Mission guide

Papua New Guinea Daru Mission

The Papua New Guinea Daru Mission serves Western Province from the island town of Daru.

  • Tok Pisin
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Papua New Guinea Daru Mission Heart Map design

Papua New Guinea Daru Mission shirts

Every style made for this mission, printed when you order.

Papua New Guinea Daru Mission T-Shirt in Solid White, front view

Papua New Guinea Daru Mission T-Shirt

$29.00

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Papua New Guinea Daru Mission Heart Map shirt in White: Papua New Guinea outline with a red heart, front view

Papua New Guinea Daru Mission Heart Map Shirt

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I Glory in My Jesus, in the language of this mission

2 Nephi 33:6 as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.

I Glory in My Jesus shirt in Tok Pisin on White: “Mi givim glori long Jisas bilong mi”, 2 Nifai 33:6

I Glory in My Jesus Shirt – Tok Pisin

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I Glory in My Jesus script shirt in Tok Pisin, white ink on Dark Chocolate: “Mi givim glori long Jisas bilong mi”, 2 Nifai 33:6

I Glory in My Jesus Script Shirt (White Ink) – Tok Pisin

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About the mission

The Papua New Guinea Daru Mission covers the whole of Western Province. Daru is the provincial capital and sits on an island near the mouth of the Fly River, close to Torres Strait.

Tok Pisin is the mission language. Kiwai, including South-West Coastal Kiwai, is also spoken around Daru.

At a glance

Country
Papua New Guinea
Main city
Daru (15,142 people in the 2011 census)
Time zone
Papua New Guinea Time (UTC+10)
Climate
Tropical savannah, with heavy rainfall most of the year and a drier period from July to October
Church in Papua New Guinea
46,583 members, 96 congregations, 2 missions
Congregations
33 wards and 63 branches

A short history of the area

Luis Vaez de Torres visited the location of present-day Daru in the 1600s. Daru was established in 1884. The original inhabitants were the Hiamo, Western-Central Torres Strait Islanders from Yama in the Torres Strait.

Daru is now the capital of Western Province and is located entirely on an island of the same name. The town is near the mouth of the Fly River and is served by a small airstrip. It has a tropical savannah climate with heavy rainfall for much of the year.

The Church here

  1. 1961Some Latter-day Saint missionary work took place in Papua New Guinea.
  2. 1980Sustained Latter-day Saint missionary work began, including preaching in Port Moresby.
  3. 1981The Church received legal status in Papua New Guinea.
  4. 1991Missionaries arrived in Daru in July after residents asked for missionaries. The Daru Branch had 160 members three months later.
  5. 1999The Daru Papua New Guinea District was organized.
  6. 2010More than 1,700 people attended a district conference in Daru, including travelers who came down the Fly River by canoe.
  7. 2011The Daru Papua New Guinea Stake was created, with Tom Songoro as stake president.
  8. 2019President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple to be built in Port Moresby in October.

Temples nearby

Brisbane Australia Temple

Dedicated June 15, 2003 · About 1425 miles from Daru

The Book of Mormon here

Missionaries in this mission share the Book of Mormon in these languages. Tap a cover to read it free.

Tok Pisin Read it free →

Cover art is an illustration. Links open the free edition on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Before you go

Phrases to learn

  • Gutpela moningGood morning
  • Yu stap gut?How are you?
  • Tenkyu truThank you very much
  • PlisPlease

Foods to try

  • Mumu (meat, vegetables, and other foods cooked in an earth oven)
  • Kokoda (fish marinated in lime and mixed with coconut cream)
  • Saksak (sago dumplings, often served with fish or meat)
  • Kaukau (sweet potato, a common staple food)

Fun facts

  • Daru town is located entirely on an island that has the same name.
  • Daru is only 3 meters above sea level and is 440 kilometers from Port Moresby by air.
  • The town is near the mouth of the Fly River, just north of Torres Strait and Far North Queensland in Australia.

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