Meeting reflects Church growth in East African land
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A solid foundation for the Church is being established in the East African nation of Kenya, according to Elder Richard P. Lindsay, president of the Africa Area.
The Church was registered in Kenya Feb. 25, 1991. Just a year later, more than 200 members and investigators gathered at the new Parklands Branch meetinghouse for four over-flow sessions of the first Kenya District Conference. Members from five newly organized branches attended.The Kenya Nairobi Mission was organized in July 1991 with Larry Brown as its first president. Since that time, more than 30 missionaries - young elders from West African nations and mature couples from the United States and Canada - have been called to serve in the Kenya Nairobi Mission.
"Several members traveled all night by train to attend the conference sessions, which began on Saturday," Elder Lindsay said. "They waited nearly seven hours for conference meetings to begin, stayed overnight with Church members in Nairobi and, when conference sessions were completed on Sunday, ate their few mangoes they had brought with them, drank fruit juices and enjoyed food other members shared with them, and rode all night Sunday to return to their homes. These members, some who spoke only Swahili, mentioned the joy in meeting freely with a large assemblage of fellow Latter-day Saints."
District Pres. Joseph Sitati, a convert to the Church in 1985 and a supervising engineer by profession, conducted the sessions of the conference. He had recently traveled with his wife and five children 2,000 miles to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple. (See related article on this page.)
Pres. Sitati, the first member from Kenya to receive his endowments in the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, spoke of the incomparable blessings he and and his family received, and encouraged members to prepare themselves for temple covenants.
"In early 1991 my wife, Gladys, and I promised the Lord that before the year was over we would go to His holy House," he said. "In a miraculous manner the way was opened up for us to be able to fulfill our dream."
After the conference, 11 adult investigators were baptized members of the Church. Elder Lindsay said, "The conference was one of the most memorable and spiritual of the Church held in Africa."
