Continuing a series of visits between leaders of the LDS Church and the president and first lady of Peru, Sister Carol F. McConkie, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, and Sister Sharon Eubank, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, met with the first lady of Peru, Nancy Lange Kuczynski, in Lima, Saturday, October 14, 2017.
Following historic and devastating floods that plagued Peru earlier this year, members of the LDS Church along with Mormon Helping Hands went to work assisting those displaced by the flood, shipping food to Peru, and cleaning and rebuilding destroyed areas.
The first lady expressed to Sister Eubank and Sister McConkie her gratitude for the service of the Mormon Helping hands, particularly that of the youth.
“Most remarkable for her was to see their enthusiasm and unity in their work. She hopes that all of the youth of Peru can feel that kind of joy and satisfaction in their work and in service for others,” says Sister McConkie, who gave the first lady youth Church booklets to share with her 17-year-old daughter, according to Mormon Newsroom.
“She was very candid and shared her challenges, her hopes and her efforts on behalf of her family and her country,” said Sister McConkie, according to Mormon Newsroom.
In a video conference with President Henry B. Eyring earlier this year, the president of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, told President Eyring, “The purpose of this call is to thank The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the help it provided in a time of emergency that our country recently experienced—along with the sacrifice of the Church members and volunteers who [served] where they were needed,” according to LDS Church News.
The first lady added, “Words alone are not enough to thank the Church for all it has done during this emergency."
In September, the president of Peru requested a meeting with an LDS Church leader, and Elder Dallin H. Oaks met with President Kuczynski. About the meeting, Elder Oaks shared that President Kuczynski “is a great admirer of the Church” and is grateful “for what the Church is doing to help Peru through our many members in that country,” according to theDeseret News.