Missionary Work
As Missionary Work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) progresses, this page will record updates.
Cameroon and Rwanda Dedicated for Missionary Work
In August of 2009 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the countries of Cameroon and Rwanda for the preaching of the gospel. Elder Holland is the first known apostle to visit the two nations. Elder Holland's Africa trip took him to seven countries in all, with the other stops on his itinerary being Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Elder Paul E. Koelliker of the Seventy and Africa Southeast Area president accompanied Elder Holland during his travels.
Elder Holland dedicated the country of Cameroon on August 21, 2009, on a green hillside overlooking Cameroon's capital city of Yaounde in the company of local church leaders. Later in the day, approximately 600 people gathered to hear Elder Holland speak at Yaounde's City Center.
Elder Holland dedicated Rwanda on Aug. 27 during a sacred moment on the top of a mountain overlooking the capital city, Kigali. Elder Holland's Africa trip began in Ethiopia, where he spoke to missionaries and held a large fireside. He then presided over a stake conference in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Kinshasa DR Congo Masini Stake was split to create the Kinshasa DR Congo Kimbanseke Stake — DR Congo's eighth stake. Nearly 2,700 members gathered in two meetinghouses with the conference being broadcast from one location to the other over a local cable channel. At the stake conference, 56 men were sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Elder Holland then took advantage of a layover in Nairobi, Kenya, to disembark and speak to the zone leaders of the Kenya Nairobi Mission. In Uganda, Elder Holland presided over a meeting of 1500 Latter-day Saints. Also in Uganda, Elder Holland paid a visit to the New Hope for Africa school and orphanage. Nearly 150 orphans ages 4 to 17 live at New Hope for Africa, where the Church is providing new living quarters and other supplies for learning. Elder Holland's travels wound down with a district conference Aug. 29-30 for the Mutare Zimbabwe District. Elder Holland called Africa "one of the bright, beautiful emerging frontiers of the Church." [1]
