchtdorf’s description of how he and Sister Uchtdorf came to be husband and wife.
“He courted his wife over time with lots of love and patience,” said Mrs Estall. “Today’s young people do not take the time to date and get to know each other. Many base their relationships with the opposite sex on physical attraction rather than on building mutual confidence and friendship and, ultimately, true love.”
Such love requires long-term cultivation, said President Ucthtdorf. Expressions of love of a husband for his wife are particularly important. “To say to your wife that you love her is good. But the most precious expression of love is in prayer when you tell your Heavenly Father that you love your wife, and why you do so, in her presence.”
Speaking to the youth, President Uchtdorf described the great thunderstorms that he saw as he flew from the United States to the Pacific and the great beauty that they can exhibit from afar. Comparing their splendor with the temptations in life, he said that the clouds of a thunderstorm hide horror that can destroy.
“Temptation wouldn’t be temptation if it wasn’t attractive. But just as the devastation of the forces of nature can be very obvious,” so too are the results of sin. Yet, “the atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to overcome all sin, all distress and all depression. Repentance will clear the path to the temple and redemption. If there is something in your path, go to your bishop or stake president. They will help you to overcome these obstacles.”
President Uchtdorf encouraged the Latter-day Saints and others in the congregation to examine their inner lives rather than concentrate on exterior appearances. “While the outside of one of our temples is very beautiful, it is what is inside that is the most important. The same applies to us. It is not how we dress and how we look that counts. It is what is happening inside that is the most significant.”
Temples are unique in Latter-day Saint theology. While Church members hold their regular Sunday worship services and weekday cultural activities in their many chapels, their temple in Papeete is regarded as a House of the Lord where families are united together eternally, not just for this life. Because of their special nature, there are just 130 temples throughout the world.
“Many people today make their own list of commandments,” said President Uchtdorf. “They choose those they like and rationalize those that they don’t like. But I give you the same message as the apostles of old. Keep all the commandments of God.”
President Uchtdorf’s tour of the Pacific concluded November 16 with a luncheon with the President of French Polynesia, Oscar Temaru, attended at the invitation of the president. Mr Temaru toured the Tahiti Temple, the only building of its type in French Polynesia, following its refurbishment and before its re-dedication in 2006.
