News Release

Ireland:  Land of Saints, Scholars and Missionaries

Twenty six potential missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered in the Rosetta Building in Belfast to participate in a Missionary Preparation weekend.  Young Adults from Dublin, Belfast and Limerick came together for an intensive spiritual missionary weekend under the direction of the Church Educational System Seminary and Institute teachers.

Several of the participants have already received mission calls: Elder Daniel Peacock in the China Hong Kong Mission and Elder Warren Lynch serving in the Alpine Germany Mission. Sister Rebecca McKenna has also received her call to the Greece Athens mission.

All of the participants enjoyed a full agenda of classes, companionship study and spiritual experiences throughout the 3 day missionary preparation course.  Following the Sunday testimony meeting several students felt it was now time to see their bishops and branch presidents in order to submit their mission papers.

All three stake and district presidents, President T Murphy, Ben O’Farrell and Jim McCrudden, attended the classes and expressed their love for the students from their area.  One student, a convert of 3 months, travelled for 5 hours by bus and train to get to the course.  He later expressed his gratitude to be able to attend the classes as he felt his testimony for missionary work grow.

Elder George Donaldson and Elder Clifford Herbertson, Area Seventies, also attended the weekend speaking with the young adults and sharing testimonies and feelings of the call to serve.  Elder Donaldson, who is the Director of Studies, and Luke Kerr, a Seminary and Institute coordinator, led the students in all the elements of the Missionary Preparation course.

As the students participated in all the classes they found the ' Preach My Gospel' manual a wonderful spiritual tool that will help them teach as the Saviour would want them to.  All felt inspired as they discussed and sought direction on how they could invite Heavenly Father's children to repent and be baptised and return to Him once more.  Many felt they would encourage others to take the opportunity to come to the preparation course."

The front row leaders from left to right are,  President Jim McCrudden, Belfast Stake, Elder Herbertson , Elder Donaldson, President Tom Murphy, District President Limerick, President Ben O'Farrell, Dublin Stake President

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