During her ministry in three countries in Eurasia, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson saw humanitarian efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and met with new and pioneer members.
“The tenacious faithfulness of the Saints in Eurasia is the standout memory of my visit there,” President Johnson said. “They are small in number but just huge in heart, love, kindness and care for one another.”
The ministry assignment took President Johnson to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Georgia from Feb. 28 to March 7.
President Johnson was accompanied by her husband, Brother Doug Johnson, and Elder Aleksandr A. Drachyov, Area Seventy and president of the Eurasian Area, and his wife, Sister Julia Drachyov, according to a report from the Church’s Europe Newsroom.
Caring for children in Kyrgyzstan
Alia Gomersal, one of the first members of the Church in Kyrgyzstan, said it was a great honor to meet and welcome President Johnson in Bishkek. She accompanied her to see several of the Church’s humanitarian efforts.
“I was deeply touched by her sincere interest in people,” Gomersal wrote to the Church News. “She did not simply observe the projects — she truly wanted to understand the real needs of the people, listening carefully and showing genuine compassion and care.”
They went to an orphanage where President Johnson interacted with the children “with great warmth and tenderness, showing sincere concern and heartfelt compassion,” Gomersal remembered.
President Johnson said in the Europe Newsroom report: “We had the opportunity in that orphanage to be with the children and, in some cases, pick up some of the children. They stood with their arms outstretched, wanting us to grab them and lift them up. And that was a tender opportunity to wrap our arms around those dear children.”
The Church provided industrial-sized washers and dryers and financial assistance to the orphanage. The Church has also given humanitarian assistance to a children’s hospital where newborn babies with serious medical conditions are receiving care.
“It was very moving for me to see how Sister Johnson showed deep empathy and kindness toward these little patients and great appreciation for the medical staff who care for them,” Gomersal said.
The Church has also provided materials to train how to care for babies born with respiratory issues. The project has enabled training for staff from 35 medical facilities in Kyrgyzstan, including 60 health care professionals. In addition, 200 maternity departments have been equipped with basic resuscitation equipment.
Gomersal said the experience left a strong impression on her.
“President Johnson’s visit strengthened and encouraged me and reminded me once again how important it is to continue serving, supporting one another and sharing kindness with those in need.”
A puppet show in Kazakhstan
The Church is growing in Kazakhstan, with several Latter-day Saint congregations and a new meetinghouse in Almaty, the country’s largest city.
In Almaty, President Johnson attended a puppet show at an orphanage performed by missionaries.
“It’s a way to teach children about healthy habits,” President Johnson said in the Europe Newsroom report. “It was a way for [the missionaries] to serve and bring hope and relief to those children.”
Marianna Gyrina said the missionaries also play soccer and volleyball with the children.
“The boys treat the missionaries like good friends,” she wrote to the Church News.
The visit from President Johnson “brought so much joy” that day, Gyrina said. “The meeting on a spring morning touched the hearts of everyone present. When we part as friends, we will keep the memory of the children who lit up our hearts with joy for a long time.”
Teaching and ministering in Georgia
President Johnson concluded her ministry in Tbilisi, Georgia, which is one of the world’s oldest Christian nations. There she saw other humanitarian efforts and visited Latter-day Saint families in their homes.
“We met with a dear sister and her 7-year-old daughter, who is preparing to be baptized. Her very young husband had recently passed away from a heart attack. We felt the Spirit in abundance in their home,” President Johnson told Europe Newsroom.
She also sang with grandparents and their two granddaughters in their home: “They were expressing their testimony and confidence in Jesus Christ through their music.”
In Tbilisi, she also spoke at a devotional for Relief Society sisters and saw the women ministering to each other.
“I love these people, and I am inspired by them,” President Johnson said. “I feel like I can dig a little deeper. I can be a little bit more tenacious in my [own] faithfulness. It was inspiring to witness their commitment to living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Editor’s note: A previous version identified Alia Gomersal as the first member of the Church in Kyrgyzstan. This has been corrected to identify her as one of the first members of the Church in the country.
