The two leaders met at the royal palace in Nuku’alofa.
The Tongan royal family and nobles are Free Wesleyan Christians and 62 percent of the population has membership in the LDS Church.
"It's important for us to be able to thank leaders for the privilege of religious freedom in their country," President Nelson said after emerging from the white, shiplap-sided palace.
"It's a really precious aspect of governmental relations to allow the people to have the ability to practice the religion of their choice."
