Ground for the first LDS meetinghouse in Swaziland was broken June 20, with some 200 members and leaders attending from the five branches organized throughout this nation in southeast Africa, which is flanked on three sides by South Africa.

Elder Earl C. Tingey of the Seventy and second counselor in the Africa Area presidency, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony. In his address to those gathered at the site where the meetinghouse is to be constructed, Elder Tingey quoted the 12th Article of Faith: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."He reminded members to respect the king of Swaziland, and the laws of the land, to pay their tithes and offerings and to care for the new meetinghouse where "men, women and children will be taught how to live the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home."

Pres. Peter Mourik of the South Africa Johannesburg Mission expressed gratitude for the Lord's blessings in the growth of the Church. "If you listen to the words of Jesus Christ and live by them, you will be a blessed people," he said. "This building will be a great blessing to the city, to the community."

Before the ground was broken, Swaziland District Pres. Jerome Shongwe gave a brief history of the Church in Swaziland. Church work began in the nation in 1985 with seven members from the United States who were working in Swaziland.

Enos Mavuso, principal secretary to the Minister of Home Affairs, attended the ceremony as a governmental representative of Prince Soblanda. Following Pres. Mourik and Pres. Shongwe on the program, Mr. Mavuso said: "Brethren, I am happy to have this opportunity to hear the history of the Church. I have had a lot of doubts. I had never heard of this Church but I wanted to observe you. I wanted to see if there would be any mention of God in this soil breaking. I had made up my mind that if there was no mention of God, I would get up and leave."

After thanking Pres. Shongwe for the background information on the Church, Mr. Mavuso added: "I thank the Lord that I could be here. You have five congregations. It is our prayer that the Church grows. I think that in heaven angels are happy because they know another family has been added. . . . May God shed His blessings on you and may He also bless all who are responsible for this Church, not only in Swaziland but all those in other countries who have helped to build it as well."

Two newspapers and a radio station in Mbabane covered the groundbreaking ceremony.