Go light the world with love

AS American songwriter Christopher M Rice wrote in the famous hymn, Go Light the World, there is a candle in every soul. Some are brightly burning while, sadly, some are ‘dark and cold.’
The dark and cold, for whatever reason, need to be relit. And what better time than the season that is upon us to light the world with love.
The Church of the Latter-day Saints of Jesus Christ is reaching out to those within their communities this Christmas. It is doing this through various themes and suggested activities under the Light the World with Love in the month of December.
Each day of the month is allocated to a specific theme or thought in line with the ‘spirit of Christmas.’
The calendar opens the first day of the month with the theme Let your love shine. “Jesus expressed love for others. Share a ‘Top-3 things I love about you’ message with at least three people. Then tag them on the social media and invite them to do the same.”
Today, December 17, the theme to ponder on is Secret Shepherd. Who has been a shepherd for you, lovingly guiding you through life? Highlight them privately or publicly.
The church exhorts believers to follow the example of Jesus Christ to help someone feel seen, included and cared for. Whether it is a family, a member of church, a neighbour, or someone you’ve never even met. Together we can light the world with love.
Although the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been in here for a long time, many Papua New Guineans, Christians, among them, are not aware that they are another Christian denomination.
Members of the church are better known as Mormons and they are perhaps best identifiable by their young, smartly-dressed young missionaries going around in groups or pairs, and their neat church buildings and clean church grounds.
As part of its reaching out agenda, the church’s Port Moresby district president Tavia Elini Kinikini and his leaders met media personnel during a luncheon last Friday, Dec 10.
Among the leaders were a two young returned missionaries, Jalini Jeyapathy and Tinirau Omae who have served in the Philippines and Fiji respectively.
Omae said in an interview later that the more than two years of mission work in Fiji has greatly benefitted him personally has he has returned a matured man, physically and spiritually.
He is currently working with the church district’s welfare and self-reliance activities. He has also helped in a lot of the church’s charity activities in communities along the Hiritano Highway in Central.
The church has been engaged in communities providing individuals and families with social services like education as well as person skills in personal finances, starting small businesses and job searches.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in PNG has two districts in Lae and Port Moresby headed by district presidents who are spiritual heads, like bishops of dioceses in other denominations.

•  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also called Mormonism, traces its origins to a religion founded by Joseph Smith in the United States in 1830. The term Mormon, often used to refer to members of this church, comes from the Book of Mormon, which was published by Smith in 1830. Use of the term is discouraged by the church. The church is characterised by a unique understanding of the Godhead, emphasis on family life, belief in continuing revelation, desire for order, respect for authority, and missionary work. -Encyclopedia Britanica