Church leaders discuss religious freedom with Vice President Pence in Salt Lake City

Aug 22, 2019, 1:42 PM | Updated: Aug 23, 2019, 6:03 am

Photo: Church Newsroom...

Photo: Church Newsroom

SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with the Vice President Thursday morning at the Grand America Hotel. The meeting tool place during the Vice President’s visit to Utah and before his speech at Merit Medical.

After their meeting, President Ballard and Elders Rasband and Gerard spoke to reporters saying that they had a conversation about the value of faith and religious liberty in America.

President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles says it was an honor to meet the Vice President. “He talked about those things that he had interest in, and we were able to share things that we are concerned about,” said President Ballard.

“We talked about the importance of religious freedom. The reality that those of faith are given the right to believe, and to say and to speak in the marketplace or the public square,” President Ballard said.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband told reports that the vice president spoke of a trilogy of faith, family and freedom.

“Those were important topics for him, for the president he stated, and are of course for us as well. And we spoke about those three principles here in this great state,” Elder Rasband told reporters.

Pence also expressed deep concern about the situation in Venezuela. The Church shares that concern and has many members in the country.

Elder Jack  N. Gerard told lreporters the men agreed on the need for greater civility in the country and world.

 

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Church leaders discuss religious freedom with Vice President Pence in Salt Lake City