Church News - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This week in Church history

Published: Saturday, June 22, 1996

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50 years ago

President Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the European Mission, attended a district conference in the Netherlands and carried out the distribution of welfare supplies in the area during the latter part of May, the Church News of June 22, 1946, reported. President Benson was overseeing welfare aid provided for members in war-torn Europe, as well as setting the branches of the Church in order after World War II.

Of President Benson's visit to the Netherlands, his secretary, Frederick W. Babbel, provided the following account: "We were pleased to note that the mission home at The Hague, which was quite seriously damaged by a V-2 bomb and resultant pilfering, has been largely restored. Additional materials needed were authorized for purchase. It is impossible to purchase any type of beds at the present time, so temporary beds were constructed from the lumber in which some of our welfare supplies for the mission have been shipped."

The article reported that although the Netherlands had a remarkable recovery following the war, the need for assistance was still acute.

Quote from the past

"Times may have changed, but good and evil haven't. Times may have changed, but human nature hasn't. Times may have changed, but the commandments of God haven't, and neither have the consequences of disregarding them." - Elder Richard L. Evans, in an address given at general conference Oct. 5, 1946.