President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has longstanding ties to the three countries in which he recently served, meeting with the president of Germany and dedicating new stake centers in Austria and the Czech Republic.
The Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday, May 28, at historic Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, to dedicate stake centers on consecutive Sundays: May 24 in the Salzburg Austria Stake and May 31 in the Prague Czech Republic Stake.
President Uchtdorf, who grew up in Germany, raised his family and worked as a pilot and executive for Lufthansa before going into full-time church service, has previously met with the country’s president in 2003 and 2018.
A native of the Czech Republic, he organized the country’s first stake in Prague in 2016 while serving as first counselor in the First Presidency. And nearly 30 years ago, as a General Authority Seventy and president of the Europe West Area, he joined the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in organizing the Salzburg Stake.
All three events came together late and quickly. “The dedications in Salzburg and Prague, the meeting with the president, it was as if someone had planned it,” President Uchtdorf told Church News.
“I’m sure there’s someone in charge, and I’m sure someone who knows all of this is above all the God of the universe, the God of Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, the United States, and everywhere else.”
President Uchtdorf and Steinmeier met just five days after Ehrentag, a national day of civic engagement and volunteerism commemorating the adoption of the German Constitution Grungesetz on May 23, 1949, to discuss service and volunteerism.
Steinmeier said he admired the church’s ability to encourage faithful involvement among young members in Germany and abroad and support their role in the community, according to a release from the church’s European newsroom.
President Uchtdorf said the German president has a spirit of service. “He believes that serving for any reason – whether it’s for your neighbor, your friends, or your community – and that selfless service without expecting anything in return is at the heart of democracy.”
The apostle spoke to Steinmeier about the ministry within and by the church, not only in Germany, where there are more than 42,000 Latter-day Saints in about 150 congregations, but around the world. Their service includes volunteering in their communities, serving as unpaid local leaders and teachers, assisting refugees, and caring for people in need. He also outlined JustServe, a church service platform that is not yet fully operational in Germany.
President Uchtdorf emphasized the principle of serving others with the right motives, saying, “And our motive is to follow Jesus Christ.”
He presented Steinmeier with a small replica of the Christus statue, stressing that “our motive is to convey the message of Jesus Christ reaching out, accepting and helping others.”
Mosiah 2:17 also said, “When you serve your fellow man, you are only serving your God.”
President Uchtdorf also gave Steinmeier a small crystal model of the Salt Lake Temple and invited him to visit during the temple’s open house and celebration in 2027.
The long conference also included Secretary of State Dorte Dinger, Ambassador Wolfgang Silbermann, and Elder Michael Ciesla, a German-born General Authority Seventy who will join the European Central Area Presidency in August.
President Uchtdorf dedicated the new Salzburg Stake Center in conjunction with the May 24 multi-ward sacrament meeting.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of our faithful members who are building The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here,” he later posted on his social media accounts. “Much of what has been accomplished is the result of the quiet dedication of His disciples, both visible and invisible, who followed the Savior with humble and steadfast faith.”
The new Prague Stake Center is a dedication to coincide with a special stake conference on May 31st and will also serve as a community center. It is planned that public nonprofit organizations and groups will hold cultural, educational, social, and sporting activities at the stake center and surrounding grounds.
