In a presentation at the 2018 FairMormon Conference,[i] I shared stories of some of the faithful Saints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa). In this series of presentations, I would like to speak from a more personal perspective, reflecting on the meaning of that experience for Kathleen and me, and pondering some of the dynamics of numerical and spiritual growth of the Church in that country.
The series is organized into eight parts:
- Prologue: What brought us to Africa?
- Snapshot of the Church in the DR Congo
- The missionaries
- What attracts people to the Church?
- Building from centers of strength — Kisangani
- Building from centers of strength — Wagenya and elsewhere
- The temple: A light to the world
- “The labourers are few”
Part two begins with a description of some interesting and little-known facts about the DR Congo today, followed by a brief account of the beginnings and amazing growth of the Church in the country. Remarkably, even with the large number of baptisms in the mission, the retention rate of new converts is very high. Almost half of the entire membership are holders of the Melchizedek priesthood. The presentation closes with audio selections illustrating the marvelous musical talents of the people, born of their deeply felt faith, joy, and gratitude.
