Namibia rising
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Eighteen LDS Young Single Adults from the Namibian capital Windhoek visited their country's Parliament on July 9 for a unique and informative mentoring experience.
The event is the first of its kind for the Church in Namibia, a country with a population of approximately 2 million people located on Africa's west coast between Angola and South Africa. In the Church, Namibia belongs to the South Africa Cape Town Mission and Africa Southeast Area.
Also, it is believed to be the first such program in a national legislature outside of Australia. Elder Colin Fragar, a full-time missionary from Australia serving in the Cape Town mission, modeled the excursion after similar events in his homeland.
Highlights of the day in Parliament included personal meetings with selected politicians, a personalized tour of Parliament, lunch with legislators in the parliamentary restaurant and recognition of the group of young LDS adults during the parliamentary session by the Speaker of the National Assembly.
According to a report compiled by Elder Fragar for local priesthood leaders, the meetings with individual politicians held great sway with the LDS Young Single Adults.
The report reads, in part: "The most consequential part of the day, which held the most weight for both the Church and the young adults, was the individual meetings with the politicians. These discussions were focused on the personal story of the politician with the youth asking such questions as, 'How did you get into politics?' 'What advice would you give to young people of today?' [and] 'What drives you?' Although a 15-minute meeting was requested, some lasted up to 80 minutes at the politicians' engrossed instigation."
The event served a threefold purpose: for the young adults to learn about their nation and its leaders; to thank politicians for what they do to lead the country; and to inform the politicians what the young adults stand for as members of the Church.
To prepare for their visit to Parliament, the young adults attended three firesides between June 14 and July 8 covering topics ranging from parliamentary procedure, the history of democracy in Namibia and appropriate ways to address politicians.
In addition to the young adults, other attendees included President Randall K. Probst of the South Africa Cape Town Mission and his wife Deanna; the Church's National Public Affairs team for Namibia; and four full-time missionaries.
