LDS Church establishes Nuku'alofa Tonga Capital Stake [1]
Friday, December 15, 2017 - 21:54. Updated on Saturday, December 16, 2017 - 11:58.
The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints has established a new stake in Tonga, the Nuku'alofa Tonga Capital Stake, opened with a ceremony on 19 November at the ‘Atele Indoor Stadium.
President of the new stake is Ian Claude Tuihalangingie, to be assisted by Anau Vuna Hala (First Counsellor) and Daniel Fredrick Taumoepeau (Second Counsellor).
Present at the opening ceremony were LDS leaders and public figures. Elder Craig A. Cardon from the United States, told guests that church was an important way of uniting families in holy communion.
“No matter our other responsibilities in the Church or in life, our family responsibilities and living the gospel in our homes are the priority."
A Mormon stake is a group of several congregations (Churches). The LDS church in Tonga comprises of 21 stakes (136 congregations in 32 branches). There is only one Mormon temple in Tonga, and according to the 2011 census, there are 18,554 Mormons in Tonga.