The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo refers to
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church) and its members in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
(DRC). As of 2019, the LDS Church reported 68,871
members
Member may refer to:
* Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon
* Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set
* In object-oriented programming, a member of a class
** Field (computer science), entries in ...
in 211 congregations in the DRC,
[ making it the third largest body of LDS Church members in Africa, behind ]Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
and Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
. Currently, the DRC ranks as having the 16th highest LDS growth rate among countries of the world, with an annual growth rate of 13 percent.
History
The LDS Church was first recognized in Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
in 1986. That year the first missionaries began preaching in Kinshasa
Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
. The establishment of the church was aided by the Banza family, who had joined the church while studying at a university in Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
, Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. The third petitioner to establish the church that year was Nkitabungi Mbuyi, who had joined while studying in Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and subsequently served as a missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
for the church in England before his return to Zaire. The church has grown quickly since then, with the first stake
Stake may refer to:
Entertainment
* '' Stake: Fortune Fighters'', a 2003 video game
* ''The Stake'', a 1915 silent short film
* "The Stake", a 1977 song by The Steve Miller Band from '' Book of Dreams''
* ''Stakes'' (miniseries), a Cartoon Netw ...
being organised in 1996.
Since establishing itself in the country, the LDS Church has played a large role in providing humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people who need help. It is usually short-term help until the long-term help by the government and other institutions replaces it. Among the people in need are the homeless, refugees, and ...
services in the nation. This has involved installing clean water distribution systems in areas where sanitation and water are low.
In 2011, it was reported that the church had reached a total of 100 congregations in the DRC.
By late 2019, the church had 22 stakes and one district as well as several branches directly under missions in the DRC.
Missions
Temples
On October 1, 2011 the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple
The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president ...
was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was an American religious leader, author, and the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, he was considered by adherents of the re ...
. On February 12, 2016 ground was broken for the temple in a ceremony conducted by Neil L. Andersen
Neil Linden Andersen (born August 9, 1951) is an American religious leader and former business executive who serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was sustaine ...
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
. The temple was dedicated by Dale G. Renlund
Dale Gunnar Renlund (born November 13, 1952) is an American religious leader and former cardiologist who serves in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He has been a general authority ...
on April 14, 2019.article on Kinshasa Temple dedication
/ref> On April 5, 2020, the Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple was announced by church president Russell M. Nelson
Russell Marion Nelson Sr. (born September 9, 1924) is an American religious leader and retired surgeon who is the 17th and current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Nelson was a member of the LDS Church ...
, with another to be built in Kananga announced on October 3, 2021.
See also
*
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) was introduced to Ghana in 1962. It was officially organized in 1978, following announcement of the revelation on priesthood. As of 2021, the LDS Church reported 96,508 members in 341 co ...
*Religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christianity is the predominant religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. , the US State Department reported that roughly 96% of the population are members of Christian denominations (of which nearly half are Roman Catholic, nearly ha ...
*Christianity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christianity is the majority religion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is professed by a majority of the population. The number of Christians of all denominations in the Congo is estimated at over 63 million by the Pew Research Center, ...
References
External links
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Official site
Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple
at ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christian denominations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christian organizations established in 1988
Congo