Joining the event included Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyễn Trọng Thừa and Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vũ Hoài Bắc.

During the reception, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang welcomed Apostle Roland Rasband to visit Vietnam for the first time. He shared that many delegations from the LDS Church have visited Vietnam for strengthening the understanding between the LDS Church and Vietnamese agencies tasked with religious affairs and promoting the friendly relations between Vietnam and the United States.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that Vietnam pursues a consistent policy of respecting and ensuring people's freedom of belief and religion as well as the equality among religions, creating favorable conditions for people, including foreigners legally residing in Vietnam to practice religion in accordance with the law. Vietnam has successfully organized big international religious events, including three times successfully hosting the United Nations Day of Vesak, the General Chapter of the Dominican Order, and “Loving Spring” Program organized by Vietnam Protestant Churches and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in March, 2023.

He also highly appreciated charity programs launched by the Vietnam LDS Church in Vietnam since the Church was granted the operation registration certificate in 2019, as well as expressed hope that the Church and its members would continue observing the Party and the State’s guidelines and policies and actively contribute to humanitarian projects in Vietnam, contributing to promote fine relations between Vietnam and the United States.

For his part, Apostle Ronald Rasband shared with the host activities of the LDS Church in the world and Vietnam. He spoke highly of the Vietnamese government’s policies for respecting and safeguarding religious freedom and the fine relations between the LDS Church and Vietnam.

The Apostle expressed hope that the Vietnamese government would continue creating favorable conditions for LDS Church to implement charity projects in Vietnam in the coming time.

PH