In a new video posted to Facebook and Instagram about his recent time in South America, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a look at what an international assignment looks like.
He outlined the travel and various meetings that were a part of his three days in Huancayo, Peru. He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Susan Bednar.
“We have been to Peru many times and are always happy for the opportunity to return to this marvelous country and to be with these remarkable people,” Elder Bednar said.
Elder Bednar showed some of his schedule — leaving Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 22, and arriving in Huancayo on Friday, Aug. 23.
There, he met with Huancayo’s general manager in the city offices on Friday afternoon, giving him a copy of the Book of Mormon and speaking with him about how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be building a house of the Lord in the city — the Huancayo Peru Temple.
The video showed Elder Bednar and Sister Bednar meeting with two youth hosts for that evening’s Face to Face devotional. Then, Elder Jorge T. Becerra, General Authority Seventy and president of the South America Northwest Area, and his wife, Sister Debbie I. Becerra, joined Elder and Sister Bednar to meet with two young men at the Mantaro Peru Stake Center.
“We talked to them about their questions and concerns to help us prepare for the devotional,” Elder Bednar said.
The devotional that evening was broadcast to the four countries in the South America Northwest Area.
The video continued by showing the events on Saturday, Aug. 24 — a meeting with full-time missionaries in the Peru Huancayo Mission in the morning, and then four hours of leadership training and instruction in the afternoon and evening with ward leaders from eight stakes.
“I enjoyed counseling with them, asking questions and answering their questions about how we can help people to come unto the Savior,” he said.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, Elder Bednar presided at the Mantaro Peru Stake conference — where many members had started standing in line at 5 a.m. to get a seat in the meeting.
In the afternoon, Elder Becerra and Sister Becerra joined Elder Bednar and Sister Bednar to meet with three couples before a devotional for married members.
“It was a remarkable blessing for Sister Bednar and me to be among the Saints in Huancayo,” Elder Bednar said.
While the video showed the weekend’s meetings in Huancayo, Elder Bednar was not finished with his 10-day ministry assignment. He went on to speak to the Seminario Sudamericano conference in Lima, Peru, then teach and minister in Cusco, Peru, and finished with several days of meetings in Guayaquil, Ecuador, before returning to Salt Lake City.
This is the third in a series showing more behind-the-scenes aspects of an Apostle’s life. In August 2023, Elder Bednar posted a look at a day in his life in the office. In November 2023, Elder Bednar shared what an assignment looks like with a video from central Utah.
