Saints in Liberia
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
When Liberian saints drove onto the grounds of the Accra Ghana Temple in the wee hours of the morning on Monday, Feb. 28, they had been on the road nearly four days and through 25 police checkpoints. Two of the police checkpoints kept them overnight.
President Toby W. Tweh of the Monrovia Liberia Stake spoke for all when he said: "As we pulled through the gates and saw the lights of this beautiful temple, we had great joy in our minds and our hearts. We had been working on this event for over a year and here we were. We had succeeded."
The members of the West African nation of Liberia have more than succeeded. This longed-for trip to the Accra Ghana Temple by 47 adults and 11 children in two buses is symbolic of the faith of members enduring years of civil strife and civil war — which included the ousting of their country's president in August 2003. Two months previously, because of the conflict, the full-time missionaries had been evacuated.
When the dust began settling and two factions signed peace accords that August, the residents of the capital of Monrovia, including members of the Monrovia Liberia Stake, began returning to homes emptied by looters. Church records show 3,500 members on the rolls of the only stake in Liberia. But civil strife scattered many throughout West Africa. Those who remain are helping to rebuild their country through their industry and their faith in the gospel.
"The saints in Liberia are still facing many challenges," said Elder Sheldon F. Child of the Seventy and president of the Africa West Area during a telephone interview, "but their faith is strong and missionary work continues. Even without full-time missionaries, the ward missionaries are teaching the gospel to their friends and neighbors and are having convert baptisms monthly."
During an interview in Salt Lake City, Isaac Ferguson, area welfare manager, who is stationed in Ghana but who has traveled frequently into Liberia since September 2003, spoke of the faith and sacrifice of Liberian members. No members are known to have lost their lives during the civil war, although one man was killed in a car/pedestrian accident, Brother Ferguson said. And some members have succumbed to illnesses or malnutrition that were a result of the strife.
"The gospel has had a tremendous impact on helping them to be positive," he added, saying Liberians, like many West Africans, are a "God-fearing people."
In a country where virtually no one has a wage-paying job, members are working with a local non-profit consulting organization — with the direction and help of Church welfare representatives — to build self-sustaining business ventures. (Please see perspective by Brother Ferguson on page 10.)
"What's satisfying to me is to watch the application process go on and watch the priesthood leaders and Relief Society leaders realize the strength and the power and the force they can be when they work together to make these things happen. It's very personally gratifying for me."
This strength and power of living gospel principles culminated Feb. 28 when many of these members arrived in Accra — most of whom entered a temple for the first time. They came with years of family history preparation, hopes, courage, enthusiasm, and an abundance of faith. Among the more excited when the temple doors opened Tuesday morning were Washington and Annie Tugbe. Being nine months pregnant, Sister Tugbe was eager to have this child born in the covenant. Their hopes came true.
President Amos T. Warner serves as second counselor in the Monrovia Liberia Stake presidency and his wife, Nelly G. Warner, is first counselor in the Sinkor Ward Young Women program. They have two children whom they were unable to bring. Brother Warner is the proprietor of a school and Sister Warner is one of the teachers. Brother Warner joined the Church in 1988 and Sister Warner in 1997. "We regard this trip as a crowning event of our membership in the Church," he said.
Nathanuel and Geraldine Sarvrce of The Point Four Ward expressed what most of the saints felt when they said, "We are so grateful to our God and King for this opportunity to have our temple work done. Because of so many years of civil conflict, we have been preparing to come for so long; but couldn't come."
The buses left the temple grounds a full week later for the long journey home.
Speaking of the faith of these Liberian saints, Accra temple President Grant Gunnell said during a telephone interview, "What touched me the most is that it was a three-and-a-half day bus ride from Monrovia. It was hot. They had little food. (There was) never ever a word of complaint, only gratitude to be here. It just touches your heart. It's very difficult to talk about.
"They're happy all the time. I think that has to do with the fact that they know the gospel. They have very little of the things of the world, but they have a deep and abiding faith and a knowledge of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that is where they find their peace and their security and their happiness."
President Gunnel added, "It is heart-rending to see the poverty of these people. With so many years of war in that country it is left with very little, to say nothing of any jobs. However, they are a temple-attending people. There were 647 endowments performed this week."
E-mail to: julied@desnews.com
