Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple Wiki

Description

The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is a temple currently under construction in Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple.

History

Kinshasa’s first Mormon missionaries arrived in February 1986. Church services were organized in members’ homes until September of that year when the remodeled villa the Church purchased was ready to accommodate its 208 members. By July 1987, there were 300 members in the country, many of them young men and young families. Nine years after the Zaire Kinshasa Mission was established, the first stake (or group of local congregations) was organized. As of 2014, there were 37,909 Church members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 130 congregations, 11 Family History Centers. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced rapid membership growth since the first stake of the Church in Kinshasa was created in 1996. There are currently 9 stakes in the combined conurbation of Kinshasa-Brazzaville with a total of 15 stakes and 4 districts in the countries of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo. Congolese members currently travel more than 2,100 miles (3,200 kilometers) to Johannesburg, South Africa, to enjoy temple worship and ordinance work. Unreliable public transportation makes the journey to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple difficult. The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple will be a tremendous blessing to over 23,000 Church members spread throughout the vast region of Central Africa.

Announcement

President Thomas S. Monson Announced the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple During his remarks on the Saturday Morning Session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference on 1 October 2011. Plans were announced in conjunction with the announcements for the Barranquilla Colombia, Durban South Africa, and Star Valley Wyoming Temples. At the same time public announcement was made of the plans for the Paris France Temple, news of which had leaked previously that summer.^[1]Thomas S. Monson, “As We Meet Again”, LDS.org, 1 October 2011. Accessed 24 May 2017.

Groundbreaking

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple was held on Friday, 12 February 2016. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided. 800 Members plus various local leaders were in attendance.[backref name=”construction’] Attendance at the ceremony was by invitation only, with the general public invited to view the proceedings live from local meetinghouses. 

During remarks to the Latter-day Saints and members of the community, Elder Andersen commented, “This holy house will also bless the country and the people who surround it, whether or not they are members of the Church. It will be a light upon a hill, and the glory of the Lord will be upon it.” He also paid tribute to the people of Africa and of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He stated, “They are a spiritual people. They trust in God and they pray to God. Our Heavenly Father loves His sons and daughters here and answers their prayers.”

Attending the groundbreaking were a number of government and religious leaders and 800 Latter-day Saints. Members of the Area Presidency, Elders Carl B. Cook and Kevin S. Hamilton, and their wives attended as well as Elders Jean Claude Mabaya, Wembo Lono and Alfred Kyungu of the Seventy. There are more than 40,000 members and 145 congregations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Open House

The free public open house will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2019, and continue through Saturday, 30 March 2019, except for the Sundays of March 17 and 24. Current information about reservations for the open house can be found at [lds.org/temples/open-houses lds.org/open-houses].

Devotional

A youth devotional with Church leaders is planned for the evening before the dedication on Saturday, April 13, 2019.

Dedication

Dedicatory services will be held Sunday, 14 April 2019, and a youth devotional with Church leadership is planned for Saturday, 13 April 2019. It will be broadcast to all congregations of the Church in the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple District. Additional details regarding the temple dedication will be announced at a future date.

Dedication Order

It is the first temple in Kinshasa, and one of 6 temples in use Announced, or under construction in Africa.

Presidents

Name	Time Frame

Details

Location

The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is being constructed next to the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake Center on land that was reserved for several years. An institute and seminary building also operates on the 10-acre property.^[2]Marianne Holman Prescott “Construction Begins for a New Temple in Africa,” Church News, 12 February 2016. Accessed 24 May 2017.

Exterior

Cladding