Church Continues Steady Growth in West Africa
 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently organized the Kissy Sierra Leone Stake. A stake is a group of congregations or wards, generally about three thousand to five thousand members in five to ten congregations.

This was the 79th stake created in West Africa since the Church was first introduced in 1978.

Hundreds of Latter-day Saints and their leaders gathered on June 18, 2017 to participate in the organization of the new stake. This historic meeting was presided over by Elder Marcus B. Nash, First Counsellor in the Africa West Area Presidency (the senior governing body of the Church in West Africa). He was accompanied by Elder Idyo Raymond Egbo, Area Seventy, newly appointed to that office on April 1, 2017 (an Area Seventy is a local ecclesiastical leader who supervises multiple stakes).

During the meeting, Idrissa Turay was named as president of the Kissy Sierra Leone Stake. The other members of the new stake presidency include James E. Diawo as First Counsellor and Augustine Moseray as Second Counsellor.

President Turay shared his personal feelings about the Gospel of Jesus Christ with firmness. He also told members of the new stake, “My dear brothers and sisters, we are not called only to be leaders of this stake; we are called to be your servants. We are here to serve each of you with love, devotion and faith.”

During his remarks, Elder Marcus B. Nash elaborated on the calling (or assigning) of leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Saints. He drew an example from the holy scriptures of how Samuel was called as a leader from among the people. Elder Nash emphasised the message that spiritual leaders are called of God.

“I want you all to know that we followed the exact protocol that was used anciently,” said Elder Nash. “Elder Egbo and I prayed and asked God to know who among all those that have been interviewed, was to be chosen to serve at this time. I testify that God has called these brothers to serve you.”