A New Angel for Ghana

A new statue of the angel Moroni was raised atop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Accra Ghana Temple on February 2, 2018. The statue rises above the temple structure more than four meters and is patterned after the original angel Moroni statue on the temple in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Latter-day Saints view the statue of Moroni not as a figure of worship but rather one of respect for his role in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By holding the trumpet to his mouth, Moroni symbolizes the spreading of the gospel to all the world (see Revelation 14:6).

The original Ghana angel Moroni statue was installed during the construction of the temple in 2003.  Age, as well as bird and chemical stress, had tarnished the gold plating. In 2011 the existing statue was scheduled to be changed; however, difficulties in removing the existing statue resulted in the replacement being crated and stored for later use.

The decision was made to replace the statue during the two-week maintenance period scheduled January 22–February 5, 2018. 

Jimmy Walters Ephraim, temple complex facilities manager, is responsible for replacing the statue. “Our work on the Ghana Temple includes everyday tasks such as painting, plumbing, electrical or cleaning,” said Jimmy Ephraim. “The staff is thrilled to see this new statue placed on the temple. We feel God’s help in the work we do each day. His hand is in the details.”

William “Bill” Garrick from 3-D Art Inc. located in Salt Lake City, Utah, was selected as the specialist to oversee the repair and replacement of the Ghana angel Moroni statue. The company has manufactured and installed hundreds of the statues on Latter-day Saint temples around the world.

Mr. Garrick arrived in Ghana on January 29, 2018. After uncrating the stored statue and removing protective shrouds, a crew lifted the statue to handcrafted mounts so seven years of dust and grime could be removed. Following a thorough cleaning, inspection revealed the statue needed repair in some areas. The damage was repaired and the surface “sized” in preparation for gold leafing.

Tuesday morning, Bill and Samuel Ato Brown delicately applied more than 1,250 sheets of 23 karat gold, which had been hammered into thin gold leaf. The process required more than nine hours of painstaking labor.

Day three was spent "burnishing" the gold leaf. Narrow, fine-bristled brushes were used to smooth and shine the gold leaf, ensuring a uniform luster on the statue. Thursday was spent applying sealer over the gold to protect the finish and prolong the life of the statue.

On Friday, a 300-ton crane arrived from Tema, Ghana. The crane was used to remove the aged statue from the Accra Ghana Temple and raise the new angel Moroni in place atop the edifice.  

Each detail of the weeklong project was carefully planned and conducted by Mr. Garrick and Mr. Ephraim.

“I pray about my work each time I am involved with the placement of an angel Moroni statue,” said Mr. Garrick. “We are definitely blessed to do this work. One can feel the presence of God in the temple and surrounding grounds,” he said. “I have seen miracles that convince me God is in control.”

The Accra, Ghana, skyline is now host to a shining, bright angel Moroni statue.