"Beauty with a Purpose" is the theme for the 2016 Miss World New Zealand competition—something that comes naturally for one of the finalists, Ariel Pearse. This coming Saturday evening, 4 June, the 2016 Miss World New Zealand pageant takes place in Auckland’s Sky Tower. Ariel is one of 12 finalists competing for the crown.
She was born in Auckland and raised in Wellington for most of her youth. Her family later moved to Australia. “My family is still living in Brisbane. They are a huge support to me. We are really close.”
Each finalist has her own talents and strengths Ariel says. One of her own strengths, noticed by other contestants, is her calm confidence.
“Yesterday one said to me it must be comforting knowing that you have someone [God] that is always supporting you. She was feeling stressed. I wasn’t sure why she said that to me, as I didn’t remember ever talking to her about it. Then I remembered months ago answering a question asked by a pageant presenter who was trying to get to know me. She must have overheard.”
About a year ago Ariel returned from serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Australia.
Ariel studied film and video at the Queensland Academy for Creative Industries and is featured in a series of short video spots produced by the Church titled “Making a Difference.”
The videos are being released via the Church’s Pacific Area Facebook page and will later be posted to the Church’s Pacific area website. In the first video she shares her feelings on serving as a missionary for her church. In the second she speaks of the importance of seeking an education. She shares her feelings on the value of modesty in both attitude and dress in the third video, and on the temple in her fourth video.
In addition Ariel has posted a new video on happiness:
And one one service:
After Miss World New Zealand is crowned Saturday evening, Ariel will know how soon Ariel can get back to pursuing her academic, business, and personal goals full time.