Public Affairs Mission

What is a Public Affairs Mission?

Many of you have been wondering what it is we are doing here in South Africa. Many of the senior couples who come here have different opportunities to serve, some may work in the mission office as an assistant to the mission president, teach seminary classes, working with ward priesthood leadership as support for a ward, lend support to the young missionaries, humanitarian work, perpetual education , or family history  to mention a few.  They all work very hard and their service is needed and appreciated here.

Our mission is unique to most senior couple missionaries.   As Public Affairs we work to bridge the community with the church. Providing opportunities for the public and community leaders to understand our beliefs, decrease misunderstandings, build feelings of brotherhood and sisterhood, so that the gospel can be taught to all who have a desire to learn.  When we have friendly relationships with the community and media sources it enables us to do more good together on projects than if we try to do it alone.   

In January we will be traveling to Port Elizabeth to train a new Public Affairs council, assist in an open house for a new building established in Phuthaditjaba ( I love saying that word),  Help with a hand over event for eye equipment  donate by the church to a hospital in Lesotho, Write an article for the  paper about a local missionary leaving for Kenya on a mission,  and have a plague and picture of Christ placed in a building that was donated by the church. 

We work by direction of the local priesthood leaders throughout the misison.  We help them achieve their objectives regarding the community such as; What are the major concerns of people in the local community and how can the Church help address those concerns?

I hope this is a help to understanding our mission call.  We are learning, and hope to improve ourselves as time passes.  We'll keep you posted.