Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught Latter-day Saints in the northern Dominican Republic to anchor their lives in Jesus Christ and “stand in holy places and be not moved” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:8).
“I testify to you today that Jesus Christ is truly the King of kings. He knows no political boundaries. He is the Prince of Peace,” the Apostle said.
Elder Rasband delivered the message during a special conference on Sept. 13 at the auditorium of the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, including members from the Santiago East, Santiago South and Santiago North stakes, along with government officials and community leaders, reported the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
During his visit to Dominican Republic, Elder Rasband was accompanied by Elder Edward Dube of the Presidency of the Seventy and members of the Church’s Caribbean Area presidency — Elder Valeri V. Cordón, who serves as president, Elder Hugo Montoya and Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt — all General Authority Seventies.
The special conference in Santiago capped a weekend of ministry in the area. Days before, Elder Rasband and other Latter-day Saint Leaders met with Haitian missionaries and members in the border city of Dajabón, Dominican Republic.
During his conference message, Elder Rasband taught that the home, chapels and temples can each become places of spiritual strength, peace and protection. He encouraged members to share the gospel, participate in family history work and attend the temple. The Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple was dedicated in 2000 and a temple for Santiago was announced in October 2024.
Elder Rasband expressed love for the members and invited them to deepen their relationship with the Savior.
“The more you come to know the Savior, the more you will love Him. Study His teachings; read the Book of Mormon,” he said. “The more you know Him, the more you will love Him; and the more you love Him, the greater your desire to serve Him will be.”
Draw closer to God
While Elder Rasband met with members from the stakes in the Santiago de los Caballeros area, Elder Dube met with members of the Puerto Plata Dominican Republic Stake in another special conference, reported the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
Elder Dube invited members to reflect on their decisions and on the personal process of drawing closer to God.
“Do you know how God feels about the decisions you have made up to this point?” he asked.
Elder Dube encouraged the members to persevere, even as they work to overcome personal challenges.
“Do not stop coming to His Church because of a habit you have not yet given up,” he said. “Even good habits take time.”
‘Dinner for 10′
On Sept. 12, Elder Corbitt presided over a gathering of government, religious, educational and media leaders — an event called “Dinner for 10″ — designed to strengthen community ties as Santiago prepares for the construction of a Latter-day Saint temple.
Elder Corbitt was accompanied by Elder Luis Daniel Santana, an Area Seventy.
“We are very grateful to our friends from the government and business sectors, from other religions or no faith at all, from civil society and from the media. Thank you all for this dialogue, which has been fantastic and inspiring,” Elder Corbitt said in the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom article. “Ultimately, what matters most is family and the values we share.”
Deputy Mayor Mariana Moreno of Santiago said her administration is committed to working with religious organizations: “We are all united to build a better Santiago.”
Preserving stories
On Sept. 16, Elder Cordón led the fifth annual gathering between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Dominican media professionals, centered on the theme of family history and generational legacy.
At the event, Elder Cordón invited journalists and media representatives to explore their own roots through audiovisual resources and family history activities, reported the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
“Each person has a story that began long before their birth. Knowing those who came before us — their sacrifices, their values and the decisions that shaped their lives — helps us better understand who we are and the legacy we have received,” he said. “By preserving those stories, we also give future generations the opportunity to know their roots and strengthen their family ties.”
Elder Cordón encouraged journalists — who spend their careers telling the stories of others — to look inward and discover the lives behind the names in their own families.
The program also featured a presentation by Miguel Bueno, a FamilySearch manager, on the free family history tools offered by the Church-sponsored nonprofit organization.
