By Sarah Stuart
In Africa, people need food, water, medical help and literacy, said Marion D. Hanks, General Authority Emeritus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In Southeast Asia, people need to strengthen their capacity to earn money and develop business skills, Hanks said.
Hanks is one of three Utah leaders who will speak at the symposium on service at Utah Valley State College’s Ragan Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
“Elder Hanks is speaking because he has helped the church move towards a direct involvement in service to people outside the church,” said Eugene England, associate coordinator of religious studies.
The symposium is for all people, and will cover how people learn and benefit through service. It begins at 8:30 a.m. and will finish around 2 p.m. Hanks will speak at 10 a.m., England said.
The symposium is partly funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in support of Mormon Studies. England said the grant is to study whether there should be a LDS studies program.
“Our feeling is people should come and see if it’s valuable to hear from people like Elder Hanks, and learn what motivates Mormons, and learn to get along with each other,” he said.
There was a good response from both LDS and non-LDS people at a conference last Spring on Mormon culture, England said.
Combining religious studies and how people learn to get along with each other through service will be covered at the symposium, England said.
“It will also take a look at how we learn as well as benefit ourselves with service,” England said.
Warner Woodworth, a professor of organizational behavior at BYU, and Irene Fisher, founding director of the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center at the University of Utah, will also speak.
