Elder Dale G. Renlund Visits Multiple Countries during Ministry in Africa Central Area

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ministered in several countries in Central Africa during a ten-day visit. Elder Renlund was accompanied by his wife, Ruth; Elder José A. Teixeira of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Filomena; and Bishop L. Todd Budge, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, and his wife, Lori.

After four days ministering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Elder and Sister Renlund crossed the Congo River by boat to Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where they spoke at a mission conference of the Brazzaville Mission. An evening devotional with young single adults followed.

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On Wednesday morning, October 30, 2024, Elder Renlund dedicated the newly opened Global Education Center in Brazzaville. Attending the dedication were students, staff and guests. This first-of-its-kind facility will provide BYU Pathway Worldwide students in Republic of Congo access to computers, 24-hour high-speed internet, classrooms for study, and a network of fellow Pathway students. Prior to offering the dedicatory prayer, Elder Renlund said, “The education available at the World Education Center will prepare students to go forth and serve the world as disciples of Jesus Christ.”

From Brazzaville, the Renlunds traveled to Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. On Thursday morning, October 31, 2024, Elder and Sister Renlund met with representatives of the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, including members of the Ethiopian Ministry of Peace. Love, mutual respect and gratitude were expressed by meeting participants. As an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Elder Renlund called upon God to bless Ethiopia with peace and to bless the people of Ethiopia with prosperity. 

A very busy day in Addis Ababa continued with Elder and Sister Renlund addressing a midday Church member devotional, and then teaching and inspiring the full time missionaries of the Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission.  A long and impactful day in Ethiopia closed with an 11:15 p.m. flight to Nairobi, Kenya.

On Friday, November 1, Elder and Sister Renlund met with the 81 full-time missionaries and five senior missionary couples at a conference of the newly created Kenya Nairobi East Mission. Elder and Sister Renlund, Elder Thierry K. Mutombo, Africa Central Area President, and his wife, Nathalie, and mission leaders President David and Sister Lenise Onekawa greeted each missionary, one by one.

In her remarks to the missionaries, Sister Renlund shared that from 2009 to 2014 she and Elder Renlund lived in Africa when he was a member of the Presidency of the Africa Southeast Area which at that time included what is today the Africa Central Area. Their current Africa Central Area ministry is a much anticipated homecoming for them, as they are back in countries and among people that they love.  She commented that the parents, bishops and/or stake presidents of many of the African missionaries attending this conference were likely taught in some forum by Elder and Sister Renlund during their five year Africa Southeast Area assignment. 

Sister Renlund referred to Chapter 11 of “Preach My Gospel,” reminding missionaries to focus on five things in their service: 1. Teach, 2. Testify, 3. Invite, 4. Promise blessings, and 5. Help as they work to bring people to Christ. She asked the missionaries to consider what invitation, if accepted, will help a person’s faith to grow. She told the missionaries that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the happening thing on the earth right now.  But, without an invitation and without a friend, coming all alone to the Church is hard and it is lonely.  She asked them again to invite and to be a friend who helps.

Elder Renlund told the missionaries that he was there as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver three messages and request their help with two things:

1. Thank You. Never forget that an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ came to say thank you from the Lord Jesus Christ. esus Christ accomplishes his work through you.
2. You have been called of God by prophesy and assigned under apostolic keys to this mission.
3. President and Sister Onekawa were chosen by the Lord to lead the Kenya Nairobi East Mission at this time. Elder Renlund was in the room with the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve when it became clear to every prophet, seer and revelator in the room that the Lord knows the Onekawas, loves them and trusts them.

He then made two requests of the full-time missionaries. His first request was that the missionaries would always be doing the right thing and that they act with Christlike attributes as they serve. His second request was that they invite the young people in their wards to be just like them and to go on missions.

The busy days in Central Africa continued on Saturday, November 2, 2024 as Elder Renlund, Elder Teixeira, Bishop Budge, and members of the Africa Central Area Presidency held a five-hour instruction meeting with Area Seventies, mission presidents and stake and district presidents of Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda. The stake Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary presidents of the three Nairobi stakes were also counseled by Sister Renlund, Sister Teixeira, Sister Budge, Sister Mutombo, Sister Pieper and Sister Giraud-Carrier.

The tenth and final day of the Apostle’s visit to Central Africa was a Pentecostal day throughout Nairobi, Kenya, as Elder and Sister Renlund, along with their fellow travelers and the Africa Central Area Presidency members and their wives, split up and held three special stake conferences. Elder Renlund presided at the Nairobi East Stake conference. In her remarks, Sister Renlund quoted President Russell M. Nelson, who said that it is easier to build a temple than it is to build a temple-ready people. In anticipation of the soon-to-be open Nairobi Temple, she pointed the audience to Chapter 27 of the “General Handbook: Serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” which outlines the five covenants individuals make in the temple endowment. “If you haven’t been to the temple yet, you can start right now to live the covenants you will make there,” she said.  

In the Nairobi East Stake conference, Elder Renlund spoke of five foundational elements:

1. It is vital that we know who we are and whose we are: We are children of God, our Heavenly Father.
2. Witness that we will always remember Jesus Christ.
3. Become disciples of Jesus Christ. A key attribute of discipleship is that we love one another.
4. Every honest seeker of Jesus will find Him in the Temple.
5. Join Jesus Christ in His work.

At the conclusion of the stake conference, Elder Renlund did what he had done at each of the many conferences and devotionals held over his ten-day ministry. He invited every member to come forward and to shake hands with him and Sister Renlund.