Africa Area

Encyclopedia donatedJOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - The first presentation of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism in African countries has been made to the library of the University of Witwatersrand here.

Making the presentation was Elder Richard P. Lindsay of the Seventy and Africa Area president, accompanied by Pres. Charles Canfield of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, and local members who are alumni of the university, Carol de Wet Morrison and Mitchell Gohnert.

Receiving the encyclopedia set were representatives of the university, Dr. Joyce Hellig, dean of religious studies, and Clive Dolbey, librarian at the university's Wartenweiler Library.

Elder Lindsay described the set of reference books as representing the "best scholarship in every aspect of the Mormon experience accessible to both students and the general reader."

The University of Witwatersrand is a multi-racial university with some 20,000 students.

Elder Lindsay said additional presentations of the encyclopedia will be made to many other major universities in African countries, including those of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Philippines/Micronesia Area

Institute inaugurated

ANGELES, PHILIPPINES - Members here recently participated in the inauguration of the new rented facility for the Angeles Institute of Religion. The facility, occupying the third floor of the building, is fully furnished and has the latest video and audio equipment for classroom instruction.

Invited guests and speakers included the vice mayor of Angeles, Ricardo Zalamea, who emphasized the importance of religious education as a vital key in the nation's progress. Pres. Reynaldo Vergara, a former mission president in the area, spoke on spiritual education as a passport to meaningful and abundant existence and enduring success. Emmanuel Mascardo, Church Educational System area director, also spoke.

Europe Area

Concert assists Romania

WUPPERTAL, GERMANY - Funds to help renovate two orphanages and a nursing home in Romania were recently raised in a benefit concert, sponsored by the Wuppertal Ward, Germany Duesseldorf Stake.

At the concert, violinist Boris Schmitz, a native of Germany, and pianist Luba Jakimova, a native of Russia, donated their services to the charity effort. The concert, held in a concert hall, was attended by many members and non-members. For the past two years, the 10 wards in the Germany Duesseldorf Stake have gathered food, sanitary supplies, clothing and toys, and delivered them to those in need in Romania.

Funds from the concert were used to purchase construction supplies that were taken to Romania. There, stake young adults, under the direction of stake members in the construction trades, helped refurbish the facilities. The tools they used were left behind for the use of the local people.

North America Central Area

Concert uplifts, unites

NAUVOO, ILL. - More than 200 people, including missionaries, Benedictine sisters, members of the Reorganized LDS Church and local residents, recently gathered at St. Mary's Priory to enjoy an organ recital by Dr. James Welch, organist at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

The community was united and uplifted by the spirituality of the recital, said Sister Teresa Ann, Mother Superior of the Priory.

Dr. Welch, music chairman of the Santa Barbara California Stake, also performed concerts in Quincy and Havana, Ill. Publicity for the events provided a positive image for the Church in the region and newspaper coverage of the concert reached more than a million homes.

North America Northwest Area

Relief Society compiles history

BOISE, IDAHO - In connection with the sesquicentennial anniversary of Relief Society, a 12-woman committee in Boise, Idaho, has compiled a comprehensive history of the Relief Society here.

The group contacted and interviewed all but a few of the 37 Relief Society presidents who have been associated with the Boise 1st Ward, which began as the first branch in the Boise area.

Carol Ann Shepherd, current Relief Society president, headed the committee, which put hundreds of hours into compiling the history.

"We have produced a two-hour video showing a history of the Relief Society in Boise, starting from the Church's beginnings here in 1903." Sister Shepherd explained. "The video includes more than 700 photographs of past and present ward members as well as several video clips. In connection with the video the committee also compiled a spiral bound book that includes histories of the 37 presidents."

As a service project, the ward Relief Society also made baby quilts, teddy bears and pillows for abused children being placed in foster care.

North America Northeast Area

Seniors entertained

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA. - Primary children in the Colonial Heights Ward, Richmond Virginia Chesterfield Stake, recently entertained senior citizens of the Ettrick Friendship Club at a picnic meeting. The senior citizens were invited to join the children in singing the closing number, "I am a Child of God." Following the performance, the children and their parents were guests at the club's picnic.

North America Southwest Area

Missionaries given helmets

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. - Missionaries in the Scottsdale and Glendale, Ariz., area were given 45 bicycle helmets by a hospital system here.

The purpose of the donation to the missionaries, who serve in the Arizona Phoenix Mission, is two-fold, said officials of Rehab Systems - a Phoenix hospital system, which includes Meridian Point Rehabilitation Hospital in Scottsdale and Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation Hospital in Glendale.

"First, we want to provide head protection to this group of bicycle-riders who are out battling traffic on the streets on a daily basis," said Tony Martino, director of marketing.

"But we also hope to promote bicycle safety and head-injury awareness through this highly visible forum. Perhaps this will encourage others to wear helmets when riding their bicycles," he added.

The hospital system donated the helmets as part of its celebration of National Head Injury Awareness Month.

Mission Pres. Wilbern L. McDougal told the Church News: "We're very appreciative of the donations of the helmets by the hospitals. The donations have given added emphasis to our missionaries to wear bicycle helmets. Many of the members and the non-members in our mission even comment that their children will now wear helmets because of the example of the missionaries."

North America Southeast Area

Pews replaced in old church

OAK RIDGE, TENN. - Tommy Dahl, 18, and his brother Greg, 14, supplied 12 pews for an old church built in 1924 and closed in 1942, but which is being restored by community effort. The two young men originally volunteered to build a wheelchair ramp at the back of the New Bethel Baptist Church, but another community group completed that project.

The brothers then agreed to the more difficult project of building pews, and spent hundreds of hours making replicas of pews from an earlier period found in other Oak Ridge area churches.

They were assisted in their project, which was to help them earn the Eagle Scout rank, by their father, Bishop Thomas L. Dahl of the Oak Ridge Ward. The church building is not used regularly by a congregation but will house and exhibit historical information.

Utah Central Area

Fireside attracts 700

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - More than 700 people attended the traditional Filipino fireside held here each October and April, and heard an address by the first Filipino General Authority, Elder Augusto A. Lim of the Seventy.

Also participating at the fireside was Maxine Grimm, one of the early pioneers of the Church in the Philippines who addressed the group, and Nestor Ledesma, one of the first four missionaries to the Philippines, who offered the benediction.

The Silayan Filipino Chorale performed in Tagalog, and sisters in their native dress served traditional Filipino refreshments before and after the fireside.

Readers from around the world are invited to submit news items and photos for this feature on Church events worldwide. Submissions should include a telephone number of someone who can be contacted for additional information. Items should be mailed to Church News, "From Around the World," P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. Fax No. (801) 237-2121.