May 31, 2018
On this day when the Church is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Revelation on the Priesthood, it is appropriate to take note of how strong the Church now is here.
We have two general authority Area Presidencies in Africa. Each of them will have a black African member starting on August 1.
Of the 16-18 Area Authority Seventies who serve here, nearly all are black Africans - including one, announced in April General Conference, who was just released as President of the Gaborone Botswana Stake.
Of the presidents of the 33 (after July 1) LDS missions in Africa, over half are black Africans. Our President is obviously one of those. He is an able leader - and his familiarity with and command of the scriptures are extraordinary - among the most impressive I've seen in my 50 years of Church experience.
Many of our mission's missionaries are from this continent. Most of them are very well prepared, solid young men. Most are just a notch older than our American elders.
And most or our members throughtout the mission are also black Africans ....overwhelmingly so in most wards and branches.
Many bishops and branch presidents (including the President of the Witbank Branch (60 miles) east of our Pretoria office where my wife and I attend on Sundays, are returned missionaries. ...some just months or a few years from the mission field.
We sent one young man home to coastal South Africa a couple of transfers back who was called to the high council of his local Church district - in the same interview at which his district president released him from his mission.
We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg of Church growth on this melt-your-heart continent.
Of the 16-18 Area Authority Seventies who serve here, nearly all are black Africans - including one, announced in April General Conference, who was just released as President of the Gaborone Botswana Stake.
Of the presidents of the 33 (after July 1) LDS missions in Africa, over half are black Africans. Our President is obviously one of those. He is an able leader - and his familiarity with and command of the scriptures are extraordinary - among the most impressive I've seen in my 50 years of Church experience.
Many of our mission's missionaries are from this continent. Most of them are very well prepared, solid young men. Most are just a notch older than our American elders.
And most or our members throughtout the mission are also black Africans ....overwhelmingly so in most wards and branches.
Many bishops and branch presidents (including the President of the Witbank Branch (60 miles) east of our Pretoria office where my wife and I attend on Sundays, are returned missionaries. ...some just months or a few years from the mission field.
We sent one young man home to coastal South Africa a couple of transfers back who was called to the high council of his local Church district - in the same interview at which his district president released him from his mission.
We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg of Church growth on this melt-your-heart continent.
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