“Elder M. Russell Ballard Addresses Saints in Europe,” Liahona, Dec. 2013
Elder M. Russell Ballard Addresses Saints in Europe
The faith manifested by early European pioneers is required now if Latter-day Saints are to move the Church and kingdom of God forward, said Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during a broadcast to Church members in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway.
“What will The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be 20 years from now here in your countries?” Elder Ballard said. “How will we respond to the early Scandinavian members of the Church if we cannot report that our faith, our courage, our actions were just like theirs, that we gave our best efforts to strengthen the Church in every ward, branch, stake, and district?”
The broadcast was one portion of Elder Ballard’s recent visit to Stockholm, Sweden; London, England; and Paris, France.
Elder Ballard met with missionaries serving in Sweden and spoke to young single adults in Stockholm. That meeting was broadcast to 402 meetinghouses in the Europe Area. He spoke about the importance of marriage and emphasized that the choices the young adults make about living gospel principles will determine the future of the Church. He challenged them each to either bring one person into the Church or to bring someone back to the Church by the end of the year.
Elder Ballard also addressed Church members in a Nordic conference that was broadcast to all meetinghouses in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway. The Church’s membership in the Nordic countries numbers more than 23,000 in 123 congregations.
In London, England, Elder Ballard and Elder José Teixeira, Europe Area President, met with missionaries serving in the London and London South Missions. Hundreds of missionaries listened to Elder Ballard’s testimony and felt his enthusiasm for missionary work.
In France Elder Ballard met with missionaries in Versailles. He also stopped to visit the site of the future Paris France Temple, which was announced in the October 2011 general conference.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stands among Church members after a meeting in Sweden in June.
Photograph courtesy of Church News