Every October, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the Pacific are encouraged to participate in an Area-Wide Day of Service. This community outreach is being observed in Perth, Australia, to Papeete, Tahiti and everywhere in-between.
Under the direction of the Pacific Area President for the Church, Elder O. Vincent Haleck, this day of service is an opportunity for families and individuals to work together for the benefit of their neighbourhoods and communities. It is about striving to follow the example of Jesus Christ.
Often wearing yellow “Helping Hands” vests, participants have been seen planting cuttings to conserve coastal dunes, painting fences, cleaning and weeding grounds for the Australian Refugee Association, organising food drives, and cleaning pathways around a Buddhist temple. These are just a few examples of the types of service activities undertaken each year.
Of the experience in Brisbane, President Esben Strodl stated, “An important part of our teachings is to serve others and to be good friends and neighbours within the community.”
Whether in organised groups or as individuals, members use this opportunity to go about “doing good” (Acts 10:38).
Participants are encouraged to use the hashtags #ServingInThePacific and #DayOfService in social media posts related to the event.
Look for upcoming articles about the Pacific area-wide day of service in mormonnewsroom.org.au from the 2018 day of service on 27th October, 2018.