Africa West Area Welcomes Elder and Sister Godoy

On May 28, 2023, Elder Carlos Godoy, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, concluded a 10-day visit to the Africa West Area.  Elder Godoy was accompanied by his wife, Sister Monica Godoy.  During his time in Africa Elder Godoy spent time with leaders and members in Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.

Elder Godoy began his visit in Cote d’ Ivoire where he presided over the Abidjan Cote d’ Ivoire Niangon South Stake Conference.  He was accompanied by Elder D. Martin Goury, Area Seventy, and his wife Ruth.  Elder Godoy had the opportunity to meet with Stake and Ward leaders during the conference. 

While in Cote d’ Ivoire he was able to attend a senior missionary devotional with Elder and Sister Goury.  He was also able to attend the mission conference of the Cote d’ Ivoire East and West missions at the Cocody Stake Center. 

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His visit to Ghana began with a meeting of Church employees and senior missionaries at the Africa West Area offices in Accra.  He said that “Senior couples and church employees are angels on this side of the veil. Not everyone knows what you do, but the Lord knows.” 

Accompanied by Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa West Area, and his wife Wendy, as well as Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy and Second Counselor of the Africa West Area, and his wife Lucie, Elder Godoy spoke to the missionaries at the Accra Ghana Missionary Training Center.  He shared his conversion story and encouraged the missionaries to value every discussion they taught. “For you it might be just one more lesson- but the first discussion the missionaries taught me was the most important moment of my life,” he said.  He also reminded them that each baptism is,” not just one person, it is generations.”

Elder Godoy was able to visit educational and vocational training programs sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during his time in Ghana.  At the Kasoa Ghana Stake he was able to visit the Gathering Place Program accompanied by Elder Nielsen.  With Elder Kyungu he attended the classrooms and a devotional at the Succeed in School Program in Sun City Ghana.  For more information on these visits please visit here.

While in Ghana, Elder Godoy and other Church leaders attended the Accra Ghana Temple together. The Accra Temple is one of two operating Temples in West Africa, the other is in Aba, Nigeria. There are nine Temples announced, under construction, or operating in the Africa West Area. The Accra Temple was dedicated on 11 January 2004. 

His time in West Africa concluded with a visit to Nigeria where he presided at the Lagos Nigeria Ikotun Stake Conference.  He was accompanied during the conference by Elder Goury as well as Elder Christian C. Chigbundu, Area Seventy, and his wife Felicia.   

During his time in Nigeria, Elder Godoy was able to meet with missionaries from Nigeria Lagos Mission with Mission Leaders President Mathias N. Niambe and his wife Clemence.  He was also able to visit the proposed site of the new Nigeria Lagos Temple.